Japanese utility orders 6,000 cellular/Vo-Fi handsets

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JOANIE WEXLER ON WIRELESS IN THE
ENTERPRISE
08/15/05
Today's focus: Japanese utility orders 6,000 cellular/Vo-Fi
handsets

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Dual-mode hits the big-time
* Links related to Wireless in the Enterprise
* Featured reader resource
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Network World Executive Guide: Evaluating VoIP in the Enterprise

Got VoIP? More and more companies are answering yes...the
reasons vary from cost savings, network flexibility, and ease of
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Register now and get a free copy of Network World's Got VoIP?
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WHAT IS EV-DO?

If you thought that being able to connect to the internet from
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click here:
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Today's focus: Japanese utility orders 6,000 cellular/Vo-Fi
handsets

By Joanie Wexler

Osaka Gas, of Osaka, Japan, has purchased 6,000 NEC N900iL
dual-mode handsets supporting both 3G and voice-over-Wi-Fi
(Vo-Fi) connections. Osaka employees intend to use Wi-Fi
services on-site and NTT DoCoMo cellular services outdoors from
the same device.

Wi-Fi switch start-up Meru Networks landed the Wi-Fi component
of the installation, which involves blanketing the utility
company's 50 offices in Japan with its 802.11 access points and
controllers. A Fujitsu Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server
provides presence management capabilities and calling features,
which work with the SIP-standard calling features in the
DoCoMo-supplied handsets.

The deployment is under way and should be completed by year-end,
according to Toshi Kibe, president and CEO of Nissho Electronics
U.S.A., a distributor and integrator that was involved in
helping Osaka Gas with its dual-mode evaluation, selection and
installation.

The availability of dual-mode devices has been gathering steam
this year. The devices have the potential to support
single-number communications across both cellular and Wi-Fi
networks. Users can make calls on the corporate calling plan
when they are local and cellular calls when they're not.

Kibe said Osaka will be running voice traffic on 802.11b
channels and data on 802.11a channels from a common access
point, primarily because "there are still no Vo-Fi handsets
supporting 802.11a."

802.11a, however, could be beneficial to voice, because its
5-GHz spectrum currently is less prone to interference than the
crowded 2.4-GHz spectrum. It also supports many more channels
for varying network design to further avoid interference.

Kibe said aside from Meru's ability to support the greatest
number of concurrent users per AP (14 to 15, depending on
conditions), the call admission control (CAC) and call-balancing
features of Meru's recently announced Voice Services Module were
"very important" to Meru winning the Osaka deal.

"The CAC feature returns a busy signal to a new caller if an AP
is full so that the additional call won't degrade the quality of
all other calls," he explained. "Call balancing moves users to
less loaded APs to avoid busy signals."

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Cisco to double Catalyst 6500 switch capacity in coming
months, report says
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5022>

2. Ex WorldCom CFO Sullivan gets 5 years in jail
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5023>

3. Microsoft open source exec: Not the loneliest guy in Redmond
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir4822>

4. Cisco mulls acquiring Nokia, report says
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5024>

5. IT staff shortage looming
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5025>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Joanie Wexler

Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology
writer/editor in California's Silicon Valley who has spent most
of her career analyzing trends and news in the computer
networking industry. She welcomes your comments on the articles
published in this newsletter, as well as your ideas for future
article topics. Reach her at <mailto:joanie@jwexler.com>.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Avaya
Network World Executive Guide: Evaluating VoIP in the Enterprise

Got VoIP? More and more companies are answering yes...the
reasons vary from cost savings, network flexibility, and ease of
administration. Yet others are drawn to the promise of advanced
VoIP applications such as unified messaging and collaboration.
Register now and get a free copy of Network World's Got VoIP?
Executive Guide, which outlines the keys to successful VoIP
deployments.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110568
_______________________________________________________________
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