By the third quarter of 2004, we expect the IEEE to release QoS enhancements to 802.11 (see "Quality of Service and 802.11e,"). Although 802.11e QoS won't be perfect, it will at least provide a standards-based approach that prioritizes voice traffic. Another development will be the release of more power-efficient WLAN chips, which will facilitate embedding WLAN functionality in smart phones, PDAs and other power-limited devices, all of which are becoming powerful enough to support VoWLAN services. This will reduce deployment costs significantly and enable development of new integrated voice/data applications.
We also predict the growing acceptance of the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) VoIP standard, a move we think will further increase competition and reduce phone prices. Finally, there are continued improvements in voice-codec and voice-response technologies, plus the introduction of new cell phones during the coming year that will integrate 802.11 VoWLAN and conventional cellular protocols, including CDMA and GSM/GPRS.
Enterprise Features
Although it's possible to use any standards-based VoIP device over a wireless network, our experience using SIP phones designed for the Pocket PC platform was disappointing at best (see "SIP Soft Phones,"). Because none of the major VoWLANs support SIP, your best option is to find a hardware platform that was designed from the ground up with wireless in mind. However, these systems vary, with some providing a relatively simple voice overlay and others a more comprehensive voice solution. Those differences also make it difficult to compare prices, except for the phones themselves. Just be aware that a low-cost phone doesn't necessarily mean a low-cost system.
Some vendors, like Cisco, leverage an established VoIP infrastructure, adding a voice handset to a broad product line. Other products, like Vocera's, include their own call managers and PBX/PSTN gateways. In most cases, you can place calls directly to other wireless devices through the call manager. Otherwise, you'll need to route those calls through the PBX/PSTN gateway. Many products support multiparty calling and intercom capabilities, which can be useful for internal communications.
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