About that Wireless Link … On the Subject of Seamless Convergence … Rollin', Rollin', Rollin' Out

About that Wireless Link Trapeze Networks has demonstrated something that might throw shivers down the spines of cable operators planning a wireless link with Sprint to run on top of their triple-play services. Then again, maybe it will just give Sprint the chills. The Pleasanton, CA-based provider of mobile wireless LAN (WLAN) systems said it has demonstrated seamless mobility between a Wi-Fi and cellular network-without the cellular network’s consent or cooperation. "All the carrier knows is I’m making less calls," said Trapeze CTO Dan Simone. While initially a commercial play aimed at enterprise customers, Simone said "there will be a residential component of this as well, but the residential market will be a little different and will demand a little bit different solution than the enterprise." Trapeze is using DiVitas Networks‘ dual-mode handsets to accomplish the deed. DiVitas, for its part, said it entered into a relationship with G-Tek Electronics Group to get access to G-Tek’s next-gen dual-mode Wi-Fi handsets that support roaming between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. On the Subject of Seamless Convergence A report from ThinkEquity Partners titled Think Technology: Communications Technology-and what a catchy name that is; they better hope a magazine doesn’t up and steal it-covers "our vision of how fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) will happen and why we believe there are many unrealistic expectations as to how it will likely come about." The report’s key point: "We believe the incentive for FMC comes from the cell phone carriers who will simply encourage use of Wi-Fi-enabled handsets in order to off-load capacity from their expensive licensed 850, 900, 1,800 and 1,900 MHz frequencies. We don’t believe they need any particular cooperation from the wireline carriers." To which John Clavianos, director of technical marketing at Trapeze Networks might respond: "If you’re going to wait for Cingular to bring it to you, it’ll never happen." In fact, he did say that when talking about the FMC Trapeze is doing for enterprise customers and why the cell carrier doesn’t have to be involved. Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’ Out Charter Communications has accelerated the launch of telephone service in seven new markets in the first quarter of 2006, extending telephone capability to a million new homes. Charter said it offered telephone service to nearly 3.9 million homes and had more than 191,000 customers as of March 31 … while on the other side of the coin, Franklin Telephone Co. has deployed Occam‘s Ethernet and IP-based broadband loop carrier (BLC) to deliver triple-play services to nearly 9,000 subscribers in Mississippi … and CornerStone Telephone Co. said it was teaming with Fibertech Networks to offer its upstate New York customers more robust high-speed Internet data and voice solutions over Fibertech’s 150-mile network in Albany. Enquiring Minds… Service-centric performance management software company InfoVista has identified three key trends driving mainstream VoIP adoption in the enterprise-although they missed the one about seamless convergence with wireless networks. The three trends the service-centric company identified are not surprising: a service-centric performance management strategy; tailored reporting for distinctly different enterprise users; and a real-time, granular snapshot of the user experience. The Name’s Apparently Appropriate Middleware and information management player Oracle has taken its name literally and outlined its "roadmap for a comprehensive standards-based service delivery platform (SDP) for the telecommunications industry" that’s designed to enable communications service providers, network operators and system integrators to evolve current silo-based network investments into a service-oriented architecture (SOA). We haven’t heard that many mentions of service since the draft board came calling way back when. A Third of the Way There In a numbers game, 3rd Wave Consulting Services announced  the release of its newest VoIP switch product line, the 3rd Generation Telephone Exchange (3G-TX) made specifically for small to mid-sized businesses.