Mobile system promises free calls using Peer Network

Browntoa

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6987784.stm

A new way of making calls directly between phones, for free, is being trialled by a Swedish company.

Swedish company TerraNet has developed the idea using peer-to-peer technology that enables users to speak on its handsets without the need for a mobile phone base station


The TerraNet technology works using handsets adapted to work as peers that can route data or calls for other phones in the network.
The handsets also serve as nodes between other handsets, extending the reach of the entire system. Each handset has an effective range of about one kilometre.
This collaborative routing of calls means there is no cost to talk between handsets. When a TerraNet phone is switched on, it begins to look for other phones within range. If it finds them, it starts to connect and extend the radio network.


When a number is dialled a handset checks to see if the person being called is within range. If they are, the call goes through. While individually the phones only have a maximum range of 1km, any phone in between two others can forward calls, allowing the distance to double. This principle applied many times creates a mini network

System

Browntoa wrote: »

This principle applied many times creates a mini network

With multiple points of failure due to lack of any sort of network management.

Theory sounds good but practice?

redux

It isn't a phone system, and the use that was actually described, between cars fairly close to each other, is already possible using cheap radios for a few pounds each.