TORONTO – Rogers Communications said Friday that it is launching Canada’s first Wi-Fi voice service for smart phones.
Based on Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), ‘Wi-Fi Calling for Business’ will allow customers to place mobile calls from their smart phones over Wi-Fi networks registered on their devices. Starting at $10 per month as an add-on to existing business voice plans, Rogers said that calls made over the Wi-Fi network won’t count towards monthly voice plan minutes, and are automatically transferred to the Rogers 3G wireless network when the caller leaves the Wi-Fi coverage area.
"Our business customers are telling us they need flexible connectivity that just works – no matter where they are. And they want it at a predictable, competitive price," said Gordon Stein, VP of Rogers’ business segment, in the announcement. "With this service, business people can be confident that all of their calls will be clear as they move seamlessly from registered internal Wi-Fi systems to the Rogers 3G network. This combination of flexibility and cost certainty is a powerful advantage for growing businesses."
UMA-enabled handsets, which include most BlackBerry devices, can access the cellular network through Wi-Fi, which lets customers automatically switch from their office Wi-Fi networks from the same smart phone and number. UMA also helps boost coverage in places like basements where cellular network coverage may not be as strong.
