India Broadband Forum

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Voice over wireless local area networks (VoWLAN) might just be one of those technologies whose time has come now. By combining VoIP and wireless networking in a communications system augurs well for the smooth functioning. There is a lot of demand for VoWLAN and particularly for dual-mode cellular and wireless VoIP phones. According to a research study, despite the security concerns, the demand for VoWLAN is growing day by day. There are several companies that are developing solutions to address to the security concerns and other minor loopholes.
At one level, the equation is quite simple in a carpeted office environment. If an office has a wireless network and its employees are using their company cell-phones to talk as they move from desk to desk and from conference room to cubicle, then it may witness a massive reduction in its airtime charges. Such cost saving features makes the VoWLAN popular in the office environments. With the imminent market availability of reasonably affordable dual-mode phones, cost-saving is no longer a distant dream.
However, company executives who think that it will be a simple question of giving everyone a new phone are completely mistaken. It is true that most companies are thinking seriously about VoWLAN. But they are probably underestimating the complexity involved in actually deploying the technology. Most of the wirelesses LANs are deployed casually. They are not integrated in the network infrastructure as a whole or scaled-up to be able to support voice. A lot more of a design process goes in to supporting VoWLAN.
The main advantage with mobile phones is that they are completely mobile and are very supportive to IP networking. People invariably use their laptops sitting in one place. But the whole benefit of a mobile phone is that users can make calls while walking through a corridor or standing in some places other than offices. A telephone conversation can move from one access point to another.