FON marked a milestone in the US market several months ago. Its agreement with Time Warner Cable permitting TWC subscribers to share bandwidth created a minor splash in the press and industry. A new insight published by Strategy Analytics, "Google-backed FON Aims to Sign Up One Million Member Hotspots in 2007," examines the deal and its possible implications.

"Since its early days, pay-as-you-go WiFi has been a tenuous business model at best," says Ben Piper, Director of the Strategy Analytics Broadband Network Strategies. "Few have made a compelling case for paying upwards of $8 simply to check email, download a presentation or surf." According to Piper, "While FON is poised to become a global player, the company will need to seriously ratchet up its marketing effort to succeed at this, and the financial backing of Google could prove invaluable in this respect."

EnGenius announces the launch of the SI-680H a SIP-based Wi-Fi phone. The EnGenius SI-680H phone will enable customers the ability to call anywhere in the world over the Internet via a wireless network connection.

This compact IP wireless device is designed for the roaming office worker and boasts an intuitive interface allowing users to quickly and easily configure the handset to access available wireless-b networks. It is designed to be easily installed on any WLAN network, allowing companies to quickly and cost-effectively deploy mobility to workers.

Features of the SI-680H include:

• Support for SIP v2 standards
• Compliance with IEEE 802.11b standards and WPA certified
• Security WEP key (64/128 bits), WPA, 802.1x
• Call forwarding, call transfer, call history
• Enhanced power savings
• Fast Hotspot Authentication
• Weighing only 98g including battery
• Clear colour LCD display

Vyke has entered into an agreement that will give Vyke users access to VoIP calling services from any hotspot operated by The Cloud Networks Limited ("The Cloud"). Beginning this summer, all Vyke Mobile IP users will be able enjoy seamless mobile VoIP service from The Cloud hotspots in the United Kingdom and abroad. The Cloud's 9,000 WiFi enabled wireless internet hotspots provide comprehensive coverage in a variety of public venues and 16 high density metropolitan areas such as the City of London, Canary Wharf, Amsterdam and Manchester.

Vyke views The Cloud, with its operator independent business model, dominant position in Europe and its aggressive continuing build out plan, as a key partner for executing upon its stated mobile IP telephony strategy.

A recent survey of U.S. early adopters by high-tech market researcher In-Stat found that almost half of those respondents planning to replace their cell phones want Wi-Fi capability. To meet the growing demand, there is an avalanche of dual-mode phones in the pipeline. By the end of this year, the Wi-Fi Alliance will have certified more than 100 different models of Wi-Fi/Cellular phones.

“In the years ahead, dual-mode VoIP-capable phone systems will have increasing competition from other technologies, like femtocells for cellular coverage, but widespread Wi-Fi deployment and the variety of Wi-Fi/Cellular handsets offers Wi-Fi/Cellular-based systems a significant head start in the market,” says Allen Nogee, In-Stat Principal Analyst. “Other technologies, such as WiMAX and Ultra Wideband, are also poised to enter the handset market, but Wi-Fi fills a unique niche that WiMAX and UWB cannot match.”

Boingo has signed a roaming agreement with FON that will provide access to an additional 130,000 hot spot locations – more than doubling the company’s network size.

The 130,000 Wi-Fi locations come from businesses and individuals who add their own hot spots to the FON community in exchange for the right to roam on other FON community locations for free or at a reduced rate. For Boingo users, these new locations provide a rich network of Wi-Fi locations in areas that complement Boingo’s existing commercial locations.

Access to the FON network will also benefit users of Boingo Mobile, the company’s service for Wi-Fi-enabled handsets. Boingo Mobile users pay $7.95 per month for unlimited access to hot spots worldwide to make VoIP calls, use messaging services or surf the Internet from their handset.

FON announced a partnership with Time Warner Cable which allows Time Warner Cable broadband subscribers to access the world’s largest and fastest-growing WiFi network. The partnership specifically allows Time Warner Cable subscribers to become FON community members and create FON access points via their home or business broadband connection. Furthermore, the same subscribers would enjoy free WiFi access around the world, wherever FON has partner ISPs.

With nearly 60,000 FON community members in the U.S. alone, FON is the largest WiFi network in the United States. Hotspot providers are FON community members (called Foneros) who share their unused bandwidth via a FON router in exchange for free WiFi access when roaming through any other FON access point. Through this partnership, Time Warner Cable subscribers will have the opportunity to be members of the FON community and enjoy free unlimited WiFi access at any of FON’s partner ISP WiFi hotspots.

WiFiMobile launches a Mobile VOIP service on the Nokia S60 handsets which enables users to make free calls to each other over Wi-Fi regardless of location. Mobile VOIP calls can also be made where no Wi-Fi connection is available by utilising a network operator data plan.

The WiFiMobile service is available at www.wifimobile.com. Using the basic service users can call other VOIP users completely for free. A premium service is also available that permits calls to be made to ordinary landlines or mobile phones at heavily discounted costs.

Calls can be made when the user is in a Wi-Fi zone. Alternatively WiFiMobile also enables VOIP calls to be made over a conventional GSM service by routing the call over an existing 3G data plan. In either of these situations VOIP calls will not eat up any bundled voice minutes.

Panasonic announces the availability of the Panasonic Wi-Fi phone for use with Skype, the world's fastest-growing Internet communications offering.

