VOIP on Nokia E51

Nokia is planning to launch yet another business phone in its E series (E51). So, what is the news and why is it figuring on this site?

Well, in addition to the usual business applications like email, calendar, etc. it features a VoIP application called Gizmo. You may say that installing a VoIP application on a mobile is trivial. True, a lot of third-party services like WiFiMobile, Truphone, Fring, etc. will offer applications to be installed on your sleek handset. But, remember they are all 3rd party applications and may not be fully integrated with your mobile OS.

This is probably the first time that a big mobile handset manufacturer has incorporated a VoIP application as a part of standard product. The application will use the WiFi capabilities to complete the calls, but that is really not the point of this article. This product is important from two standpoints. Firstly, this acknowledges the importance of VoIP as a part of the telecom industry. Secondly, it makes it easier for the consumer to use the VoIP functionality as it is preconfigured. I had learnt during my stint as a Product Manager that if you can explain to your grandmother how to use your product, it would be easily adopted.

How does it help Nokia? Beyond proving Nokia's ability to innovate, it also serves another purpose. A lot of features that handset manufacturers offer are subject to the carrier's capabilities. Carriers often disable or reduce some functionality to prevent their revenues. VoIP is one such example. We have Vodafone and Orange disable the VoIP functionality of the handsets being sold under the contract. Unfortunately, in a lot of markets, it's the carrier who influences the purchase of your handset. Nokia wants to offer a compelling reason to the consumers to buy their handsets outside the contract and hence move itself away from the control of the carriers. What better than offering a cheap/free way to make calls (using VoIP)?

This article is written by Alok Saboo, our VOIP news editor. Alok is PhD Student in Marketing at Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University.