By Mark Johnson
Sony and BT have just announced that they're partnering up to provide a video phone, voice phone and message service through the PSP.
Initially the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service will run from PSP to PSP using the handheld's Wi-Fi functionality. Over the months following launch, however, the service will be expanded as it is integrated with BT's existing 21CN VoIP service to allow calls to PCs, landlines and mobiles.
The service will start its life in the UK, but will be rolled out to other countries in due course. “There will be a suite of services available on a white label platform, but it's a way away,” BT told SPOnG. (White label, for those who don't speak business jargon, refers to a service being produced by one company, then rebranded and provided by another.)
BT also told us that there will be a headset available for voice-only calls, while video calls will be made using the Go!Cam.
The service will be available in Autumn, although exactly when is yet to be announced. We asked BT how much it will cost for the software, but were told, “It's too early to talk about pricing.”
In an unavoidable outburst of corporo-speak David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said, “It is very exciting for us to be partnering with BT on such a unique project. The opportunity to combine our market leading expertise with BT’s knowledge in communications opens up many possibilities and we look forward to bringing many exciting communication functions to PSP fans.”
A similar service was announced for the DS way back in 2005. While a headset is available abroad for voice-chat through certain games, however, the application never saw a commercial release.
SPOnG, for one, is pleased to see the PSP take yet another step towards being the handheld multimedia platform it was meant to be. Sony's been giving its non-gaming applications a good push recently with the announcement of the PSP Store and the already-mentioned Go!Cam. We're not sure how practical the service will be at launch due to the still relatively limited 2,000 or so Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK, but Sony's certainly moving in the right direction.
Sony and BT have just announced that they're partnering up to provide a video phone, voice phone and message service through the PSP.
Initially the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service will run from PSP to PSP using the handheld's Wi-Fi functionality. Over the months following launch, however, the service will be expanded as it is integrated with BT's existing 21CN VoIP service to allow calls to PCs, landlines and mobiles.
The service will start its life in the UK, but will be rolled out to other countries in due course. “There will be a suite of services available on a white label platform, but it's a way away,” BT told SPOnG. (White label, for those who don't speak business jargon, refers to a service being produced by one company, then rebranded and provided by another.)
BT also told us that there will be a headset available for voice-only calls, while video calls will be made using the Go!Cam.
The service will be available in Autumn, although exactly when is yet to be announced. We asked BT how much it will cost for the software, but were told, “It's too early to talk about pricing.”
In an unavoidable outburst of corporo-speak David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said, “It is very exciting for us to be partnering with BT on such a unique project. The opportunity to combine our market leading expertise with BT’s knowledge in communications opens up many possibilities and we look forward to bringing many exciting communication functions to PSP fans.”
A similar service was announced for the DS way back in 2005. While a headset is available abroad for voice-chat through certain games, however, the application never saw a commercial release.
SPOnG, for one, is pleased to see the PSP take yet another step towards being the handheld multimedia platform it was meant to be. Sony's been giving its non-gaming applications a good push recently with the announcement of the PSP Store and the already-mentioned Go!Cam. We're not sure how practical the service will be at launch due to the still relatively limited 2,000 or so Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK, but Sony's certainly moving in the right direction.
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