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Comments on news posted 2010-02-18 11:03:42: AT&T told attendees at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week that they're still testing their in-home 3G femtocell service, which essentially creates a mini cell tower in the home -- allowing users to route wireless calls over their home b.. ..

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burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA

2 edits

burgerwars

Member

$20 a month. Forget it.

Too expensive. If it was a one time hardware cost, I might consider, but not $20 a month.

Besides, a few months ago AT&T did a wonderful thing in my neighborhood. I used to be lucky to get one bar on the second floor of my house. They activated a cell site close to me, so it's now five bars all over my place. So I can forget about the Femtocell.
neftv
join:2000-10-01
Broomall, PA

neftv

Member

Re: $20 a month. Forget it.

Have to wonder where they come up with the monthly pricing for something that would use your internet connection. I take it that is on top of the monthly cell phone bill.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: $20 a month. Forget it.

Have to wonder where they come up with the monthly pricing for something that would use your internet connection.
From out of their posteriors....
br0adbanddoc
join:2001-12-31
Wilkes Barre, PA

br0adbanddoc

Member

Re: $20 a month. Forget it.

said by Karl Bode:

Have to wonder where they come up with the monthly pricing for something that would use your internet connection.
From out of their posteriors....
You've all of heard of Wheel of Fortune, I'm guessing they have a Wheel of Pricing.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102 to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
Lets see...

I pay for my Internet connection
I pay 'extra' for the priviledge of AT&Ts voice/data on my Internet connection - not likely.

For 'just about anyone with WinMo/iPhone', just use WiFi + Skype. Skype = $36/year for dialout.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

Re: $20 a month. Forget it.

said by en102:

Lets see...

I pay for my Internet connection
I pay 'extra' for the priviledge of AT&Ts voice/data on my Internet connection - not likely.

For 'just about anyone with WinMo/iPhone', just use WiFi + Skype. Skype = $36/year for dialout.
Or if ATT has their act together, they will simply let you use your existing minutes like Verizon and Sprint. Nobody is interested in paying more money per month just to have a femto.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina to neftv

Member

to neftv
I would have to agree. This is pure insanity.

I guess AT&T is planning on shutting MagicJack down with a legal battle. Otherwise, who in their right mind would buy their $20/month service when this one is $20/year and seemingly does the same thing!

»www.pcworld.com/article/ ··· oip.html

I guess there are suckers born every minute and AT&T is counting on it.

Matt3
All noise, no signal.
Premium Member
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC

Matt3 to neftv

Premium Member

to neftv
said by neftv:

Have to wonder where they come up with the monthly pricing for something that would use your internet connection. I take it that is on top of the monthly cell phone bill.
The most ridiculous part is that their lowest cost plan is $39.99 for 450 minutes, but for $69.99 you can get unlimited minutes anywhere. Why would someone pay a minimum of $59.99 for 450 minutes off the Femtocell, but Unlimited minutes when using it? It only makes sense if you have multiple cell phones on a family plan and the $20/month is for all phones.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx to burgerwars

Premium Member

to burgerwars
Agreed. I like the idea of OPTIONAL "unlimited minutes". Personally I just want to pay a one time cost for femotcell hardware to give me coverage at home. I don't need more minutes.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

Re: $20 a month. Forget it.

said by djrobx:

Agreed. I like the idea of OPTIONAL "unlimited minutes". Personally I just want to pay a one time cost for femotcell hardware to give me coverage at home. I don't need more minutes.
You are not alone. Most people have more than enough minutes included in their plan, so the idea of paying $20 more is insane. Regular people are not going to use their phones more simply because they have this, so the 'use your existing minutes' idea is really the only one that makes sense.
jandar1
join:2006-01-16
Middleburg, FL

jandar1

Member

They should follow Sprint's model for the Airave

Device is 99.99 (AT&T will be cheaper)

4.99 a month service fee per device (easy to get waived though)
This uses your minutes still.

A single line can be unlimited for 10$ a month, multiple unlimited calling for 20$ a month.

