Fourteen companies, including service providers, infrastructure suppliers and handset vendors, have come together to publish a set of open specifications for extending mobile voice and data services over wireless local area networks.
The companies listed under the body known as Unlicensed Mobile Access, are Alcatel Corp, AT&T Wireless Services Inc., BT plc, Cingular Wireless L.L.C, L.M. Ericsson, Kineto Wireless Inc., Motorola Inc., Nokia Corp, Nortel Networks Ltd., MmO2, Rogers Wireless Inc., Siemens AG, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communication and T-Mobile USA.
The specifications will enable carriers to deploy solutions for easy roaming and hand-offs between cellular and Wi-Fi.
“There has been no shortage of one-off fixed-mobile products and solutions over the years,” said Peter Jarich, senior analyst, wireless infrastructure with Current Analysis. “The release of the UMA specifications is especially important because they point to a critical mass of carrier interest in convergence while finally providing vendors with an open set of specifications to build on.”
With increasing interest in Wi-Fi, carriers have been making efforts to connect their cellular infrastructure to the short-range networks to take advantage of a plethora of applications, especially in the multimedia arena, that will be available in broadband markets.
