* British Telecom’s phone switches between mobile network and fixed
Earlier this year, British Telecom announced its intent to trial a service that features what it calls “the everywhere phone.”
The service and associated handset features a mobile phone that also works with fixed networks. According to BT, it acts like a mobile but it has better reception, better voice quality and is cheaper to use than a mobile because it operates over BT’s fixed-line network. Set for launch next year, BT has codenamed the service “Project Bluephone” – the name inspired by the Bluetooth wireless technology it uses.
According to a statement by BT’s John Lee, “Bluephone is a BT-developed product and is the first in the world that’s being done this way. It means you can use a mobile phone when in Bluephone-enabled sites – that could be in homes, offices or public places – and you make your call via your mobile phone over the fixed network rather than mobile network. This gives improved voice quality and improved coverage therefore very good reception over a low-cost, fixed network. You’ll still get your mobile voice and data – SMS messages and voice mail – over the fixed network.”
To access the service, a user needs to be within range of a Bluephone-enabled site at home, in the office or at a public site to have the call go across the PSTN. When out of range, the handset will act as a standard mobile phone and send and receive calls over a GSM network.
BT is working with Alcatel, Ericsson and Motorola to develop the phones and other network elements. The service is based on Unlicensed Mobile Access standards.