Personally I don't see an issue with the lower rate still using your minutes, it might be cheaper for you still if your plan is good enough (or unlimited). And you can lock it down to just your phones.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

2 recommendations

ropeguru

Premium Member

Re: They should follow Sprint's model for the Airave

said by jandar1:

Device is 99.99 (AT&T will be cheaper)

4.99 a month service fee per device (easy to get waived though)
This uses your minutes still.

A single line can be unlimited for 10$ a month, multiple unlimited calling for 20$ a month.

Personally I don't see an issue with the lower rate still using your minutes, it might be cheaper for you still if your plan is good enough (or unlimited). And you can lock it down to just your phones.
Why should I be charged at all if still using my plan minutes? I have to pay for an internet connection and the hardware and they want to bill me monthly to use the minutes I already purchase.

No thanks!!

As many others have stated this is a money grab for providers as they win all the way around. You foot the cost for the hardware, you pay monthly for the internet connection, you already pay for plan minutes and finally it lightens the load on their cell towers. Not to mention that if you buy it because of a weak signal that gets them out of adding more towers.
jandar1
join:2006-01-16
Middleburg, FL

jandar1

Member

Re: They should follow Sprint's model for the Airave

This is why I stated 4.99 a month fee. For those of us without a decent signal in the house, it is easy enough to get them to waive the fee.

Others would like to use the service for free and still not use any minutes.

Regardless of if my call originates on the Airave or on Sprint's tower, I still end up using some of their system to make an take calls. This isn't skype or similar. You are still using your carriers network to do calls.

banditws6
Shrinking Time and Distance
Premium Member
join:2001-08-18
Frisco, TX

banditws6

Premium Member

Re: They should follow Sprint's model for the Airave

said by jandar1:

This isn't skype or similar. You are still using your carriers network to do calls.
I think the point is, this is a privilege for which you are already paying, hence your existing wireless bill every month.

HarleyYac
Lee
Premium Member
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

HarleyYac to jandar1

Premium Member

to jandar1
Exactly!. I still have my AIRAVE and 4 phones I am selling on Ebay. I got the device for free and the service for free. It DID however use my minutes. I had a great plan with almost unlimited . ATT should follow that model
BB_Hunter
join:2008-05-16

BB_Hunter to ropeguru

Member

to ropeguru
I couldn't have said it better myself. Personally if the device was $149 and there was no charge I'd pick one up the moment it was released because reception in my home it pretty poor. But they honestly expect me to pay to use the damn thing when I'm already paying them for cell service as well as paying for my home connection?

Honestly, I'd be better off to just buy a wireless repeater setup with NO FEES. Sure it wouldn't be $149 but paying $4.99 - $20 a month ON TOP of my CELL BILL would pay the difference off within a year and half.

I'm personally getting sick of overpaying for service as it is. We get double dipped on the whole $30 data package then another $20 for texting. My contact with At&t is up in May of this year. I'm seriously considering just using my iPhone as a iTouch and switching to straight talk or boost mobile. I know I'd miss a lot of the features and conveniences but I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth the extra $70 a month vs one of their unlimited everything plans for $50 a month.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

1 recommendation

Mr Matt

Member

Sounds like bologna to me.

More wireless bologna. Any customer using a Femtocell should be given a monthly credit and unlimited minutes since the Femtocell is taking the load off the wireless carrier's network. On the other hand the wireless weasels want to charge customers for a device that benefits them. More customer abuse. How long before the wired ISP's begin degrading Femtocell traffic or charging customers for use of their network to carry voice traffic from another service provider.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: Sounds like bologna to me.

said by Mr Matt:

How long before the wired ISP's begin degrading Femtocell traffic or charging customers for use of their network to carry voice traffic from another service provider.
Given the thin threat of net neutrality from the FCC, I doubt that you'll see ISPs degrading any traffic over their network (at least until if the FCC sets a precedence by losing their court case against Comcast). Increased caps and metered billing OTOH are clearly picking up steam to fend of these types of antics from other players infringing on their service offerings.
jus10
join:2009-08-04
Gainesville, VA

jus10

Member

Feel kinda bad for the femtocell industry

Since its pretty clear the wireless providers are doing everything they can to kill the tech. Clearly they don't want customers using their home net connections when they can charge $3K per bit sent over their networks.

