Vendors Converge Cellular-WLAN In Wireless Switch

Wireless switch vendor Airespace said Monday that it and Kineto Wireless have converged GSM access into a wireless switch for enterprises.

The convergence uses a technology called Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), which enables seamless transfers between GSM-based cellular voice and data systems and wireless LANs. The convergence of WLANs and GSM networks, and the ability to roam between the two, will make voice-over-WLAN more powerful, the companies said in a statement.

"Its clear that voice is one of the key drivers of wireless - both today and in the future," Alan Cohen, Airespace's vice president of marketing and product management, said in a statement. "We are paving the way for widespread voice-over-WLAN (VoWLAN) market adoption."

The companies said they will continue testing their joint product and did not say when it would be available to customers.