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Kineto introduces new twist to WiFi offload trend
UMA and femtocell vendor Kineto Wireless has developed what it calls the Smart Wi-Fi Offload platform yhat turns existing WiFi access points into seamless extensions of a mobile operator network, enabling smartphone users to receive all mobile services over WiFi, including voice, SMS, data, IMS and web-based services.
WiFi has been heavily touted--and heavily used by AT&T Mobility--as a way to offload mobile data network traffic to improve network bottlenecks. Operators are also facing a situation where mobile data traffic is outstripping revenue.
But Kineto says there are also some unsavory side effects associated with allowing subscribers with WiFi smartphones to move onto Internet-based WiFi networks. Namely, web services like Skype can be used, bypassing an operator's own revenue-generating services. In addition, smartphones using cellular and WiFi radios simultaneously face significant battery drain, which is a disincentive for using WiFi.
As such, Kineto's WiFi Offload platform is designed to deliver all mobile services via WiFi rather than the macro network. As a result, the cellular radio can be turned off whenever a smartphone is connected to WiFi and smartphones remain on the macro network.
For more:
- see this release
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Kineto Wireless gets $15M
NEC Makes Strategic Investment in Kineto Wireless
Comments
Posted by Derek Kerton | January 14, 2010 - 7:21pm
Lynette,
So how is that different than UMA (a solution that Kineto couldn't get the carriers to adopt)?
UMA peaked at 6 carriers worldwide, but lost momentum even in those carriers because it required upgrades to the network AND every single phone. As such, most standard GSM phones were incompatible.
There is a scaling problem with UMA in that it has to be put in every single phone.
Meanwhile, femtocells would work with ANY phone, and have a smaller scaling issue since it has to go into the facility, but not every phone. Femtocells have superior power drain implications for the phone, too. Thus, femtocells have gained traction as UMA has lost it.
I like the power consumption aspects of their idea, but it sounds pretty much exactly like the failed UMA...right?
Derek Kerton
www.kertongroup.com
Posted by Lynnette | January 18, 2010 - 4:43pm
Derek, I have not talked to them yet but it sounds like any WiFi-enabled phone.
Posted by Lynnette | January 18, 2010 - 4:43pm
Derek, I have not talked to them yet but it sounds like any WiFi-enabled phone.
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