What Is the Impact of WiFi Phones?
A product of the convergence of two technologies--Voice over Internet Protocol, or VOIP, and wireless fidelity, or Wi-Fi--Wi-Fi phones allow users to make Internet-based calls without the need for a wired connection.
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Congestion and Exhaustion
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A large number of wireless devices connected to the same Wi-Fi access point can cause localized network congestion. According to Chin Yit Ooi, an engineer for Intel Microelectronics, wireless access points can become congested as Wi-Fi phones begin to compete with laptops, tablet computers and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. In addition, each Wi-Fi phone must obtain a unique Internet protocol address, known as an IP address, and some lower-end access points only issue up to 50 addresses at a time.
Cell Phone Impacts
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In a paper prepared for the International Engineering Consortium, Chin Yit Ooi noted that more than half of surveyed corporate decision makers indicated that they have already adopted or planned to adopt Wi-Fi phones as a partial replacement for more traditional mobile communication devices. This adoption of the technology may lead to a decline in the sale and use of non-Wi-Fi mobile telephones.
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Interference
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As more Wi-Fi devices like wireless phones come online, according to computer networking manufacturer Cisco, the likelihood for radio interference increases considerably. This interference can lead to a number of network issues, resulting in poor Wi-Fi phone connections and dropped calls.
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References
- Photo Credit portable handheld pc image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
