KODIAK COVERS BREW CREW

Kodiak Networks, a supplier of push-to-talk and other advanced voice services over an architecture that leverages circuit-switched voice channels, has announced a new software client that will bring its applications to BREW-enabled mobile phones.

The vendor's Kodiak AVS for BREW client allows CDMA operators to provide Kodiak Voice Bridge and Voice Notes, group conferencing and other applications through the vendor's Real Time Exchange system architecture to much of their installed base of devices. Kodiak did something similar last month for GSM operators with the release of its SIMpower application for existing GSM phones.

Kodiak's P2T application is not yet available for either client, but Bruce Lawler, co-founder and vice president of business strategy for Kodiak, said applications such as voice bridge and group calling may be more broadly commercially viable. “With push-to-talk, it really depends on how the market develops,” he said. “The thought is that some people won't want it on lower-end phones because it works best on newer phones with better speakers.”

Kodiak now offers software applications for most generations of phones, including smartphones, though notably it doesn't yet have a client supporting Microsoft-based smartphones.

Meanwhile, at the CTIA's Wireless 2005 show in New Orleans this week, Kodiak will be in Lucent Technologies' booth demonstrating what it claims is the first multi-generation/multi-network/multi-protocol P2T call, involving circuit-switched and packet-switched UMTS devices, Wi-Fi and LAN devices and even a landline phone, with the call using an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) core to travel over UMTS, IP and public network domains.

The call is made possible by another development from Kodiak — pre-standard support for IMS, as well as the Open Mobile Alliance/P2T-over-Cellular specification.

“We need to expand the vision of what's possible, how people can accomplish convergent applications today without waiting for the IMS standard,” Lawler said.