The Handover Overhaul

Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) offers seamless access to facilitate voice,
data, and video sessions whether the user is using fixed network or mobile
networks. Via FMC, the end user is supposed to experience seamless handover
wherein the user has continuous connection. Handover is one of the major
concerns to ensure smooth transition of networks. IEEE 802.21 plays an important
role in studying handover, and also Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem
(IMS). Today, the concept of FMC has arrived at the enterprise domain in an
effort to meet the enterprise needs for smooth handover.

One of the aspects of enterprise FMC is allowing smooth handover between
cellular and enterprise wireless local area network (WLAN). Nevertheless, the
most important objective is working toward cutting the cost. With the advent of
widespread of Wi-Fi networks and the availability of dual-mode handsets,
handover can take place easily. To support dual mode cellular/Wi-Fi phones to
roam seamlessly; Aruba Networks in United States has developed the mobile voice
continuity (MVC) software. This software works in conjunction with the IP-based
enterprise private branch exchange (PBX) phone system.

Using MVC, the employees phones switch from the cellular mode when they are
outside the office. As they enter the office, the phone will be switched to
operate in Wi-Fi networks. Since cellular networks are relatively more expensive
than Wi-Fi, switching between Wi-Fi and cellular networks to provide seamless
connection will help to reduce the overall cost.

Majority of the companies deploy PBX in offices. On-net calls via PBX are
usually free of charge. Hence, telephone expenditure is under control most of
the times. With VoIP enabled in the office, cost of call charges is cheaper than
the conventional phone charges. VoIP helps to reduce the cost especially when
international calls are involved. Two years back, BT in UK developed an
enterprise FMC solution called BT Fusion system. The BT Fusion handset connects
to a base station within the house using Bluetooth to allow VoIP. On the
contrary, if the users are out of the office/home, they will be connected to the
GSM mobile network using the same phone. BT Fusion was launched to consumers and
SMEs last year. However, the demand was over-estimated and response was not as
good as expected. There are complaints regarding the difficulties in setting up
the system at the initial stage.

As of now, dual mode handsets such as Wi-Fi/GSM and Bluetooth/GSM have been
developed as solutions for enterprise FMC. These handsets are built based on the
unlicensed mobile access (UMA) technologies whereby it enables users to roam
between cellular networks and unlicensed networks such as Bluetooth and IEEE
802.11 networks.

Developers of enterprise FMC are working toward developing a solution that
benefits the user and the enterprises. Developers resort to wireless FMC and
wireline FMC approaches. The wireless FMC approach does not involve any
enterprise feature sets whereas the wireline FMC approach skews toward wireless
carrier and the ability to manage calls when the subscribers roam in the WLAN.
To allow this to happen, session initiation protocol (SIP) based FMC solution
has been emphasized by the developers lately. Since majority of employees would
prefer to handle single phone instead of separate phones to cater to their
different needs, a single phone with a single phone number and a single
voicemail will be more useful for employees. This could be enabled by SIP. To
enhance enterprise FMC, many cost-efficient solutions are available in the
market to help the enterprises. The adoption rate of enterprise FMC may be
slightly slower. However, the adoption rate is picking up and more enterprises
are adopting the solutions as a cost saving measure and to offer good user
experience environment for their employees.

Yin Fern Ko

The author is research analyst, Technical Insights, ICT Practice, Frost &
Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East

maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in