Telecom Trends

Fixed mobile convergence is the common industry term for handsets and technology that allows inter-operable communications flow between mobile devices and a fixed network. It allows customers to roam-to-home: avoiding mobile network charges when the handset is used to originate calls within range of a WiFi network.

Rogers is continuing to leverage its GSM infrastructure advantage to launch innovative devices ahead of its competitors. Tomorrow, Rogers will be formally announcing its first fixed-mobile converged handsets - allowing customers to roam from mobile onto WiFi networks - and Rogers will announce its Fido Uno and Rogers Home Zone rate plans.

These are plans that make more sense for Rogers than its competitors, since Rogers is less likely than Bell or TELUS to be cannibalizing its wireline home phone revenues.

Rogers has bundled in a voice optimized WiFi router at no extra charge. Their router is designed to simplify the security pairing between the handset and the home network and its features are said to improves battery life on the mobile handset.

The service allows UMA-equipped handsets to hand-off calls seamlessly between the WiFi / GSM networks. Billing will be based on where the call originates - calls started on WiFi will be free for their duration; calls started on the mobile network will incur charges for the duration. The service allows use of any WiFi network when located in Canada, but it is especially easy to synch with the WiFi router supplied by Rogers.

In case you were wondering, emergency calls will be handled by the mobile network, not VoIP, even when the phone is in its WiFi mode.

Is this UMA product launch another step in preparing Rogers for the launch of iPhone 2.0?

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Update [May 6, 11:10 pm]
See Peter Nowak's take on this story, which includes an interview with me, in his posting on CBC online.

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