Vonage Wireless

The well-known VoIP carrier Vonage may be about to leap into the cellphone business, according to BusinessWeek. Speaking to analysts in a recent financial call, the company let slip news that it would soon sell a dual-mode phone that would support both cellular networks and Wi-Fi, raising the possibility that the company could soon become a virtual network operator in the vein of Amp'd Helio while keeping its trademark VoIP access to save costs indoors or at public access points.

Other details were hidden in the announcement. However, the news points to the probable use of Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) phones such as the Motorola A910, which use Wi-Fi to automatically switch between cellphone and Wi-Fi networks for cheaper calls. T-Mobile has already revealed its own UMA service set to go online later this year.

By Electronista Staff