Texas Instruments Makes IP Phones Portable

This technology will enable portable IP phones for use on WLAN networks, allowing users to roam throughout an enterprise campus or home. It will also enable users to receive emails and other data services on their WLAN IP phone, further extending the cost benefits and convenience associated with VoIP services.

Ascom Wireless Solutions, a market leader in enterprise mobility terminals throughout Europe, is extending its onsite communications platform with WLAN technology using TI's TNETV1600 solution. "Being active in the onsite communication field for many years, we are always looking to evolve our solutions with new technology. The combination of VoIP and WLAN is a very promising platform for our target market segments," said Stefan Bramberg, CTO of Ascom Wireless Solutions. "This cooperation between Ascom WS and TI will greatly enhance our feature set and time to market for new portable handsets.

The TNETV1600, which is based on TI´s power-efficient OMAP16xxTM architecture, widely used in cellular phones, provides the cost savings, flexibility and power management to allow developers to manufacture a WLAN IP phone with talk and standby time comparable to cell phones. The complete solution incorporates TI´s TNETW1230 WLAN chipset with software support to meet existing and evolving standards, and TI´s Telogy SoftwareTM for VoIP, the industry´s leading voice processing software supporting the transport of toll quality voice over WLAN networks. Additional TI technology used in the design includes the TLV320AIC22C dual channel codec, which integrates drivers for handset and headset on one chip and the TPS65010 power management product, a fully integrated battery management/power management IC. TI is further implementing standards-based and pre-standard security features in this platform to offer comprehensive and secure Voice over WLAN communications.

"Coupling broadband telephony with mobility presents tremendous cost savings, flexibility and new feature opportunities for consumers using residential VoIP," said Jeffrey A. Citron, chairman and CEO of Vonage. "Also, business travelers whose mobile phones don't work overseas or who pay expensive roaming fees can benefit from WLAN IP phones as well. As the market leader in VoIP and WLAN, it makes sense for TI to enable the creation of these next-generation IP-based portable devices, and we're pleased to be working closely with them to broaden the reach of this technology."