BOSTON--NewStep Networks, one of the pioneers in the fixed/mobile convergence space, this week added voice mail intercept to its roster of features, enabling customers to “recall” wireless calls that rolled over into voice mail by pushing a button.

“Sometimes you push the wrong button on a tiny cell phone or you are searching in your pockets as it’s ringing, and the call goes into voice mail,” said Craig Gosselin, chief marketing officer for NewStep. “By pushing a button, now you can pull that call back from voice mail.”

Embarq has already rolled out fixed/mobile convergence services based on NewStep’s technology, initially targeting enterprise customers by giving mobile workers the ability to move calls between their mobile phones and an office phone as well as providing a single local number for wireline and wireless service generating a simultaneous ring to multiple devices.

Gosselin admits the lack of affordable dual-mode Wi-Fi/cellular handsets appears to have put a damper on fixed/mobile convergence but said many of his customers are excited about the prospect of single-mode phones with the ability to use a single button to transfer a call from a mobile phone to a desk phone or home phone.

“It allows you to use the device or access method that fits you the most at the time,” he said. “If I’m walking into my office, talking on my cellphone, I can hit one button and move the call to my office phone. If I’m at home and the call comes in on my cellphone, I can answer it and hit a button to transfer to my home office phone.”

In addition, avoiding international roaming has proved to be a major draw for businesses who send employees overseas, Gosselin said. Rather than invest in expensive calls over landline or mobile phones, business customers can reduce the cost of international calls significantly using a soft client on a PC to make what appear to be local phone calls.

While the industry is still puzzling over the business model for FMC, and determining who benefits most from allowing customers to move on and off wireless networks onto lower-cost or no-cost access at will, Gosselin believes the ability to reduce churn and protect revenue gives even wireless service providers incentive to pursue fixed/mobile convergence. MVNO operators have additional incentive, particularly those with fixed networks, he said.