Frequently Asked Questions

What is the status of this project?

We have a Broadband Phone on every desk of our Cambridge lab, and these will soon completely replace our old internal phone system. This is part of a substantial trial which has proved to be an encouraging demonstration of the system's robustness and reliability.

Can I buy one?

Not yet. Plans for the commercialisation of the Broadband Phone are still embryonic, so we are not currently specifying any release dates, prices, or the exact form the technology will take. Watch this space!

Who will provide the services?

There are many models that could be used here. The phone could be used as a replacement for your company's internal phone system, in which case your IT department might provide custom services. Some applications might be provided by third-party ASPs. Others, perhaps, by your cable or phone service provider. We have been careful to structure the technology so that these decisions can be based on the business model and the network capacity, rather than being prescribed by the architecture.

How much bandwidth is needed?

That depends entirely on the services being offered. For simple dialling, address book access, etc., modem speeds are sufficient. For live video or graphic-intensive applications, something in the region of 0.5-1.5 Mbit/s is more appropriate. However, we are assuming an always-on connection, so we are targetting this towards cable modems, xDSL lines and in-house networks rather than conventional phone lines.

Could you make a mobile version?

As the higher-speed mobile networks become available, this should be possible. We have a working prototype which uses an 802.11 wireless network to allow cordless roaming around our building.