British Telecom (BT), will introduce a device and service that it hopes will bridge the gap between fixed and mobile services. The new service is initially being trialled with 400 users and will be rolled out commercially in September. BT Fusion is the culmination of years of technical development and market research that was previously known as Project Bluephone. The new wireless handsets will connect to BT�s traditional fixed line network when users are in their homes but will automatically log on to a mobile network when subscribers leave the home environment. BT moved out of mobile telephony in 2001 when it spun off what used to be called mmO2 into a separate, independent business. Significantly, for the telco�s return to the mobile arena, it is partnering with Vodafone rather than with its offspring, O2. BT hopes the service will create �1 billion of additional revenue. It's part of the carrier�s long-term strategy to stem the loss of fixed line customers that are churning away in increasing numbers, and opting for mobile connectivity instead.
The industrial sector is on the eve of a wireless transformation, driven by an urgent demand for greater network capacity, reliability, and deterministic performance. Historically, manufacturers and mission-critical operations have relied on wired networks — favoring their predictability — because spectrum congestion in legacy 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands limited confidence in wireless for operational technology (OT) environments. However, with the introduction and rapid adoption of the 6GHz spectrum, compounded by significant advances in Wi-Fi standards, industrial facilities are now poised to embrace wireless LANs as the backbone for automation and digital innovation. Industrial WLAN Market Development Recent research from ABI Research forecasts that over 70 percent of industrial-grade wireless LAN access points (WLAN APs) shipped in 2030 will support the 6GHz band. This is a leap from 2 percent in 2023, highlighting a rapid and profound technological shift. The market for ruggedized indust...