Wi-Fi version of BT Fusion sneaks out

BT HAS snuck the news out that its 'Fusion' service has gone Wi-Fi inside its latest financial results. BT Fusion WiFi for Business is aimed at SMEs not consumers at present.

Basically this is the 'converged' service which most observers thought BT should have offered initially - rather than going with a Bluetooth version based on UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access).

The service will be made available via the Nokia 6136 and Motorola A910 handsets with Samsung's P200 to follow in January [2007].

The tariffs are intended to be highly competitive: - 5 pence for all UK fixed line calls; 15 pence for calls to BT mobiles or 25 pence for calls to other UK mobiles. Each call can last for up to an hour.

These charges apply when the user is in his or her office or - using the WiFi connexion to make calls via BT's OpenZone wireless hotspots.

Given that most users will also be using their handsets to surf or access email, BT is even throwing in 20 MB per month worth of GPRS data access for free.

It also wants to tempt potential customers to sign up for its One Plan offering which offers a fixed line connexion plus broadband and mobile access.

BT claims that its BT Business division already services 1.1 million UK SMEs. The INQ isn't sure how on Earth BT claims that, "This is the UK's first converged fixed-mobile service for small businesses that uses Wi-Fi technology."

It's not clear when consumers will be offered the service, either. µ

L'INQ
Fusion for WiFi

See Also
BT Fusion for biz shy on details