VoWLAN
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
VoWLAN (Voice over Wireless LAN) is the use of a wireless broadband network for the purpose of vocal conversation. In other words, it's just like VOIP but over a Wi-Fi network. VoWLAN can be conducted over any internet accessible device, including a laptop, PDA or the new VoWLAN units which look and function like cellphones. VoWLAN's chief advantages to consumers are cheaper local and international calls, free calls to other VoWLAN units and a simplified integrated billing of both phone and Internet service providers.
Although VoWLAN and 3G have certain feature similarities, VoWLAN is different in the sense that it uses a wireless internet network (typically 802.11) rather than a Cellular network. Both VoWLAN and 3G are used in different ways.
For example, a company with fixed warehouses or locations would take adavntage of their existing WiFi network and use VoIP (hence VoWLAN) for employees to communicate with one another.
Non-VoWLAN Solution: Another example would be a company that has mobile workers very much like the FedEx delivery person or the CocaCola delivery driver who delivers goods to a store. These workers need to take advantage of 3G type services whereby a cellular company (like Cingular, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint/Nextel) provide data access between the handheld device and the companies back-end network.
