T-Mobile to offer converged service

T-Mobile International will start offering a converged Wi-Fi and cellular service this summer, using network equipment from Nortel Networks, Nortel announced Friday at Cebit.

T-Mobile customers will be able to use laptops and PDAs to use services such as video calling, video conferencing and IM even as they move between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Their connections won’t be dropped as they move between the networks and the customer can use one phone number to be reached regardless of which network they are near, Nortel said.

The companies are demonstrating the capability, which will work over 3G, EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and Wi-Fi, at Cebit.