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RTX Pushing the Envelop in Wireless VoIP for Consumers
April 03, 2004;
Wireless VoIP is destined to replace cell phone telephony - sooner or later...

RTX Telecom A/S, Danish wireless-technology expert, is moving ahead rapidly with product designs to kick-start the consumer wireless voice-over-IP (VoIP) market. It has also established a subsidiary, RTX America Inc., to accelerate participation by the PC and telecommunications industries in the rapidly-growing VoIP opportunity.

At the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) Wireless conference, here this week, RTX will demonstrate cordless phone sets designed to provide wireless VoIP access through a PC's USB port, in addition to a standard interface to public-switched telephone networks (PSTNs). This provides consumers with streamlined access to regular telephone services and VoIP using a single cordless telephone.

This will be the first of what will be a suite of products, including a VoFi (802.11-enabled VoIP) phone.

It's Timely

"Wireless VoIP is becoming a hot trend and RTX Telecom is establishing itself as a supplier of the key system components and platforms that will bring this technology to consumers in the home," said J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D. principal analyst with MobileTrax.

"The VoIP trend started with a focus on the enterprise, not the consumer market. With technologies that can leapfrog the costs and installation complexities of enterprise VoIP, such as RTX is offering, the market could experience a big surge in consumer VoIP demand," said Connie Wong, Director of Wireless Communications, Semico Research Corp.

"RTX has been servicing the consumer electronics industry for the last 10 years with competitive, advanced, cordless phones and other wireless products. Bringing the features and reliability to VoIP that consumers have come to expect from their telephone products is a natural extension of our business," said Jorgen Elbaek, president and CEO of RTX Telecom.

"I believe RTX's wireless expertise and technology will be the enabler for bringing VoIP to the consumer, and this market will be driven from North America," stated Chris Tubis, CEO of RTX America.

Chris Tubis joined RTX to establish a North American beachhead for the Aalborg, Denmark-based wireless technology company. He is a Silicon Valley veteran, formerly vice-president of National Semiconductor's Wireless Communications Group and president of Ultra RF.

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