Not long ago, getting Wi-Fi built into a handset was a bonus. Now it’s a rarity to see a new smartphone that does not contain a Wi-Fi chip. It’s an easy add-on, and it benefits both the consumer and the operator. The consumer because Wi-Fi provides a faster connection, and the operator because it means less traffic on its 3G network. In fact, AT&T has set up a Wi-Fi network in Times Square to help ease the strain on its cellular network. If successful it plans to set up more.
The latest news out of the Wireless Broadband Alliance should then make everyone happy. They announced that they are starting trials on a technology that would allow for seamless network transfers between cellular and Wi-Fi. So when you’re browsing on your favorite Android handset, you’ll switch over to the faster Wi-Fi network if one is available. Once you leave that Wi-Fi area, you’ll get right back on your 3G or 4G connection. This might require an extended life battery, since Wi-Fi is a known battery killer, but that appears to be one of the few downsides.
In an email to Phone Scool, Chris Bruce, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, lays out the idea in non-technical terms.
“Operators who create data plans across network types (3G, Wi-Fi, WiMax, etc.) can use these specifications to make this process simple and secure across networks. Actual implementation will be by these operators, but WISPr 2.0 and WRIX together provide enablers for inter-standard roaming (between 3G – Wi-Fi / WiMax – Wi-Fi).”
Reading that out of context might incite some skepticism. After all, if the operators are implementing, who’s to say that the most popular ones will be on board? To everyone’s relief, three of the four major U.S. carriers have joined the WBA: T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
Testing begins now, and the WBA claims that it should take about six months. After that there’s really no telling how long it will take to 1) get the technology to operators, and 2) get the operators to implement it. When they do, though, it sounds like it should provide a better, easier browsing experience where Wi-Fi is available.
