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1 edit | TMobile@Home Review Went down to TMobile today and purchased (I was the first one they'd sold one to) a Linksys @Home router. Here's what one days worth of use has shown:
1. Linksys router is easy to setup. Has typical Linksys features like QOS, DMZ, port forwarding, MAC/IP blocking, and the usual standard Linksys offerings.
2. The router is wireless G/B/Mixed with Speedbooster. It has what looks to be a 6dbi high gain antenna on it with TNC connectors, not SMA. The antenna unscrews so you could possibly put a larger antenna on it if you wish. Signal strength is pretty good throughout my house.
3. The Linksys @Home router has 2 RJ11 phone ports and space for two SIM cards in it. I purchased one SIM card. I'd imagine the 2nd card would be another $10/month.
4. 7 digit dialing works fast. No long pause before the call begins. All local and long distance calls are free for the $10/month. International calls are pricey. Check out the price of where you plan to call before buying.
5. The Linksys router has 4 100mbps LAN ports and 1 WAN port along with the 2 RJ11 phone jack ports.
6. The directions say to run the CD-ROM first. I didn't. I just logged into 192.168.0.1 and set it up myself. User/password is the typical Linksys admin/admin.
7. Negative: the router has no feature for permanently assigning a local LAN address to a MAC address so if you want to map a drive, manually set the drive to a static LAN IP outside of the DHCP group of assigned IP addresses.
Summary: Easy to setup. Call quality is great. Router works like any other Linksys router (QOS/DMZ are important to me), $10 for unlimited local/long distance is a great price. If you already have a TMobile account (minimum $40 as I understand it to be) this is a GREAT deal. It kills Vonage and most other VOIP providers and it kills your local telco. Yes, you have to pay $50 for the router up front but you'll recoup that cash in 2-3 months. And if you aren't happy with it, you have a few weeks to return it. Just keep the box and the wrapping in case you aren't happy with it. Well worth the trial in my opinion.
One thing I'll add: the @Home router DOES NOT use a cell tower. It strictly works like VOIP, sending your calls via the internet to a TMobile server which them completes the call. The @Home router has no ability to access a cell tower. It only uses your internet connection. |
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maziloFrom MaziloPremium
join:2002-05-30
Lilburn, GA
kudos:1 | said by prestonlewis:If you already have a TMobile account (minimum $40 as I understand it to be) this is a GREAT deal. What would the total price be if one doesn't have a TMobile account? Also, Is the $10/month definitive or are there any hidden fees, i.e. 911, universal funds, etc.? Lastly, I noticed you mentioned all local and long distance calls are free for the $10/month instead of unlimited. Does this mean you can call with no limits?
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Mazilo always prays for FREEBIES!
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| Wouldn't those fees already be part of your account? (though some fees are based on the account total and may increase incrementally if the account total increases)
Your first question doesn't make sense to me. Isn't @Home a feature you add to an existing account? so if you don't have one, then you can't add it? (I mean, I don't think they'd sell you something you can't actually use... but I could be wrong. Or, if you don't have an account, then they'd sure be happy  to open one for you.) |
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| reply to prestonlewis
Did you replace your existing router or did you double NAT? |
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| reply to prestonlewis
Sounds great, too bad T-Mo's coverage here stinks.
Awesome for those folks with good service though. |
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toro
join:2006-01-27
Scarborough, ON | reply to prestonlewis
I am missing something here: why does it need a SIM card ? Does it use the GSM network, or it's a VoIP service ?
And can you take the SIM card and use it in a GSM phone ? |
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| reply to pabster
Any way to set one local fixed IP that will show through the router (DMZ) as the one viewable from the outside? Good if you have a web server (using services like DNS2GO) that you want others to browse. My old Linksys has that setting. |
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nycitynyPremium
join:2005-08-09
New York, NY Reviews:
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| reply to prestonlewis
There is some information on T-Mobile's website on this new service:
»support.t-mobile.com/knowbase/ro···3449.htm
And more technical info here:
»support.t-mobile.com/knowbase/ro···450.htm?
These don't answer everything but they do have some info. |
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toro
join:2006-01-27
Scarborough, ON Reviews:
·TekSavvy DSL
·voip.ms
1 edit | There is some information on T-Mobile's website on this new service:
Are you sure about this ? I thought T-Mobile @Home, T-Mobile HotSpot @Home and Unlimited HotSpot Calling are 3 different services.
As far as I know T-Mobile HotSpot @Home and Unlimited HotSpot Calling have been around for quite some time, while T-Mobile @Home is a new service. |
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nycitynyPremium
join:2005-08-09
New York, NY Reviews:
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| said by toro:Are you sure about this ? I thought T-Mobile @Home, T-Mobile HotSpot @Home and Unlimited HotSpot Calling are 3 different services. As far as I know T-Mobile HotSpot @Home and Unlimited HotSpot Calling have been around for quite some time, while T-Mobile @Home is a new service. They discuss the various services, and include info about T-Mobile@Home as well which is what this thread is addressing. |
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1 edit | reply to mazilo
said by mazilo:said by prestonlewis:If you already have a TMobile account (minimum $40 as I understand it to be) this is a GREAT deal. What would the total price be if one doesn't have a TMobile account? Also, Is the $10/month definitive or are there any hidden fees, i.e. 911, universal funds, etc.? Lastly, I noticed you mentioned all local and long distance calls are free for the $10/month instead of unlimited. Does this mean you can call with no limits? I'm no expert but from my understanding of this initial product offering:
1. You have to be an existing TMobile customer already on a cell phone plan costing at least $40 or so dollars/month. I do not think they are offering it as an independent product. Think about it, $10/month for unlimited local/long distance? They aren't going to make any money on that so I'd say they want you to have a cell plan to make their profits off of. Just my opinion.
