MASantangelo
Premium
join:2004-07-19
Pittstown, NJ
| I must be missing something...
Wait...
So people pay for a piece of hardware or the fee to use the hardware in order to ... be able to use the hardware they're already paying for but cannot use satisfactorily?
I must be missing something, because that's what it seems like...
They get you for the phone and the service, the service is crappy at your house, they won't expand the signal to cover you, but hey look we have this $250 box that will allow you to use your phone!
... Someone explain this better because it seems like a load to me. |
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Big Dawg 23
join:2002-03-27
Northfield, MN | Only if my signal strength was an issue
I have a full signal in my house so Femtocell will not do much for more. If I was 1 to no bar then it would be worth it. Verizon and T-Mo have the best signal in my area. |
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Big Dawg 23
join:2002-03-27
Northfield, MN | reply to MASantangelo
Re: I must be missing something...
Many people live in structures that block signals. This will allow for many folks to correct that issue. No cell company guarantees a signal withing a building unless they have service repeaters. |
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neufuse
join:2006-12-06
Indiana, PA
 ·Comcast
| What about pre-paid?
Can pre-paid verizon customers buy a femtocell? We can buy almost everything else... all I want to do is increase our signal reliability, we have great signal coverage in MOST of the house but some parts it is weak or breaks up some... like in the basement.. |
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TateT
@buckeyecom.net
| reply to MASantangelo
Re: I must be missing something...
said by MASantangelo  :They get you for the phone and the service, the service is crappy at your house, they won't expand the signal to cover you, but hey look we have this $250 box that will allow you to use your phone! ... Someone explain this better because it seems like a load to me. Typically, calls made using a femtocell are free or at a very reduced rate. I haven't been tracking pricing at all, but I seem to recall Sprint's is something like $100 for the gear, then a monthly fee ($15 / mo I believe) gets you unlimited calls.
So you see, this isn't just for people who live in the sticks. It can be beneficial for heavy talkers with low-minute plans too.
- Tate
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to MASantangelo
said by MASantangelo :Wait... So people pay for a piece of hardware or the fee to use the hardware in order to ... be able to use the hardware they're already paying for but cannot use satisfactorily? I must be missing something, because that's what it seems like... They get you for the phone and the service, the service is crappy at your house, they won't expand the signal to cover you, but hey look we have this $250 box that will allow you to use your phone! ... Someone explain this better because it seems like a load to me. What makes this even more a rip off is that you are actually doing Verizon a favor by routing the calls over the internet and thus lessing the strain on their towers and the thanks they give you is charging you $250 and a monthly fee. They should be paying you. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Take note: 1x support only for data
The femtocell being offered doesn't do EVDO data speeds. It is 1x only for data.
»www.engadget.com/photos/verizon-···1302027/
Of course, if you are home, presumably you wouldn't be using most data capabilities of a cellphone(except maybe texting) and would be using your home computer instead. But I guess sending someone attached pics from the cellphone would just have to go at the lower data speeds on the femtocell.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
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Mactron
el camino Real
Premium
join:2001-12-16
CM94sv
| reply to MASantangelo
Re: I must be missing something...
No one is being forced to buy this thing. 
Frankly I wouldn't keep a Cell service that didn't work properly in my home to begin with. 
YMMV
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If only the Verizon CSRs worked this well. |
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kingfisher
Premium
join:2007-07-17
Webster, NY
·RoadRunner Cable
·Verizon Wireless B..
| reply to TateT
From the Verizon literature included in the Engadget article -
"enabling customers to get the most of their plan minutes while at home"
I think I read the information pretty completely and there is no mention of usage external to your plan. I suppose this could change. |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA
 ·AT&T Southeast
| reply to MASantangelo
said by MASantangelo :They get you for the phone and the service, the service is crappy at your house, they won't expand the signal to cover you, but hey look we have this $250 box that will allow you to use your phone! Don't forget that you have to pay for a connection to the Internet to offload traffic from VZW's network to your ISP's network. VZW should pay you for sparing their bandwidth. |
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Frink
Professor
join:2000-07-13
Scotch Plains, NJ
| funny.
You curmudgeonly people are funny...this is (IMO) pretty cool new technology which is designed to improve service for those that have poor coverage, and while not knowing the details of the pricing, will likely save many a significant amount of money...there was a lot spent on designing it, you want them to give it to you?? |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to openbox9
Re: I must be missing something...
said by openbox9 :said by MASantangelo :They get you for the phone and the service, the service is crappy at your house, they won't expand the signal to cover you, but hey look we have this $250 box that will allow you to use your phone! Don't forget that you have to pay for a connection to the Internet to offload traffic from VZW's network to your ISP's network. VZW should pay you for sparing their bandwidth. You're just offloading it from their wireless network to their wired network. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| said by Matt :said by openbox9 :said by MASantangelo :They get you for the phone and the service, the service is crappy at your house, they won't expand the signal to cover you, but hey look we have this $250 box that will allow you to use your phone! Don't forget that you have to pay for a connection to the Internet to offload traffic from VZW's network to your ISP's network. VZW should pay you for sparing their bandwidth. You're just offloading it from their wireless network to their wired network. Not if your wired connection is Comcast. It is only on their wired network if you have Verizon DSL or Fios.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA | reply to Matt
Except that I do have a cellphone from VZW, but I don't have a landline from VZ. My ISP is backed up by AT&T, so I would be helping Verizon quite a bit by paying them extra and offloading my phone calls from their network. |
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sgs66
join:2001-08-10
Pompano Beach, FL | Better Solution
I puchased a Zboost dual band repeater that boosted my cell phone and EVDO internet dramatically for $279. A far better deal and I can use it with any carrier except Nextel. |
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gateguy
Premium
join:2001-02-12
Reisterstown, MD | Access issues?
I guess my main question is, who defines who gets to use it?
Meaning if you pay the $250, are your neighbors able to use this service.
What if you don't want them to?
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Without data, it is just an opinion |
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Killa200
Premium
join:2005-12-02
Spring City, TN | reply to Frink
Re: funny.
In cases like this yes... as they will see a return on their investment from the offload of their repeaters and towers. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: I must be missing something...
said by TKJunkMail :Not if your wired connection is Comcast. It is only on their wired network if you have Verizon DSL or Fios. The call has to traverse back to the Verizon network for call termination somehow, so only part of it traverses your ISPs network. That's what I meant. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to openbox9
said by openbox9 :Except that I do have a cellphone from VZW, but I don't have a landline from VZ. My ISP is backed up by AT&T, so I would be helping Verizon quite a bit by paying them extra and offloading my phone calls from their network. See my response to Tk. You're not offloading your entire call from their network. They are still responsible for call termination so only part of your call traverses your ISPs network. Just like a VoIP call. |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA | Yes, but VZ's wireline network is solid and has plenty of bandwidth to support call volume. That may not be the case wireless OTOH. |
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