Technology giant BT has run into technical problems that could possibly dent the company’s hopes of dominating the lucrative mobile phone market in the near future.
Part of BT’s strategic plan was to dominate the mobile market by undercutting rival mobile operators through the use of technology which will divert fast data transfer reliance on EE’s 4G network with a view to offer a service rivalling speeds of 4G and EE’s network without the costs involved for the business and consumer.
However, industry sources have revealed that BT are struggling with the technical aspects of the new technology.
It’s good to talk
Essentially, the new technology is designed to direct as much voice traffic and data it can via Wi-Fi networks rather than through traditional cell technology such as 4G that EE uses. With this in mind, BT hope to avoid EE’s network thus avoid paying them for the service. This has also become more poignant after a deal which saw BT and EE enter a partnership with the aim to help fill the gaps found in-between BT’s 5 million Wi-Fi Spots.
teething problems
Nevertheless, during testing the new technology BT have come up against large technological hurdles involving the ‘handover’ of data from the Wi-Fi network to the mobile phone network. These challenges need to be overcome very quickly as it is this ‘handover’ of data, which should be seamless between WiFi and mobile, that BT’s plans rely on.
Without a seamless data exchange, BT will not be able to deliver on the self-imposed deadline it set itself for the next financial year, that is to roll out the new fast alternative mobile phone service to the consumer market.
If the new technology did roll out in time BT’s new mobile phone network could emerge as the most cost effective for the consumer and a financially savvy move for the telecommunications giant.
Question time
When asked about their struggles in adopting the technology a BT spokesman stressed that the most important thing is the customer experience and not so much the deadlines involved.
In a further move towards dominating the mobile market BT have also purchased a large chunk (£186m) of 4G radio spectrum from EE in what some analysis believe to be a safeguarding tactic as to ensure part of the spectrum becomes unavailable to other providers for purchasing.
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