Smith on VoIP notes that WiFi Phone Sales Up 60%…They Still Sucks.

For sure the current crop of VoIP WiFi handsets are for the technically inclined. After trying out several such hand sets over the last year I am not very impressed - or amused - on how utterly bad it is possible to create a user interface to configure VoIP AND the WiFi connection.

Actually - configuring WiFi+VoIP on the Nokia cell phones are even worse.

People are used to turn on their handset and start making phone calls. Until this is possible to do with WiFi VoIP equipment, it may become a fading hype.

On the other hand - do we really need a broad deployment of WiFi to use wireless VoIP?

I do not believe so. With the advent of 3GPP on more and more hand held units - and the price for a 3GPP connection falling, I do believe that this is going to be the preferred transport channel for wireless VoIP.

So what about VoIP WiFi handsets in that setting? My guess is that it is not going to happen. Instead we are going to see a shift in how Cell Phone makers are going to go from a idea that let us not scare off the network providers by make VoIP readily available in our hand sets to a more sober approach giving the users what they want: Cheap and easy communication.

Very few GSM network owners are really happy about wireless VoIP over 3GPP. They do feel that they are loosing revenue (and they have tried, and failed, to fight back with UMA). Will they really loose revenue - maybe if the are tied to hard into the current billing models.

Nothing is going to happen unless the users is pushing their network providers regarding having a stable wireless "broadband" connection. When this happens to a larger extent that we see today - then the network providers are going to demand VoIP enabled handsets that can easily be mass-provisioned.

Until that happens WiFi handsets will give wireless VoIP a bad reputation.