By: Bennie Langenhoven, Managing Executive of Tellumat's Telecoms and Technology Group business units

Four years ago, WiFi mounted a strong challenge to unseat DECT as the wireless office telephony platform of choice. Then, as now, cordless DECT technology prevailed, but WiFi is finding increasing use in niche applications that DECT cannot match.

Dual-mode
For one thing, WiFi is a more natural fit as "the second technology" in dual-mode GSM-based phones. Dual-mode GSM/DECT experimentation a few years ago has largely failed, due to the cost as well as users preference and frequent upgrades of GSM phones. WiFi, on the other hand, is a standard method of connecting to the internet with higher end new generation GSM phones.

This seemingly "small" victory for WiFi is notable - and not just as proof of its utility in the wireless voice landscape. In effect, a new network end-point has seen the light, thus enriching the unified communications ecosystem. Although battery life is by no means perfect, ultimately this development will improve corporate efficiencies.

Vertical niches
WiFi has also found application in other niche environments, including the factory shop floor and healthcare premises. In these surroundings, WiFi handsets can, for instance, do double duty as pagers, making the technology useful in on-call settings.

As an IP endpoint it is further ideal for an information collation point for roaming workers, such as a factory maintenance supervisor relying on distributed sensor information (pressure gauges, heat meters etc).

Correctly endowed and programmed, WiFi handsets can even remote control devices.

Despite this emerging market for VOIP over WiFi, DECT still trumps it for general utility in the wireless voice game.

Indeed, VOIP over wireless LAN is still in its infancy, according to many analysts. WiFi phones will require significant further development before customers move to it in droves.

Meanwhile, DECT has remained a stalwart of a generation. How has it managed to stay ahead of the pack? And what lies in the future for these two remarkable technologies?

Strong as ever
SIP support
Thanks to continuous refreshes to its own platform, DECT remains relevant today. Most importantly, the technology integrates into Internet Protocol-based corporate networks.

Today's best-of-breed DECT handsets, including the industry-leading KIRK range from Polycom, feature native Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) support.

Technologically superior
DECT gives 100% reliability, good range, seamless base station handover and a signal that penetrates more obstacles. It is simply a very mature technology, with no compelling reason existing for its replacement.

The future
For now, the objections to WiFi include short signal range, poor obstacle penetration, a lack of quality-of-service assurance, hand-over problems between access points, poor battery life of handsets and high handset cost.

The technology's challenges as a bearer of voice might take at least five more years to resolve, according to Gartner, but the technology's increasing use in the unified communications sphere of technologies must not be under-estimated.

There is room for both in the wireless office today, and providers that offer expertise in both areas will be best placed to take customers forward, as they execute wireless strategies.