This is (almost) massive...
BT dials up free mobile phone calls service
"BT is to take on leading mobile phone operators such as Vodafone and O2 by enabling customers to make free calls on their mobiles.
The service has been under development at BT for the past 18 months. It will be available to customers owning smartphones, the latest devices made by companies such as Nokia and Motorola. The phones use software that routes calls free of charge through local area wireless connections to the internet."
Well, everyone knew this was coming, but from a commercial telco? Wow. I thought this would be grassroots stuff (and will still), or leveraging public wifi. BT floated off Cellnet/o2 a few years ago...and, I guess, this freed them from the constraint of being a cellular telco...
Hmmm, let's actually look at the detail - "BT’s new service will combine its existing Openzone wi-fi hotspots with a patchwork of new wi-max networks."
And it's for 'smartphones' only. So it's basically, wifi-enabled devices, running VoIP, and making use of BT's existing paid wifi nodes...and they shore it up with wi-max coverage.And a plethora of wifi enabled handsets are due in early 2006 (couple already out there).
This won't kill off Vodafone et al. yet, but give it a year or two, when I could walk from one end of a city to another and get wifi.
Presumably, this must default to a cell network when zooming up the motorway etc? Wonder if they have any sort of SLA?
Why on earth aren't the big cellular telcos nailing this market immediately? Oh yeah, £20 billion in 3G licences to cover...
They better start innovating, fast...I would put off getting a 3G data plan if I can guarantee(ish) broadband data through this service...
