3G/WiFi roaming to boom in Oz

July 28, 2005 - source: BWCS

Two major Australian mobile operators plan to develop mobile technologies which will enable seamless roaming between 3G mobile and WiFi networks. According to reports in the Australian press, both Optus and Telstra are moving ahead with plans to build up W-Lan networks and to add seamless WiFi roaming capabilities to their 3G offerings.

Telstra, which currently has just over 100 W-Lan hotspots in its network, said recently that it will install WiFi hotspots at 650 McDonalds restaurants across the country. Meanwhile, not to be outdone, rival operator Optus has formed a partnership with Australian hotspot builder Azure Wireless. The result of the Azure tie-up should be a massive jump in Optus' hotspot offering from the current 120 to over 600 in the near future.

Interestingly, however, neither Optus nor Telstra seem to consider that W-Lan access on its own is a viable business proposition. According to Chris Lane, Optus products and delivery director, "WiFi is not a great 'standalone technology.'" Meanwhile, David Kaye, Telstra general manager for wireless hotspots, was reported in the press as saying "WiFi is part of an integrated play from our perspective. We have a mobile broadband product that lets customers use mobile broadband and WiFi all within the same subscription"