 kapilThe Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL | There are two different services.
Hotspot@Home/TalkForever Mobile
Tmobile@Home/Talk Forever
The first one is the mobile version that gives you unlimited calling FROM UMA CAPABLE MOBILE HANDSETS. The add-on is $9.99. On an individual plan, that $9.99 covers the individual line. On a family plan the $9.99 covers all the lines on the family plan for one fee.
This service used to be $9.99/ind and $19.99/fam when it was first introduced, then it was changed to 19.99/ind and 29.99/fam. Then it was changed back down to 9.99/ind and 9.99/line for each line on a family plan.
But now they have finally settled on 9.99 for both individual and 9.99 per family plan (ie, one 9.99 fee covers all lines on a family plan)
The second option has nothing to do with mobile phones at all. It's essentially a Vonage replacement. If you're a T-Mobile customer, you essentially "add a line" for $9.99 or if you're not a T-Mo mobile customer then you pay $49.99.
Either way, you get unlimited calling from home just like with Vonage et al.
If you already have 5 lines on a family plan, you cannot add the 9.99 home line because their billing system bills the 9.99 as it would for a mobile add-a-line...and family plans only allow a max of 5 lines.
You can have both the mobile and home services for 9.99 each...but as i said in the original post...why would you want to? If you have UMA handsets and the unlimited add-on...unless you REALLY want to talk on a "home" phone, you already have unlimited wifi calling.
You don't have to use the T-Mo router for the mobile UMA service...any accessible hotspot will do. For the Home service YOU DO NEED TO USE their router as the router essentially has a built in ATA, again like Vonage.
The QoS claims are a bit dubious. I've used many routers with their service and the quality is pretty consistent...the QoS doesn't seem to make a difference.
See...not confusing at all 
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»www.DumbLogic.com |
IanR
join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ | You have saved a few hours of my life. with that short. but very comprehensive description.
Thanks
Seems to me that somebody at T-Mobile is a very innovative thinker. But whosoever is in charge of marekting/selling it lacks clarity as the T-Mobile website is very confusing on the options. |
