X-ray specs: Signal whizz JMA Wireless claims to have solved indoor 5G, everyone American mobile connectivity biz JMA Wireless claims to have completed the design of a 5G product stack designed specifically to provide wireless networking within buildings. JMA is a private company based in Liverpool, New York, that makes connectors and components, radio frequency repeaters, small cell solutions and active …
It's sad that voice over TCP/IP is still carrier-specific hacking with poor phone support. I know that WiFi and Ethernet adapters aren't always the best tech for low power devices, but they're a fine back-up plan when you're in a big concrete and steel building. USB-C Ethernet adapters with power pass-through are quite small. Some business class WiFi units behave well with phones.
Also sad: You still can't freely roam about on public WiFi due to liability issues - every one of them stops you for identification and disclaimers. WiFi needs an optional authentication-free mode that limits communications to single endpoint tunneling. This would allow phones to tunnel (VPN or whatever) all of their communications to an outside endpoint without having to locally authenticate. Any bad stuff coming from the phones would appear to come from the endpoint so the local WiFi operator wouldn't be responsible for enforcing good network behavior.
Voice over TCP/IP will always remain a hack that I believe even skype only uses as a last resort. However Voice over UDP/IP using RTP is extremely common and becoming the standard means for fixed line phone calls around the world.
Support on actual fixed phones has been very slow taking off with most people going through a local gateway (Analog Telephone Adapter). Support from mobile devices is also a little hit and miss, generally using a customised app from your carrier of choice. Free VOIP apps tend to be difficult to configure and lacking in useful features although the situation is improving.
As for roaming between WiFi networks there are a lot more problems than the initial captive portal (a legal necessity as you seemed to party acknowledge) to solve. The change in IP address would be a much more difficult problem to solve.
Even within single organisations with handoff between WiFi cells with the same SSID (and therefore no new captive portal or IP address), the problem of dropped audio within a fraction of a second is still a problem that WiFi vendors are solving with incredible proprietary hacks. Add to that the fact that most WiFi devices resist handoff for as long as possible, degrading performance unnecessarily, don't look to WiFi in the near future to make this work.
Nope I disagree sip over tcp is widely supported many free apps which work well, linphone, zoiper, xlite etc no hack involved.
It's a bit cludgier when looking at webrtc but straight voip is a solved problem. At least I hope it is otherwise I'm out of a job and I must have imagined all the networks I have deployed ;)
I think I can field that one:
Indoor 5G (hereafter I5G): functions with 5G enabled phones assuming channels match up
WiFi: functions with pretty much any device released since 2009
I5G: Access points must be developed on a country-specific basis to ensure they properly connect to wider cell networks (they will be carrying telecoms traffic from phones, after all) and avoid interference with local cell companies.
WiFi: One standard, used worldwide.
I5G: Almost a hundred possible bands, requires phones to match specific bands to work at all. No phones actually support all or even most bands, and there is no common band they'll all do.
WiFi: Two frequency bands. All WiFi devices support 2.4GHZ, and most also support 5GHZ.
I5G: Massive lock-in.
WiFi: No massive lock-in.
I5G: Inconsistent range depending on exactly what bandwidth is in use, requiring site-specific surveys to determine why there are still a bunch of dead spots.
WiFi: Established norms that mostly apply and can be used to estimate how the network needs to be set up.
I5G: Data may go through the cable of the building or the outside mobile network. Both need to be enabled. There may be security risks to this.
WiFi: The building admins can control how that works, avoiding security issues.
I5G: Choices include low frequency (low speed, better coverage) or high frequency (high speed, terrible coverage).
WiFi: Established frequencies, generally deemed acceptable for range and throughput.
I5G: Given lifetime of 3G and 4G, may become abandoned in rush for 6G in five years.
WiFi: Will still work if slowly in fifteen years.
WiFi: One standard, used worldwide.
I wish that what true, there are about 20 different regulatory sets for WiFi, found this out a couple of years ago when somehow a batch of APs were ordered with the wrong country specified. They would not work when connected to our existing wireless controller.
So it is mostly true just blame different countries for making it hard.
I do agree with your other comments though
That's true. However, the difference between countries is the maximum power allowed and some channels from the full set may be forbidden, not a completely different frequency and method to use that frequency. Almost all WiFi devices can be configured for other countries by editing a configuration file (the ones you have don't seem to be constructed well), but changing a 5G transmitter or receiver requires different chips and antennas.
I am sorry, but why should I buy a shedload of 5G repeaters that will only connect to stuff that has a SIM and expensive individual mobile account, when I can set up a couple of WiFi points and run everything through a single account - fibre or mobile to choice?
Here's a new acronym for you all - WTTW. "WiFi To The Windowsill."* It's how I have my home connected up and it works great for naff all cost.
* Or, if you prefer, "WiFi To The Wall".
Indeed. As far as I can tell their "solution" is simply "put enough repeaters around the building so that there's always line of sight to something". Exactly as everyone has been saying from the start. Maybe JMA are hoping to be first to the market with a complete system that can be purchased off-the-shelf including the radios, servers, and everything in between?
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