BT readies VoIP-cellular mobiles for Australia

BT is set to bring a dual-mode service -- where a single handset is used to make both cellular and VoIP calls -- to Australia later this year.

According to Raj Kapoor, BT Global Services' VP of Australasia, a major FMC (fixed-mobile convergence) deal with one of its local customers could be signed before the end of the year.

The deal could see one enterprise take on "thousands of handsets" as part of its FMC rollout, Kapoor told ZDNet Australia. "There's a lot of interest there."

BT launched the service under the brand name Fusion in the UK in late 2005, with an enterprise version debuting some months after.

The dual-mode Fusion service routes VoIP calls when a user is in reach of campus Wi-Fi networks, handing the call over to cellular networks once they leave the building.

While no Australian carriers have announced plans to unveil a similar FMC offering, some organisations are already asking for converged services.

Rob Dodin, team leader of information services infrastructure at Cairns City Council, recently told ZDNet Australia that the Council is considering a potential move to FMC in the future, but will need will need to improve its wireless infrastructure and undertake a trial of dual-mode handsets before any decision can be made.