Mobile is changing?

Earlier this month 02 announced that it was going to launch a UK national WiFi network. For free and for any phone on any network.

Welcome to O2 Wifi

Fast, free internet. For everyone.

You don’t have to be an O2 customer to use O2 Wifi. Sign up and that’s it. No passwords or usernames to connect. Just quick wifi, whenever you’re near one of our hotspots.

Then yesterday Nokia said it was doing the same

Nokia to the rescue! Mobile phone giant brings free Wi-fi to London

The big question is why?

The answer seems to be that with 8 out of every 10 phones sold now being a smart phone, mobile data is growing at a rate that the companies can’t deal with.

They’ve made the calculation that it’s cheaper for them to give free WiFi than build more network capacity on their own networks.

The really interesting issue is whether these companies will block VoIP and the really interesting answer at the moment seems to be no they won’t.

And that’s very good news for VoIP users.  We’ll be following this with interest.