[asterisk-users] Asterisk and 4G

[Gordon Henderson]

On Thu, 30 Apr 2009, Chris Kairalla wrote:

> Hello, I've started to do some research into the new 4G wireless
> standard, and there's one part of the standard that intrigues me.
> Apparently all data is packet based, including the phone calls.  Every
> phone will have its own IPv6 address.  This seems to pave the way for
> a call to go directly from a cell phone to a soft PBX like Asterisk.

Gosh. Telcos allowing their nice data network to let you connect your 
shiney new phone to a voice network that they don't control (or bill 
for)... Somehow I don't think that'll happen, but I'm happy to be proven 
wrong!

My mobile phone currently has an ipv4 address - from RFC1918, so while I 
can use it (as a modem to my lapop) to make SIP and IAX calls, those calls 
eat away at my data allowance... Although I'm breaking the T&Cs of my 
mobile operator by making such VoIP calls anyway, so I'm sure that as soon 
as thy wise-up, they'll block it, or charge me more.

> Is this possible under the 4G spec?  If so, what protocol will these
> 4G phones use for signaling and media?  It would be a dream come true
> for a cell phone call to go straight to Asterisk and not touch the
> PSTN as part of the core spec of the phone, without the aid of a 3rd
> party VOIP app.

My mobile phone has a VoIP app built in - SIP. However it only uses Wi-Fi 
)-:

Gordon