Dual-Mode Phones Becoming Available

One of the barriers to fixed/mobile convergence to date has been limited availability and selection of dual-mode phones. That’s starting to change, said Shannon Bell, vice president of professional services and product management at server software company NewStep Networks, which this week at NXTcomm has joint announcements on this front with Fg microtec and Nokia, and Paragon Wireless.

Fg microtec provides the handset client for the E-series family of enterprise dual-mode Wi-Fi/cellular handsets from Nokia. The Fg microtec Voice Call Continuity (VCC) client, available today and in service provider trials, works with NewStep’s VCC server.

VCC, the functionality that allows a voice session to remain active between cellular and Wi-Fi networks, requires a dual-mode phone with a VCC client, explained Bell. The VCC server handles this handoff, she added. A VCC server is a defined capability of the IMS architecture, she continues, adding that IMS VCC is standardized, but not yet full ratified. But this kind of cellular-to-Wi-Fi handoff also can happen in non-IMS scenarios, in which case it would be integrated into softswitch or media gateway gear, Bell added.

Bell said one of the trials using the Fg microtec/Nokia/NewStep solution involves IMS, the other does not; both are running over GSM-based cellular networks.

The Nokia handsets, which retail in the $300 to $500 range, are available in volume today without the Fg microtec client, said Bell, explaining the software is downloadable to the handsets, which service providers will take care of and then distribute to their FMC customers, at least initially.

Also at the show this week, NewStep and Paragon Wireless announced they have completed interoperability certification for Paragon’s latest GSM/VoWLAN dual-mode handset, the hipi 2300, which has an integrated VCC client. The hipi-2300 is Paragon Wireless’ newest addition to its Microsoft Windows Mobile dual-mode handset technology. Bells said the Paragon handsets are commercially available today, but she did not know in what kind of volume.

These new relationships with Fg Microtec and Paragon are in addition to the work NewStep is doing with Kyocera Wireless. The companies officially announced in May they are working together in trials for CDMA-compliant VCC solutions for FMC and have successfully tested a Wi-Fi enabled prototype handset with the NewStep Converged Services Node (CSN) platform.

NewStep’s CSN is currently deployed at Embarq, British Telecom and other carriers.

Fg microtec www.fgmicrotec.com
Kyocera Wireless www.kyocera-wireless.com
NewStep Networks www.newstep.com
Nokia www.nokia.com
Paragon Wireless www.parawireless.com

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