France Telecom (FT) is the latest European incumbent to confirm plans for a dual-mode phone combining the benefits of mobile and fixed wireless networks. As reported by Reuters this week, FT is aiming for a fourth quarter launch for its converged telephony service and will make an official announcement next month.
The company is apparently well advanced with developments and aims for a rapid rollout to compete with similar product launched recently by competitors Iliad and Neuf. News that FT will launch a converged GSM/Wi-Fi phone solution follows nearly a year after BT launched its new Fusion product, a system that allows mobile phone users to roam onto Wi-Fi networks so that they can access landline call rates.
In Germany, Deutsche Telekom is currently trialling a similar product with Nokia and is expected to make a commercial launch sometime in the next three months.
The company is apparently well advanced with developments and aims for a rapid rollout to compete with similar product launched recently by competitors Iliad and Neuf. News that FT will launch a converged GSM/Wi-Fi phone solution follows nearly a year after BT launched its new Fusion product, a system that allows mobile phone users to roam onto Wi-Fi networks so that they can access landline call rates.
In Germany, Deutsche Telekom is currently trialling a similar product with Nokia and is expected to make a commercial launch sometime in the next three months.