Using Skype or Gizmo and a VOIP phone I don't know if I'd use $20 per _YEAR_ of minutes ... It's just ridiculous.
grecord
join:2002-01-06
Germantown, MD

grecord

Member

Why not skip femtocell

just use direct WiFi connection, if your using your own ISP anyway!

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

Re: Why not skip femtocell

The Femtocell is best used by people who don't have a good cell signal. there is no need for it if the cell signal is fine. I got a Verizon Femtocell when they were first released and have been very pleased with it. Without the femtocell I have no service available to me in my basement condo.

buckingham
Doylstown Pa
Premium Member
join:2005-07-17
Buckingham, PA

buckingham

Premium Member

Re: Why not skip femtocell

said by aaronwt:

The Femtocell is best used by people who don't have a good cell signal. there is no need for it if the cell signal is fine. I got a Verizon Femtocell when they were first released and have been very pleased with it. Without the femtocell I have no service available to me in my basement condo.
Agree. We're in a low-signal spot due to local topology and 18" thick stone walls and get minimal service inside of our home, even in the non-stone portions. We have more than enough minutes from roll-over to never worry about using plan minutes...but want the access. I'll gladly pay for the Femtocell up-front and use my plan minutes. (tried a repeater, but it didn't do anything useful in our home.

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium Member
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO

1 edit

tiger72 to grecord

Premium Member

to grecord
This is what T-Mobile did. Unlimited UMA calling on any of wifi network, as long as you had a UMA-capable phone. All for $10/mo.

However, with their rollout of 3g, they've pretty much stopped selling new UMA phones.

Edit: I believe the Blackberry 9700 is the only 3g-capable UMA phone TMO sells.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

Re: Why not skip femtocell

ANY fee for this is crazy. This thing should be a one-time hardware cost and then FREE. As free, that is, as if I were to use your phone with your carrier's own network. If it uses your plan minutes, I'm OK with that but there should be NO MONTHLY CHARGE to fill a gap in their network. If you don't want it to eat your plan minutes, then there could be a small fee but when MagicJack let's you make unlimited calls for $20 PER YEAR, anything more than $2/month is ridiculous.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000

morbo to tiger72

Member

to tiger72
It's a shame T-Mo stopped that add on plan.
tivoboy
join:2004-05-10
Menlo Park, CA

tivoboy

Member

too much

If I don't get some discount for being an at&t mobile, home and DSL customer I'm not buying it even though my service at the house is poor.

jeffro
join:2007-04-20
Cordova, TN

jeffro

Member

Re: too much

No thanks. I'll just keep forwarding my calls from my cell to my home phone. It's free.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000

2 recommendations

morbo

Member

$20 a month to supplement their poor signal?

I have to hand it to AT&T. At least their pricing is consistent: a confident middle finger to their customers.

del ftl
@algx.net

del ftl

Anon

For those unaware

In the wireless market Verizon dictates a price and then ATT immediately matches it. I've even confirmed this with the area sales manager. They actively watch verizon's consumer and business prices and match them nearly identically. They do not try and price lower to edge out the competition.

So the 99% most likely answer to what will ATT charge for their femtocell is whatever verizon charges.

Contrast this to tmo where you can use any wifi network to act as a femtocell (provided you have a uma device). And although it usually comes out of your voice/text bucket you are not charged monthly fees to use it. Which means of course things like practically free international roaming. Coverage possible in areas that have no cell signal from anyone, and that if coverage in your basement sucks, well that's easy and cheap to fix.
bogey7806
join:2004-03-19
Here

bogey7806

Member

No brainer to me

Use it as an incentive to get service not as a nuisance.

If you have a Uverse/DSL account then make the thing near free to get and use. If you have just cell service then only charge a small monthly fee just for the added benefit with no use of minutes. You want people to see the femtocell as an addition to existing service and not as a crutch to poor service. Making them pay a good deal extra will certainly make them resentful towards AT&T.

If someone has Uverse/ADSL service and they get spotty cell reception with all the carriers, then getting the added value of the femtocell would easily net you a new sub.
slimtim
join:2002-12-12
Cleveland, TN

slimtim

Member

MagicJack alternative?

Is this where MagicJack sweeps in...and saves the day with their Fem-To-Cell-thingamajig...and lowers everyone's Fem-To-Cell bills?

