Of course, NEC is not alone in its vision. Just last week, Vonage Holdings Corp, the largest VoIP provider in the US, launched its first mobile handset. And Avaya and Nortel are aggressively pursing the wireless IP market.
But NEC claims the most broad-reaching enterprise strategy. The company hopes to drum up enterprise business with a mix-and-match approach, that is, a range of devices targeted at different workers’ needs.
Our strategy is to provide the enterprise, whether horizontal or vertical, with multiple devices that allow them to communication to make their business more profitable, said Jay Krauser, general manager of NEC Unified Solutions Inc, based in Irving, Texas.
The company launched a low-end wireless VoIP handset, with OEM partner SpectraLink, in August with voice capabilities only.
Now it is currently beta testing a SIP-based 802.11, or WiFi, VoIP handset that also has data capabilities. This WiFi IP smartphone is slated for release in the second quarter of the new year, Krauser said.
By adding IP integration to its system, users no longer need a TDM gateway to move from an NEC-SpectraLink handset to another wired IP device, Krauser said. You can do peer-to-peer connection between wireless and wired handsets, he said.
And WiFi coverage within buildings is often superior to that of cellular, Krauser said. Of course, there also is the cost benefit of not using cellular minutes, which potentially makes mobility for affordable for more workers, he said. The cost of WiFi VoIP smart phones may range between $100 to $300 per user, depending on functionality.
We’re going to be able to cover the enterprise, whether it’s vertical or horizontal or a manufacturing worker or a CEO, he said.
Enterprises with existing WiFi networks may need to rejig their network internally to accommodate the new devices, Krauser said.
NEC also is working with Motorola on a dual-mode IP phone, which would utilize an enterprise’s WiFi network inside the building and a cellular network outdoors. The hand-over between the two networks would be seamless, Krauser said. However, this dual-mode phone would have limited data capability compared to a smart phone, he said. It does have a lot of data capability to it, but it’s more of a flip-phone type deployment, Krauser said.
NEC and Motorola hope to get the dual-mode device to market by the start of the third calendar quarter next year. Krauser said it may retail for roughly $800 or so, which means it likely will used for select workers only. This mobile device with hand-over is not inexpensive, he said.
Another product in NEC’s lab is a cellular phone with software that identifies location and routes the call to the user’s most available connection. So, if a user receives a call to their workplace IP PBX number, yet they are reachable only by cell phone at the time, the call will automatically reroute to the cell phone — with the enterprise bearing the cost of the call. And, of course, the reverse situation would also work. This device is still in development.
While NEC may not be first to market with its wireless VoIP handsets, Krauser said the company multi-device strategy will mean significant enterprise traction.
Avaya is out there and will be [launching] an 802.11 device with handover faster than I will, by quite a few months, he said. But that’s the only device they have. Whereas our strategy is multiple devices, because you’re going to have employees [with different needs].
