Sometimes you have free wifi internet access, but crap mobile phone reception.
What we should have is the ability to setup wifi networks like our own home, which our phone can automagically switch to when reception with real cellphone tower is lost.
The same principle should apply to SMS. Which would ensure less hassle with sending sms inside houses.
It works by opening a connection to the network provider's server, which will be waiting on standby. If real cellphone connection is lost, but you are not calling anybody, it will not do anything except periodically push sms messages or alert users of an incoming call.
If you are calling somebody, or about to, it will alert the server to be ready to pick up the missed call. As soon as the cell signal is missing, the internet cellphone will take over.-- mofosyne, May 30 2011 How will the mobile phone company extract eye-watering amounts of cash from the mobile phone users under this system?-- pocmloc, May 30 2011 This is a widely discussed concept, but usually the idea is to use the cheapest method wherever possible, making the mobile provider the last resort.-- spidermother, May 30 2011 hmm [+] then you'd end up with towers in unpopulated areas only, since the picocells would pick up in the city and 'burbs... maybe the picotower owners could get a slice of the pie too: enough to pay for running costs at least.-- FlyingToaster, May 30 2011 As a populant of an area most people would regard as unpopulated, yeah, I'd take a bite or two of that pie. People regularly stop in my driveway to use the elusive sliver of cell signal found there; I'd gladly let them use my wifi bubble instead.... for a perfectly reasonable minutely rate.-- Alterother, May 30 2011 21 Quest - Can't the mobile phone do the same job? Just send the GPS packet data over wifi for authorization, and start sending sms/voice if in the authorised region?-- mofosyne, Jul 29 2011 Again, wifi is scarce in some areas. Hard to believe, I know, but true.-- Alterother, Jul 29 2011 random, halfbakery