3G. Wireless Communication Solutions

Skype Wi-Fi VoIP phones already announced by four companies (SMC, Belkin, Netgear, Edge-Core), Skype is working with other manufacturers to produce dual-mode phones for later this year.

Skype current parnters for these GSM/ WiFi dual-mode phones include Nokia and Motorola. One of the issues still to be worked out is whether the dual-mode phones will be released SIM-free, or whether they’ll be able to work out deals with cellular providers. As this sort of Skype experience would be more seamless than some of the current efforts to run Skype on smart phones, including PDAs such as Palm. The key breakthrough is that they could also connect to a mobile network at other times.

This might have been a reference to mobile network 3, which at the end of this year will launch a “specific Skype service” allowing users to call other Skype users for free through their 3 handsets. However, 3’s service will be based through its 3G handsets rather than Wi-Fi, and will probably involve a monthly charge for the service.

While GSM isn’t going to be to everyone’s liking, this is the kind of step forward that is likely to catapult Skype to the top of the VoIP market share, regardless of service category, and help them earn their keep. (Remember that eBay purchased Skype for US$2.6 billion.) Hopefully they’ll be following up with similar announcements for other types of cellular networks.

More detail at Silicon.com

Pangean Technologies develops and markets innovative, SIP-based VoIP software applications for efficient internal and campus-wide communications for the enterprise market.

Pangean unveiled plans to launch Y-Talk, Pangean’s VoIP mobility solution for internal instant communications. It is expected to be officially released at the end of June 2006. Y-Talk is a SIP-based VoIP software application that transforms any PDA device running Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 or Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 into a “Walkie-Talkie” like device using Push to Talk. Enterprises with the need for a ubiquitous solution that increases employee mobility can use Y-Talk for instant communications “on the go”.

Key Features:

The product targets for hospitals, retailers, warehouses and other environments where internal instant communications and employee mobility is critical, the solution will provide a single interface for presence, push to talk, instant group conference and more.

Pangean has also partnered with Symbol (SBL-NYSE) to integrate Y-Talk on Symbol’s MC50 and MC70 Enterprise Digital Assistants (EDA) and expects to receive certification from Symbol.

For more read: VoWiFi Push-to-Talk Solution for Mobile Phones and PDA