According to tech blogger Stuart Zipper at Phone.com, the soon-to-be-released Blackberry Z10 may be setting new standards in mobile VoIP capabilities and the shape of mobile technologies.
VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, refers to Internet telephony, the technology by which phone calls can be sent via wireless Internet Protocol routes, rather than through traditional copper wire routes. VoIP is far cheaper than traditional phone service, and offers more calling features like unlimited nationwide calling and cheap international minutes.
The Cheat Sheet to Making Unlimited Calls with VoIP technology, and what the future holds!
According to Zipper, the BlackBerry Z10 will likely be VoIP-enabled such that customers can use their cell phones as virtual extensions through VoIP. There are already some providers that offer service in virtual extensions whereby a company could set up their employees with cell phones as their primary work extension through their hosted PBX, so it isn’t new that people can use cell phones as a primary VoIP line. However, if this BlackBerry Z10 rumor turns out to be true, this could have significant implications for VoIP networks, the cell phone industry, and the shape of national Internet services.
Most of the time, when people buy cell phones, they also buy a regular minute, text, and data plan for a cellular provider. And with legislation that makes cell phone unlocking illegal, it will only get harder to get a cell phone with no strings attached. A smartphone that allows a user to solely use their cheap Internet-based VoIP service plan without having to buy a traditional phone package would be a radical shift in the favor of the customer.
VoIP reduces cellular rates
In order for a cell phone to function as a cell phone, customers need to buy cellular plans. Customers can use VoIP on their cell phones whenever they have access to the Internet. Customers can access the Internet any time they have access to private or public Wi-Fi, but when there is no WiFi, customers need to be able to get online, which usually requires a data plan with a cellular provider.
So, for now, even when customers want to use mobile VoIP for the majority of their cell calling, they still need at least a small data plan.
Mobile phone with VoIP facility on the way
However, if there were a popular shift towards using VoIP for the majority of mobile calling, as enabled by a VoIP-reliant mobile phone like the rumored BlackBerry, customers would have access to much cheaper mobile phone service for all calling.
An expansion into full VoIP access also has implications for the state of nationwide Internet access capabilities. Just the suggestion of all-VoIP cell phones reflects that national interest in improved public WiFi networks. It is generally easier to access a cellular network than it is to access WiFi in many places. All-VoIP mobile technologies would require improvements in nationwide Internet systems.
Industries now investing in Wi-Fi networks
There has been a push in recent years to make free WiFi access more widespread. Several big food chains like Starbucks and McDonalds now offer free WiFi, and several airlines offer WiFi during flights (though not for free).
WiFi is also starting to appear more and more with public transportation. San Francisco has WiFi on their BART train system, and New York City launched WiFi in 6 of their underground stations in August, 2012 with plans to reach all 277 stations by 2017.
Wherever there is an Internet connection, there is the ability for VoIP users to use their unlimited free calls anywhere in the country. VoIP smartphone users are going to want more access to WiFi or 4G wherever they travel with their smartphone.
Free WiFi still isn’t available in a lot of everyday places, and 4G can be expensive, but demand by VoIP users could very well change that. Baby steps made to include WiFi in public transportation locations could become the new standard, and WiFi might be made available in public spaces like parks and beaches as well.
VoIP users will have to wait and see what the future holds, but it is certainly promising. This could be mean freedom from those expensive traditional phone plans and definitely the freedom to make calls anywhere in the world with more WiFi access.
Do you reasoned with the writer in one way or the other? I personally did reasoned in the opposite way, and here’s what I reasoned about. “What if those big ISP or Cellular companies make move to stop this technology advancement,” do you think the writer’s point of view can be easily accepted by everyone?
Please reason with me and let’s communicate and learn new things.
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