What Is A WiFi
Phone?
A WiFi phone is an
internet or VoIP phone which looks and works very much like a regular cell
phone. Like a cell phone, it sends and receives voice signals by radio waves, has a printed
circuit board to connect its various components, needs a battery for working and,
like a cell phone, you can carry it around with you.
The difference between a cell phone and WiFi phone is that a cell phone is
connected to the cellular network through signal towers while the WiFi phone
uses the
WiFi hotspot network to connect to the internet and then work as any other internet
phone.
In this way a WiFi phone is just
like any other internet phone, though they work differently.
How A WiFi Phone Differs From
Other Internet Phones
Both WiFi and other internet or broadband phones use internet for making VoIP
calls, the difference lies in how they connect with the internet.
When you make VoIP calls by your internet phones using a handset or a headphone
and speakers, your phone or computer are physically connected to the internet
line through your modem and routers.
But a WiFi phone is not physically
connected to internet. It accesses the internet wirelessly by what is called
WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) network hotspots. So you can use your WiFi phone while
you are walking around in your office or riding your car.
How A WiFi Phone Works
A WiFi phone has an internal device NIC (Network Interface Card) to detect radio
waves in the surrounding area. When you try to call somebody on your WiFi phone,
the NIC tries to seek radio waves from a nearby
hotspot. If a
strong signal is found, your WiFi phone asks permission to be allowed to login
to the internet and then the call goes through like any other VoIP call.
If you are using your WiFi while
driving, you would do well to park your car while making the call. Because the
range of a hotspot is limited. So if you move out of the hotspot coverage area,
your WiFi phone will stop working until it enters the coverage area of another
hotspot on the way. This would also mean that you will miss any phones that may
come to your WiFi phone. One way to get around this problem is to use the dual
mode phones (box) which switch to the cellular network when they are out of the
hotspot range.
Future
Outlook
|
Dual-Mode
WiFi/Cellular Phone |
With such a
phone you are always assured of ongoing connectivity no matter where you
happen to be.
Use the WiFi mode when you are near a hotspot. If you move out of the
WiFi coverage, just click a button and your phone is connected to the
cellular network.
Dual-mode WiFi/cell phones have started coming on the market and are
expected to make a positive impact on the VoIP scene. (Click
here to read more.) |
WiFi phones have a great potential because
they allow you to make cheap or free calls while you are on the move.
This is why they have become highly popular in the short time they have
been on the market.
What keeps WiFi phones from being accepted
as a reliable means of communication at all times is the absence of a
country-wide hotspot network like the cellular network.
However, a step in this direction is that many cities are developing
city-wide WiFi networks and increasing number of cafes, airports and
public places are providing the free or cheap hotspot facility.
Another development that should help WiFi
phones gain wider acceptance is the recent introduction of Dual-Mode
Phones (see box). With these phones you are assured of
on-going connectivity while enjoying the benefits of WiFi phones when
you are in the hotspot coverage area.