2. Hidden fees: I'm not sure about that one. 911 works like a cell phone's 911 so if cell phones have hidden 911 fees, I'd expect the @Home router to also have the same fees. Same thing for USF fees. If your TMobile cell phone has it, I'd expect the @Home router to have it too. But I'm not certain. At $10, I doubt the fees are very much.
3. Calling limits: TMobile was very explicit that it was an unlimited calling product. I'm sure the fine print says something like many VOIP providers add to their TOS like "within normal residential usage", "not for business use" and the like but unlimited it is for normal household use.
As for fees, when I called TMobile yesterday to inquire about how to change my bank's autopay to them, the agent said she wasn't sure what the "taxes" were on the ten dollars and suggested I wait for the first bill. Obviously, this new product has questions we'll have to wait on. It's not for everyone but if you are already a T-Mobile customer, it's a cheap phone service.
4. Is it VOIP or cellular? It's VOIPish (actually UMA, right?). It does not connect to a local TMobile tower. It uses the internet to transfer data. I'll use my WireShark and see what server it's using: local or distant and report back.
5. Can you take the SIM card and use it in a phone? NO. Put your @Home SIM card in a phone and it's 40cents per minute, according the TMobile rep. Put a regular cell phone SIM card into the @Home router and it's 20 cents/minute.
6. Yes, the router has DMZ which would allow outsiders to see a server set to be the DMZ. Personally, I prefer port forwarding but to each his own. The @Home router works just like any other Linksys router, just with 2 phone ports. You really can't tell it has the phone features. The router itself is independent of Tmobile and will continue to work even if your voice service is shut off. TMobile only can control the SIM card for voice service. It has no ability to affect or change the router at all.
7. I replaced my old router which didn't handle VOIP very well. The @Home router doesn't seem to mind my Vonage and CallCentric ATAs at all. My 2 PAP2s and a generic ATA work perfectly fine behind the @Home router without any need to change settings in the router. The router has a firewall and is a REAL router, not like those Sipura/Linksys wannabees so I saw no need for double NAT.
8. "Sounds great, too bad T-Mo's coverage here stinks." Yes, since you have to have TMobile cell service, I guess it pretty much limits the @Home service to areas where TMobile has a decent presence. Even here in Sacramento TMobile is spotty. Great at home and in the Northern parts of the county, pretty bad (no signal at work) if you go into many parts below midtown Sacramento.
9. "3 Services": I tried the Hotspot@Home last year with a cell phone that could switch between cell and a router. Hated it. It certainly was not "seamless" as they claimed. So I was a bit doubtful when I tried this new @Home unlimited service but was relieved that it appears to work as promised.
10. "Why does it need a SIM card?" The SIM card holds the programming telling it it is a $10/month VOIP product since the router isn't programmable at all. Supposedly, if @Home is successful, they will improve the services/features of @Home and this will happen by programming the SIM card since the router is totally independent of TMobile and will function just fine without the @Home service. Just the two RJ11 jacks will be dead. |
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nycitynyPremium
join:2005-08-09
New York, NY | One more question - is their a web interface through which some of the features can be used (i.e., checking voicemail online)? Or is it just a phone service that happens to go through your Internet connection with no other web functionality? |
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| reply to prestonlewis
Sounds pretty good (well, hopefully--voice quality... sound  ).
What with Verizon buying Alltel and more than likely killing U Prepaid, I was probably going to go with T-Mobile Prepaid (which had been my second choice at the time I went with U Prepaid), but with @Home I might want to go with one of the $39.99 "Fave" plans... will be interested in hearing how well it works (or doesn't work).
Thanks. |
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 AsterixPremium
join:2002-09-18
Nazareth, PA
kudos:3 | reply to prestonlewis
So the SIM card has a separate number? OR it has your cell phone number? If someone called you will both the home phone and your cell phone ring at the same time?
From what I see it looks like to be a new separate number not linked to the cell phone. Correct me if I am wrong here. |
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| reply to prestonlewis
I went to TMobile (direct, not reseller) this morning to do something to one of my son's phones and I asked a few questions mentioned here. Remember, this is a counter person's answers, not always accurate:
1. Does the @Home Linksys router use the TMobile cell network? No. The clerk stated it works like VOIP. The router connects to a TMobile server via the internet. The router has no ability to connect to the cell network.
