I bet most of you read the same number of stories (weekly it seems) as I do about WiFi calling, coverage and capacity. The topic is certainly hot and so is its demand from subscribers and operators. What has me excited from last week’s news has more to do with the "push" of WiFi, not so much the "pull". First, the Microsoft "leak" reported in PC World regarding the spinning of Skype WiFi into Microsoft WiFi, resulting in better hotspot coverage especially in airports and hotels, should help propel operators to seek out and set their plans for rolling out VoWiFi sooner rather than later.
The key benefit of VoWiFi is network extension and better coverage for voice and text, especially in notoriously poor indoor cellular coverage areas such as home and the office. Microsoft’s plans, when realized, will add airports and hotels (other notorious nuisance coverage areas) to the list of indoor areas that will now have increased WiFi coverage and accessibility thanks to their efforts.
The second exciting pull item that we first saw happening with national operators at professional sports venues, is now happening with regional operators at smaller stadium venues at universities — the creation of new WiFi "networks" to bolster subscribers’ quality of experience at games. These smaller stadiums typically sit in the heart of the more rural landscape just outside of the national operator footprint.
These new WiFi network movements will surely increase coverage and add to the ever-growing demand for both WiFi calling and traditional mobile data consumption by subscribers—something operators who have launched, or have plans to launch advanced IP services, will welcome.
Operators must be as excited as I am to read that their quest for network extension via WiFi is being aided by others in the ecosystem, thus making now the time to launch VoWiFi and capitalize on the momentum.
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