The generic pitch goes like this. You walk into a hotspot; your dual-mode (WiFi/Cellular) phone changes to the WiFi interface and that allows you to make VoIP calls. In practice it?s not that easy. You need to pay for access, which is easy on a notebook PC but problematic on a phone. For example, the site may expect you to enter a code into Internet Explorer and most cell phones use other browsers. Devices that run on Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 do.

It?s clear that there?s a big market for this service: business professionals when traveling and consumers in the home. Access to the Net is easy in the home or the office because it?s either an open WLAN or the user knows the code: that?s scary for mobile network operators (MNOs). When the operator sells the phone they can, and have, crippled WiFi access. In the US, where the devices are normally bundled with the service, they order phones such as Nokia?s E61 but it?s a special version: no WiFi air interface. Email your congressman about this issue.

Velofone (www.velofone.com) is a new Internet Telephony provider in the UK that focuses on the needs of business professionals. They have just launched a VoIP service called Velomobile that allows users to make mobile VoIP calls whenever they have WiFi access. The good news is that the Net eliminates distance so it works internationally. Right now the service is available on more than 62,000 hotspots in over 70 countries. This has been realized by striking deals with aggregators such as Boingo, who provide access to various Hotspot Networks such as Airpath Wireless, BT Openzone, T-Mobile, amongst many others. Velofone plans to strike up further deals with other aggregators such as iPass and The Cloud.

This is how it works: These aggregators own or work with hot spot networks; Velofone does a deal that allows their subscribers to get WiFi access automatically. It?s enabled by downloading a small log-on client app that comes from the aggregator. When you?re in a relevant hot spot the user is recognized as a valid subscriber so access is enabled. The more deals are struck, the greater the footprint of WiFi hotspots that Velomobile subscribers can use. In this way, Velofone will be able to expand its international service and that sounds like the right stuff. NB: the bill for these calls comes from Velofone, not the subscribers? MNO.

The dual-mode phones have open operating systems, e.g. Windows Mobile and Symbian, but the vendors only enable downloads of authorized software in order to prevent viruses and malware. Velofone selected CiceroPhone, a wireless VoIP client that comes from Cicero Networks (www.ciceronetworks.com) to enable their service. This is software that runs on Nokia?s S60 devices, such as the E65 as well as Windows Mobile devices like the HTC S620.

CiceroPhone automatically routes calls over the most appropriate network, which could be WiFi or cellular, depending on where the user is and who they?re calling. With Velomobile, the user can make and receive VoIP calls using a normal phone at a public hotspot without having to open a browser and pin in codes. Although it does not form part of the current service offer, Velofone could implement CiceroController in order to provide additional functionality such as seamless handoff between WiFi and cellular networks so that users can roam between networks without any interruption in service.