Photos courtesy of HAXA

I am sure you all heard the expression Wi-Fi, but what the hell is it? And what is the connection between Wi-Fi and cellphones?

Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity" and it is kind of a term for types of wireless local area networks (WLAN). The term Wi-Fi was first started by an organization that goes by the name of "The Wi-Fi Alliance". This company oversees tests that certify product interoperability; a product that passes their tests gets labeled as "Wi-Fi certified" (a registered trademark).

Today the term Wi-Fi is being used for a wireless internet connection that can be accessed by unauthorized users who use the access as a free internet connection. You can see many businesses, agencies, schools, and homes as an alternative to a wired LAN. Many airports, hotels, and fast-food facilities offer public access to Wi-Fi networks. These locations are known as hot spots. Some places charge money daily or hourly, but most places I know offer the service of Wi-Fi for free. To put it simply, you can come to a coffee shop that is offering Wi-Fi (hot spots) with your lap-top and enjoy a tall mocha non-fat decaf caramel latte while browsing on the internet using a free internet connection.

So now…imagine this technology in your cell phone… Free phone calls over the net??? Recently Nokia has been testing a Wi-Fi phone and skype while other companies like Motorola and LG have already released Wi-Fi cell phones. With a Wi-Fi cell phone you have UMA technology which allows you to switch between your service provider network and a Wi-Fi network when you are near a Hotspot. In other words, it combines the benefits of mobile and fixed landline through voice over WLAN. Instead of constantly communicating with a base station, UMA allows the phone to also make calls through WLAN internet networks.

This technology may also be preventing drop-calls that are common in the current technology, which usually occur in urban areas or inside steel buildings and elevators which can block the radio-frequency (RF) signals. With a Wi-Fi cell phone, if the building has a hot-spot (Wi-Fi access) the call will be switched between conventional cellular networks to the Wi-Fi LAN, taking advantage of VoIP technology to maintain the call without drop-out.