November 1, 2004

BT Mobile to Allow Cheap Calls

BT Group is planning to launch a mobile phone next year that will allow users to make cheap calls over the internet from airports, stations, hotels and cafes, reports the FT.

"The UK's dominant telecoms operator is hoping to sell mobile handsets incorporating Wi-Fi, the wireless internet technology, that will enable its customers to access the internet when they enter one of 17,000 “hotspots” around the globe.

The move represents the first concrete signs of the threat posed by the new technology to mobile operators. If Wi-Fi-enabled phones take off, they could reverse recent trends that have led to huge volumes of voice call traffic migrating from traditional fixed-line networks to mobile operators.

emily | 1:22 PM | News, Buzz | Add this this entry to your del.icio.us bookmarks. Digg This Technorati search results for this Entry
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