Voice over WLAN
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VoWLAN (Voice over Wireless LAN) is the use of a wireless broadband network for the purpose of vocal conversation. In other words, it's just like VOIP but over a Wi-Fi network.
VoWLAN can be conducted over any Internet accessible device, including a laptop, PDA or the new VoWLAN units which look and function like cellphones. VoWLAN's chief advantages to consumers are cheaper local and international calls, free calls to other VoWLAN units and a simplified integrated billing of both phone and Internet service providers.
Although VoWLAN and 3G have certain feature similarities, VoWLAN is different in the sense that it uses a wireless internet network (typically 802.11) rather than a Cellular network. Both VoWLAN and 3G are used in different ways.
For example, a company with fixed warehouses or locations would take advantage of their existing WiFi network and use VoIP (hence VoWLAN) for employees to communicate with one another. This system can also be used like Land Mobile Radio System or Walkie-talkie systems with push to talk and emergency broadcast channels.
Non-VoWLAN Solution: Another example would be a company that has mobile workers very much like the FedEx delivery person or the CocaCola delivery driver who delivers goods to a store. These workers need to take advantage of 3G type services whereby a cellular company (like Cingular, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint/Nextel) provide data access between the handheld device and the companies back-end network.
[edit] Types
- as an extension to celluar network using Generic access network.
- as a local network independent of cellular company.
