Sales of mobile phones capable of handling cellular and Wi-Fi signals through a collaboration between different service providers are set to witness booming sales by 2010, according to a study.
Until very recently, Wi-Fi, which offers wireless Ethernet connections, widely used by consumers to connect their PCs and certain handheld devices to the Internet, has been absent from the world of cell phones.
Also, cellular service providers initially saw Wi-Fi as a threat to sales of cellular data services like weather reports and stock quotes, according to CNET online services.
Service providers are rapidly shifting their perception to acknowledge the marketabilty of phones capable of handling both cellular and Wi-Fi signals, a study by market research firm In-Stat reported.
CNET, quoted In-Stat analysts to predict that 132 million of the devices will be in use by 2010.
More than 20 Wi-Fi-enabled models are either already on the market or will be released soon. Some of these new phones will be products of collaboration between cellular carriers and companies that offer voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, which allow transmission of voice and data over the Internet, the study says.
Motorola had announced a deal with eBay's VoIP provider Skype early last year where Wi-Fi-enabled cell phone customers could soon opt to use Skype's service in place of a landline provided they are within a Wi-Fi signal range.
Once out of Wi-Fi range, they could operate the same phone on cellular technology, analysts said.
The new phones are likely to become popular with consumers first, rather than businesses, Tedesco said.
Do you want to discuss stock tips? Do you know a hot one? Join the Stock Market Investments Discussion Group
© 2026