Mobiles promise VoIP integration, but not yet

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And equipment and software vendors still need to address the issue of seamless handover between cellular and WiFi connections, so that phone users can walk out of a Wi-Fi coverage and still continue to talk. Although there are some high-end enterprise solutions that can support such features, the costs can be high.

At CeBIT earlier this month, Siemens unveiled technology, called MobileConnect that will do just that, but at €5,000 for a 10-user system, not including Nokia E60 handsets, it is an expensive option that is only likely to make sense for companies where staff make a lot of mobile calls, but are often within reach of a wireless LAN.

For smaller businesses, the option of installing standard SIP software on a Wi-Fi-equipped mobile, even without seamless handover, might be the more straightforward and cost-effective option. For staff who travel frequently, the cost savings from using a dual-mode phone might well make the set-up issues worth tackling.

This is especially the case if companies can encourage employees to use their WLAN-compatible phones rather than running up international mobile roaming bills. But proving the return on investment for such investments is notoriously hard.

"You would have to see some pretty big savings [in voice telephony costs] to justify it," cautions Phil Sayer, an analyst at Forrester Research Research. "We are seeing large enterprises try it, but making the business case is still difficult."

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