C&W's Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) solution converges fixed line, mobile and data traffic over one IP network, offering free calls within the Tesco estate. When outside the range of the store's picocell, the mobile terminal is able to roam seamlessly onto O2's national network. A further 1,000 stores are to be rolled out by July of this year. This is the first new GSM mobile network to be built in the UK since the 1990s.
C&W's solution converges fixed line, data and mobile traffic over one IP network, offering free calls within the Tesco estate. When outside the range of the store's picocell, the mobile terminal is able to roam seamlessly onto O2's national network. After initial trials, C&W specified Nokia mobiles for handheld use and Burnside's P300 series fixed mobile phone for desktop use. Tests of voice quality, using the perceptual evaluation of speech quality [PESQ] method, concluded that the Burnside phone scored consistently higher than handheld phones.
One of the problems presented by FMC is that if a conventional PBX corded or cordless DECT extension is to be replaced by a mobile phone, that terminal has to be able to emulate the functionality of the original extension phone. Simple tasks like transferring a call to another person are essential if FMC is to become a reality. The problem is that most handheld mobile phones are incapable of transferring a call. Burnside's P300 series phone solves this problem by providing an intuitive and straightforward call transfer feature. Consequently the Burnside is specified for all desk-based staff, who require an easy to use, hard to lose solution that offers superior voice quality and the ability to transfer calls to other staff.
Burnside T355 fixed cellular terminals are also used in-store to enable any extension to connect to the public address system.