Voice over Wi-Fi or DECT? Weighing up the Choices

Businesses of all sizes and types have recognized the need for workplace mobility. Regardless of whether they are based in offices, factories, hospitals, campuses, hotels, or retail units, mobile employees are more productive and more satisfied. However, equipping these workers with typical mobile consumer devices linked to a carrier contract would involve a huge amount of expense for often poor reliability. Workplace wireless systems provide ubiquitous coverage and support a full range of call control functions, such as redirecting and transferring incoming calls, as well as additional functions such as bespoke alarms or scanners. These systems can equally support internal as well as external calls, taking advantage of existing call control platforms.

When addressing in-building mobility, businesses typically look at one of two choices. Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWLAN) and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) are the leading handset and network choices for enterprise users requiring communications. There are several considerations that should inform this choice, from availability and durability to functionality or price point.

Wi-Fi and DECT answer these challenges in different ways, and both have seen impressive growth over the past few years, fuelled by the need to increase deskless worker productivity. So, which of these technologies is the best fit for which use cases?

Voice Clarity and Availability

It seems obvious that clear voice quality should be one of the primary considerations when choosing a communications system. Limiting dropped or interrupted calls and ensuring that signal is available throughout the building is vital. DECT and Wi-Fi both offer exceptional voice quality when designed and installed by qualified providers. However, there are some considerations that may impact voice quality that should be assessed when choosing a wireless voice solution.

When making a phone call, gaps and static usually caused by dropped or delayed network packets are immediately noticeable and incredibly disruptive. Packet drop or delay may not be noticeable over email or instant messenger. However, if the delay causes part of a conversation to be missed on a phone call, it could create significant problems.

Network design, the placement, and the number of radios will differ between DECT and Wi-Fi. DECT and Wi-Fi operate at different radio frequencies, DECT at 1.8GHz or 1.9GHz and Wi-Fi at 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz, and these frequencies perform differently in terms of propagation, attenuation, interference, etc. For a given building and its respective size, the choice of DECT vs. Wi-Fi will have a large impact on the network design and ultimate cost of the solution- a key decision factor for many customers.

Building layout and construction material may also have an impact on the choice of DECT vs. Wi-Fi. For example, radio signals will travel very differently in a building densely constructed with heavy steel and concrete when compared with a building designed with wide open, unobstructed spaces. And, the number of radios that need to be installed and the cost associated with purchasing the system can also have an impact. As a result, building construction may be a key consideration when looking for optimal voice clarity across a crowded or built-up space.

Regardless of choosing either Wi-Fi or DECT, proper network design and installation is the single biggest factor in maintaining voice clarity and availability.

Network Design

When deciding on network design, businesses will need to weigh up the pros and cons of either combining voice and data on the same network or separating them out to have standalone, devoted systems. Each has its unique benefits, including getting the most out of your existing infrastructure investment or, alternatively, having a devoted system for voice calls.

DECT operates on its own independent frequency, guaranteeing that voice is never competing for resources with other data or a lower priority communication. As a result, call quality is high, consistently available, and with a well-planned network of base stations that can be evenly distributed across a large space. The modular nature of DECT allows customers to easily expand coverage, voice traffic, and the number of users, making it ideal for small to large businesses.

As Wi-Fi becomes more pervasive in the enterprise space, more and more large companies are looking to Wi-Fi for both data and voice communications. The ability to converge voice and data on a single network allows businesses to get the most out of their Wi-Fi investment, rather than implementing and operating a separate voice network. Designing Wi-Fi networks to optimally carry voice is different than designing for data. Most Wi-Fi data-only networks usually need to be redesigned to be able to adequately handle voice in addition to data. However, this is often the choice made by larger organizations that have already invested substantially in their existing Wi-Fi network infrastructure.

Again, regardless of network choice, the technology needs to have inherent capabilities to effectively manage hand-offs and transfers between access points. With both DECT and Wi-Fi networks, the device must be able to pass on the call without dropping a syllable as employees roam from access point to access point.

Built to Last

The durability requirements of workplace handsets are far more rigorous than those for personal use. The short battery life, easily damaged screens, and 18-month life spans of consumer devices have no place in the working environment, nor on the balance sheet.

Both Wi-Fi and DECT handsets offer a great deal in terms of durability and resilience. Both are designed to a high specification in terms of drop endurance, rugged screens, and liquid and dust resistance. This means that the handset lifespan is far longer than 18 months, with devices typically lasting three to five years before replacement.

Both enterprise Wi-Fi and DECT handsets typically have a much longer battery life than most consumer smartphones. DECT devices typically have a longer battery life than Wi-Fi handsets. The increased application usage and functionality on Wi-Fi devices can eat into the battery life, but both have easily replaceable batteries. Banks of spare batteries can be charged separately for shift workers and replaced in a matter of seconds.

Going Beyond Voice

The regular use of consumer smartphones is shaping our expectations about how workplace devices should look and their expected capabilities. Whether it’s the touch screen, intuitive interface, or choice of applications, the consumer smartphone market is fuelling demand for workplace devices to provide similar experiences and functionality.

Both DECT and Wi-Fi devices present the opportunity for workplace-specific functionality, such as integration with enterprise voice systems, duress alarms, and messaging. However, with the rise in workplace-specific applications, advances in Wi-Fi permit vendors to go far beyond voice by offering much more extensive data-intensive applications.

These applications provide unprecedented mobile capabilities and increased efficiency for different industries. For example, a hospital using Wi-Fi would enable nurses to share patient records or integrate with monitoring and call systems. In a manufacturing environment, this could be integrating workflow management applications, facility or machine monitoring, or equipment and resource tracking.

For businesses where specialized applications are key to an efficient workforce, Wi-Fi presents a huge opportunity. Mobile workers no longer need to return to a terminal to receive vital information and new applications such as CRM or ERP integration can help them work smarter. Using the right Wi-Fi device, businesses can provide access to a purpose-built app store or environment that meets the needs of their employees, without the drawbacks of a consumer device.

Building the Business Case

The decision between Wi-Fi or DECT is unique to every organization. Each will weigh voice availability, network design, durability, investment, and tailor-made applications differently according to their business needs.

For many, the decision will be heavily influenced by what existing networks they have in place. In the case of Wi-Fi, the need for data or application provision will be a big deciding factor, particularly if an upgrade or overhaul of the network is planned in the near future.

From Spectralink’s perspective, the solutions have equal value, and both technologies will continue to see strong market acceptance for years to come. The value proposition of DECT is compelling, allowing incredible voice quality and availability for a comparatively smaller investment than required for Wi-Fi. However, those looking to go beyond voice into data-rich applications will find Wi-Fi a logical step.

The key is for every business to define its objectives early in the process – both from an overarching strategy perspective as well as by investigating the needs and daily lives of their employees. By determining what is most important- increased productivity, improved communications, better customer or patient service- and the requirements of both voice and data in achieving those goals, businesses can assess the solutions on that basis. Once they know what they need, the next step is to understand if and how the existing infrastructure can be used to achieve that.

Based on corporate goals, existing infrastructure, employee profiles, and ROI analysis, organizations can then assess the vendors offering DECT and Wi-Fi solutions, and how their devices and services meet their requirements.

If you still need help deciding between DECT and Wi-Fi, we’ve made it simple to understand the different solutions on offer with our free interactive guide.