Siemens will ship a Linux-based Wi-Fi cordless phone in August, according to eWEEK. The OptiPoint WL2 Professional will be SIP- and CorNet IP-compatible, and resemble a normal phone with a large screen. It will support both 8011b and 802.11g, and cost about $500, according to eWEEK.

(Click for larger view of Siemens OptiPoint WL2 Professional)

Siemens demonstrated the OptiPoint WL2 Professional at the CeBIT computer trade show earlier this year, saying the device would be the first mobile WLAN phone to be “fully integrated” with its HiPath 3000 and 4000 IP-PBXs (Internet protocol private branch exchanges). The HiPath branch exchanges are based on CompactPCI blades running embedded UNIX. They use Siemen's proprietary “CorNet IP” VoIP (voice-over-IP) protocol, and can support up to 12,000 users, Siemens claims.

According to Siemens, the OptiPoint WL2 Professional will offer similar features to its OptiPoint 410 line, such as web-based configuration and phonebook synchronization with Microsoft Outlook. The OptiPoint 410 line comprises five desktop phones that can be flashed to support either CorNet IP or standard SIP (session initiation protocol) protocol.

According to Siemens, the OptiPoint WL2 Professional will be based on an embedded Linux operating system designed in-house, by the giant company's Program and System Engineering (PSE) division. Other recently announced Siemens products based on embedded Linux include the Siemens Gigaset M740 AV terrestrial digital STB, which has attracted a community of Linux hackers in Europe, and a combo mobile phone and digital TV receiver that was also demonstrated at CeBIT.

The brief eWEEK story, entitled “WLAN voice support grows,” can be found here.

 
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