-TimJ

•••

jimbo
@jillyred.net

jimbo

Anon

To be honest

I would not mind having this at home, as long as I get this free for signing an expensive contract with a smartphone (iphone??). Don't care about minutes either ( I text more than I talk)
axiomatic
join:2006-08-23
Tomball, TX

1 recommendation

axiomatic

Member

$20 a month?!?!?

$20 a month to help AT&T with their screwed up network using my ISP's net connection? I think I'd rather AT&T kick me in the balls instead of handing them $20 for this.

AT&T should be handing these devices out for FREE along with an apology for having to go to such extremes to fix a problem that shouldn't exist.

AT&T you guys have truly lost your grip on reality.

•••

netboy34
Premium Member
join:2001-08-29
Kennesaw, GA

netboy34

Premium Member

worth the one time cost (to me at least)

I have one and bought it fully with no plan. I have very weak signal in the house (even outside a bit) and it helped tremendously... but with A-list and mobile to mobile minutes, my plan isn't affected so I don't need the $20 a month. Here though, to get the $100 rebate you need to sign up for U-verse when you buy it, otherwise it is $150. IMHO the added signal and clear calls are enough to me to be worth the cost

Dan Given
Premium Member
join:2001-03-16
Fort Worth, TX

Dan Given

Premium Member

Waiting to see the real pricing

I live in a solid coverage area, but can't get reception inside my condo. ATT's response is that they aren't responsible for signal strength inside a structure, so we have to step to a window or go outside to make/receive a call.
I for one would sign up instantly if it was a one time hardware charge and no monthly fee but using my minutes. I'll be waiting for it to drop in Orange County before deciding.
cdbma
join:2003-01-19
Bolton, MA

cdbma

Member

i just want service!

no bars at my house. you'd think they'd be knocking down my doors to GIVE me a femto - just so I would start using my phone, burning minutes, upgrading my plan - ie. spending more money!

They need to give me everything they can to allow me to blow thru my minutes and want, want, want more! Isn't that how they make money?

Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY

Tomek

Premium Member

UMA and tmobile

Blackberry and other devices support UMA service.
Connect to any access point and call, simple, free, just uses your minutes. No additional hardware, no additional fees, international wifi coverage, no roaming, nobody can beat that

NuShrike
@oakley.com

NuShrike

Anon

Re: UMA and tmobile

This is really all about AT&T having poor signal. Switching to another carrier is a better choice than buying into femtocells and the parasitic costs.

AT&T should put them where they belong, underground in the subways.

cpsycho
join:2008-06-03
Treadeu Land

cpsycho

Member

Easy

Buy a 3rd party femtocell and hack your phone.
Cod2
join:2000-07-05
Kernersville, NC

Cod2

Member

Re: Easy

said by cpsycho:

Buy a 3rd party femtocell and hack your phone.
Care to elaborate how this would work?

mod_wastrel
anonome
join:2008-03-28

mod_wastrel

Member

"not fully cooked"...

Is that the same as "half-baked"?

Finding more ways to make you pay ridiculous amounts of money for things that don't cost all that much to provide (sort of like SMS, the Holy Grail of wireless providers).
jamullian
join:2005-11-06
Jamul, CA

jamullian

Member

It does work, though, mainly ...

I've had one for a few months (in the San Diego area).

It cost me $150, I never got a rebate offered to me, but also I do NOT pay any monthly fees. I simply use my normal minutes.

And it does work fairly well, with quite a good range. Of course they don't tell you that the antenna coverage pattern is asymmetrical - end on to the device the range is down to tens of feet, broadside on it can work up to about 300 ft away on a good day.

But you have to keep an eye on it, because sometimes it just loses sync, and it takes a power cycle to bring it back.

All in all I don't regret the purchase.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec

Premium Member

Glad to see AT&T is on the ball...Not

I have had a femtocell from Sprint for....god I cant even remember how long, Over two years I believe. It was a god send and finally allowed me to use my minutes and service at myhouse. For all the flack that people give Sprint, they do not seem to have all this red tape to get new technology and features deployed and into peoples hands. (Femtocell, 4G, Any Mobile Any time, etc)
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