French telecom company Iliad beat mobile operators to the punch, launching a new set-top box that adds high-definition television and unlimited calls over WiFi to its triple-play bundle. The new offering, which allows the same phone services to be routed wirelessly to a WiFi-equipped mobile phone, is a step toward the much-anticipated convergence of fixed-line and mobile phone services. One drawback, however, is that customers have to subscribe to a separate mobile-phone subscription with a mobile operator and buy a WiFi/cellular phone. Iliad investors were pleased, increasing the company's stock by 16 percent after the announcement.
To read more about Iliad's WiFi/cellular service:
- check out this article from AP