The KX-WP1050, an easy to install and use Wi-Fi Panasonic product, is one in a series of planned products that are Skype Certified. This new device uses Wi-Fi access to allow Skype users to make and receive free Skype-to-Skype calls, make inexpensive SkypeOut calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide, and receive SkypeIn calls from landlines and mobiles. With the included Wi-Fi base unit, the solution is simple to plug in and use, without using a PC.

"With the growing popularity of Skype and the mass availability of broadband in homes, offices and hotels, the KX-WP1050 will be a powerful communications tool for anyone who wants to take advantage of easily accessible and either free or inexpensive Internet calling," said Mike Timar, national marketing manager, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "This exciting product will enable greater flexibility in communications for both home and business users."

Comtrend, announces an all-in-one IAD (Integrated Access Device) for home or office use that brings unparalleled convenience and performance to digital communications. The new CT-6382T IAD offers WiFi-compatible WLAN Internet access, VoIP local/long distance phone calling with conventional PSTN phone backup, cordless phone connectivity using DECT technology and much more—all delivered via high-speed ADSL2+ standards over a standard phone line.

For the service provider, the CT-6382T provides exceptional deployment and management support. The device is TR-68 compliant, making it possible for end users to easily install and configure the unit themselves. The CT-6382T is also TR-69 compliant for simple remote management and configuration by the service provider.

Free mobile calls platform barablu is giving Skype and Google Talk users the chance to make free calls from a mobile.

barablu has perfected the technology enabling contacts from Skype and Google Talk to be transferred to a Wi-Fi enabled mobile phone.

This breakthrough means users of Skype and Google Talk can utilise the barablu service and call anyone from their contacts list without being tied to their PC. They not only gain free calls, but free texts and voice mail.

Free phone calls using the Internet is rapidly attracting a growing number of converts. This demand has up to now been driven by the likes of Skype and there are 171 million registered users worldwide. barablu takes the development into the next generation.

With barablu they not only gain free calls, but free texts and voice mail from a Wi-Fi enabled mobile phone.

Truphone confirmes that its mobile VoIP service is supported on three new Nokia handsets: the Wi-Fi-equipped Nokia E61i, Nokia E65 and Nokia E90 models.

Truphone enables Wi-Fi-equipped mobile phones to make internet-rate phone calls (VoIP calls) over Wi-Fi connections. When the handset is not in Wi-Fi range it reverts from being a 'Truphone' to being a normal mobile handset, so people need only one device.

"The new Nokia E61i, Nokia E65 and Nokia E90 phones will be very popular and Truphone works on them from day one," said James Tagg, CEO of Truphone. "With other manufacturers also starting to put Wi-Fi on handsets, 2007 is the year that mobile meets the Internet - and that means Truphone VoIP," he added.

The Truphone client software has completed the Symbian signing process and is available for all new and existing Nokia Wi-Fi VoIP handsets.

Users of Truphone's low-cost mobile VoIP service can now make and receive internet phone calls on their mobiles from more than 700 additional Wi-Fi hotspots in popular locations across 14 countries in Europe, following an agreement between Truphone and free-hotspot.com.

This latest roaming agreement extends Truphone users' access to public Wi-Fi. The company expects to conclude further roaming agreements throughout 2007, creating an ever-bigger network of hotspots where log-on is automatic for Truphone users.

As a special launch offer, access to free-hotspot.com's Wi-Fi network will be 100% free to Truphone users, with calls charged at Truphone's characteristically low VoIP call rates. From May 15th, calls will be billed at just 3p/minute above these rates.

barablu's easy to use service expands VoIP beyond the PC and promises to benefit millions who use the mobile as their preferred choice of communication.

barablu has achieved advances which gives users not just free calls via a mobile but also -

• Free text message
• Free voice mail

Free phone calls using the Internet is attracting a growing number of converts daily and this demand has up to now been driven by the likes of Skype but barablu takes the development into next generation.

Details of the company's global expansion have been revealed at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona (February 12-15).

Jinan Yinquan Technology – a wholly owned subsidiary of China VoIP and Digital Telecom introduced to cellular subscribers the added ability to make calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), connecting via any available wireless fidelity (WiFi) network.

The new service will mean subscribers can save money on long distance calls using VoIP. In addition, callers using the WiFI/VoIP service will not pay roaming charges outside their home area.

“Our WiFi/VoIP cell phone supports dual SIM cards,” said Li Kunwu, President and CEO of China VoIP & Digital Telecom Inc. “One is for the VoIP number, the other is for the common GSM/CDMA cell phone network.”

In addition to savings on roaming fees, Mr. Li added, “Calls between WiFi/VoIP cell phones are free of charge. So users may save up to 80 percent on their long distance call fees while enjoying the same mobility and portability convenience of regular cell phones.”

SpectraLink has extended its Wi-Fi telephony capabilities to third-party mobile devices by introducing the NetLink Softphone application. The NetLink SP application allows voice-enabled mobile devices to function as full-featured business telephones integrated with an enterprise telephone system. NetLink SP operates as a thin client, offering optimized performance both over the wireless LAN and on the handheld device.

NetLink SP is a simple, easy-to-use mobile application that runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 and PocketPC operating systems. It works in conjunction with SpectraLink's NetLink Telephony Gateway using SpectraLink Radio Protocol, a lightweight protocol developed specifically to provide optimal performance and voice quality over converged wireless networks. The NetLink Telephony Gateway's unique digital interface technology makes it possible to extend the advanced features and functions of a company's telephone switch, such as call transfer, conferencing and voicemail integration, to the end-user device. The NetLink SP softphone also supports text messaging through SpectraLink's Open Application Interface, integrating with applications such as customer service call boxes and inventory management systems.