2. Why a SIM card? The clerk stated the SIM card is programmable and the router isn't. The SIM card is programmed to be a $10 @Home service. It can be removed, reprogrammed, and used in phones. If they stop your service due to not paying a bill, they tell the SIM card to stop service, not the router. The router is totally independent from TMobile. They can't do anything to the router, only tell the SIM card to stop calls or if they upgrade the service at a later date, the SIM card can be programmed for upgrades. So even if you stop using TMobile, the router will still be fully functional except for the voice ports.
One note: the clerk said if you take the @Home SIM card and put it in a phone it recognizes it's not accessing the @Home server and charges you 40cents/minute for cell use. Conversely, if you put a regular cell phone SIM card in the @Home router, calls via the internet are 20cents/minute. The idea is to never switch out the @Home router's SIM card (or cards if you use both phone lines which requires 2 SIM cards).
3. There appears to be no web face interface. Voice mail is accessed by your wired or cordless phone. Probably if you call your @Home phone number, you can enter a PIN to access your voicemail but I haven't gotten that far yet with it.
4. Yes, the SIM card in the @Home router has it's own phone number. It does not have any cell phone number. Each SIM card, regardless of cell/@Home is independent with it's own phone number and programming on how it is to be used (cell network or internet). It is a separate number not linked to your cell phone or your cell phone number. Simulring doesn't appear to be a feature at this time.
Again, the @Home service seems to work just like a cell phone when dialing. You dial a 7 digit number and it goes through pretty quickly. You can dial 11 or 10 digits also. No need to press the # key as some VOIP adapters require. You're using a wired or cordless phone of course but you can't tell the difference. Dial tone is normal, voice quality is excellent from my location. @Home doesn't use true SIP VOIP. If I understand the technology properly, @Home uses UMA (also called GAN) and is tunneling GSM over IP instead of VOIP's normal SIP over IP. UMA can transmit SIP over IP but TMobile appears to be using GSM over IP which requires UMA. You can read more about UMA at this web site: »umatoday.com/faq.php
UMA supposedly is more secure than SIP and allows the provider to provide more services in the future.
Lastly, CNET's review of the @Home offering states that you have to have at least a $29.99 cell phone plan from TMobile. I had heard it was $40 minimum but CNET says differently.
Basically, the @Home service is an attempt by TMobile to increase sales at the expense of land lines. Using UMA means they can improve the service if it is successful. Simulring and other features should be expected if @Home sticks around. I'd expect to see other cell companies begin to offer the same type of service. Cell growth is slowing and they need to look for new avenues to increase profits and gain more customers. Offering a landline type service, like @Home, is a beginning. If @Home is successful, I'll bet a router with phone/video/internet will be something we'll be hearing about in a few years. I seriously doubt Verizon/Sprint will stand by if @Home is successful. For those of you who can't get TMobile's cell service to qualify for @Home, I'll bet your local large cell provider will have a similar offering within the year. |
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| Cnet is probably a typo. When I looked at the T-Mobile website (which I'll go with over Cnet), it said $39.99. |
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toro
join:2006-01-27
Scarborough, ON | reply to prestonlewis
What model is the Linksys router used by TMobile@Home ? |
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Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
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| said by toro:What model is the Linksys router used by TMobile@Home ? The model number is: WRTU54G-TM with the TM standing for TMobile. It's a nice little router. Never needs rebooting, reliable, and will work just fine without the @Home voice service. It does not receive any instructions from TMobile so it will work nicely without the @Home service. Only the SIM cards, which control the 2 RJ11 phones jacks, get instructions from TMobile. Even if the SIM cards/RJ11 jacks are off, the router will continue to work like a normal Linksys router, just no voice ports. |
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1 edit | said by prestonlewis:said by toro:What model is the Linksys router used by TMobile@Home ? The model number is: WRTU54G-TM with the TM standing for TMobile. It's a nice little router. Never needs rebooting, reliable, and will work just fine without the @Home voice service. It does not receive any instructions from TMobile so it will work nicely without the @Home service. Only the SIM cards, which control the 2 RJ11 phones jacks, get instructions from TMobile. Even if the SIM cards/RJ11 jacks are off, the router will continue to work like a normal Linksys router, just no voice ports. I'm an AT&T Wireless postpaid customer, and don't plan on switching just for this feature. But I do have a T-Mobile prepaid To Go Phone as a back-up (actually two). Anyone out there who can experiment can tell us what happens if you put a T-Mobile prepaid SIM in this router? Will it work, and if it does, the costs/deductions for incoming and outgoing calls?
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nycitynyPremium
join:2005-08-09
New York, NY Reviews:
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·PHONE POWER
·RCN CABLE
| said by burgerwars:I'm an AT&T Wireless postpaid customer, and don't plan on switching just for this feature. But I do have a T-Mobile prepaid To Go Phone as a back-up (actually two). Anyone out there who can experiment can tell us what happens if you put a T-Mobile prepaid SIM in this router? Will it work, and if it does, the costs/deductions for incoming and outgoing calls? For part of your answer see prestonlewis' item #5 above:
5. Can you take the SIM card and use it in a phone? NO. Put your @Home SIM card in a phone and it's 40cents per minute, according the TMobile rep. Put a regular cell phone SIM card into the @Home router and it's 20 cents/minute. |
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