Kyocera, PCTEL collaborate on CDMA/WiFi handsets

Handset maker Kyocera Wireless and PCTEL announced plans to collaborate on voice call continuity (VCC) solution for dual-mode CDMA/WiFi handsets. The dual-mode phones will be capable of seamless handoff between WiFi and CDMA networks and will incorporate Kyocera's CDMA voice, user interface and SMS features with PCTEL's VoIP, SMS over IP, single-number roaming and active-call handover functionality. VCC is the standard used to bridge WiFi and CDMA and exploits SIP in both handsets and networks. As Dean Bubley, founder of Disruptive Analysis recently noted, there hasn't been much interest in VCC or SIP-based CDMA/WiFi dual-mode devices to date, and the situation isn't likely to change soon. In the U.S. market, Sprint Nextel is the only CDMA operator with a WiFi hotspot strategy. The enterprise market holds more promise, but operators in general are still assessing the market for dual-mode devices and whether VoIP over 3G or services like femtocells are a better option.

For more about Kyocera and PCTEL's CDMA/WiFi handset initiative:
- read this release