News

• The Good: The ability to switch from cellular to WiFi makes these phones attractive as a second line or even as a land line replacement.
• The Bad: The monthly $15 to $20 cost on top of a cellphone plan takes some of the shine off, especially because e-mail and Web browsing must be done on cellular network.
• The Verdict: Nice technology but a limited value proposition.
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Riddle me this: When is your cellphone not a cellphone?

The answer? When it's connected to the Internet.

Meet the next thing in mobile phones: the hybrid, a phone that switches from cellular to WiFi as easily as it is for you to walk from your house to your car.

Now, WiFi-enabled phones are nothing new, but there are a couple of things worth noting here. One is the pair of Nokia Unlicensed Mobile handsets — the 6086 and 6301 — which are $25 and $50 respectively with a three year Rogers or Fido Plan. The phones automatically switch their signals from cellular to WiFi and WiFi to cellular as you move in and out of hotspots. Users will also need the Rogers Home Phone Zone access, which costs $15 a month for unlimited local or $20 a month for unlimited local and national calling.

The Rogers handsets use UMA — Unlicensed Mobile Access — a technology that authorizes your signal on Rogers' network over the Internet as a recognized customer's device. The handsets themselves, one a flip phone, the other a candy bar, are pretty basic devices with small screens and standard functionality.

The UMA technology is seamless. All you need is an Internet account and a wireless router. Then simply configure the phone to your routers' settings, which presumably has already been set up for secure access with a password. After that, the phone switches itself to cellular when you're out and about and to WiFi when you get within range of the already-configured signal. However, you do need to disconnect and program the handset every time you walk into a new WiFi zone.

The second noteworthy tidbit is that Rogers Wireless is offering the service — an interesting about-face from a company that had, for the longest time, resisted selling WiFi-enabled handsets because it would mean people could make calls or surf mobile sites off the Rogers Wireless money-making metre.

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'Hey, Rogers is finally giving customers what they want. Isn't that great!' Don't count your 80211a's, b's, g's or n's just yet.

While the idea of unlimited mobile surfing, e-mailing and talking over your home network would be great, that's not exactly what Rogers is selling here, and that makes their whole proposition somewhat suspect. While you can talk over your WiFi network, any e-mailing, texting or web surfing goes through Rogers Wireless.

That, and a few other things, call into question whether consumers are really going to get their money's worth here.

Here's an example. I have a WiFi-enabled iPaq 6555 and can easily switch from cell to WiFi at home or, more often, on the road where I log onto a hotel, convention centre or airport signal and use Skype mobile to make calls. The only difference with the Rogers' package is that while their service makes going from one wireless network to another seamless, I have to make the switch manually. I also need a Skype-in phone number for others to reach me when I'm on the road since my regular Rogers account doesn't work over WiFi.

Still, my calls are usually about 2-cents a minute from anywhere in the world, or free if I Skype to Skype.

Rogers says the handsets and service are targeted at those who may not want — or are unable to — get a fixed land line or want a secondary phone to supplement their land line. Students on university and college campuses, where WiFi is free and ubiquitous, may find this plan enticing.

However, when you crunch the numbers, you might be surprised. Lets say you already have a home network and therefore WiFi access. All you'd need is a basic, stripped-down mobile plan, which can start as low as $25 a month for 250 any-time minutes. Add in the network access fee, 911 charge, taxes and the monthly price tag comes closer to $35 a month. That's still not bad. But then add the $15 or $20 for the Rogers Home Zone access,any long distance calls not made while you're in a hotspot and any data charges you incur sending e-mails, texts or checking movie listings, and your monthly bill could be quite a bit higher than you'd planned.

All in all, it is a great technology which works seamlessly, a reliable (though stripped-down)handset and a good option for heavy talkers with access to WiFi at home, work or school.

Update – Rogers announced June 04 Research in Motion's new BlackBerry Pearl 8120 will support Rogers Home Calling Zone. The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 retails for $149.99 with activation on any combination of three-year voice plan and 3 year BlackBerry data plan from Rogers.