kieranmullen
Premium
join:2005-12-12
Portland, OR
clubs:
 ·Gizmo5
·Skype
·Vitelity VOIP
·magicjack.com
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Vonage
·ViaTalk
·VoicePulse
| reply to nitzan
Re: [Femtocell] The Beginning of the End of Residential VOIP
In my neck of the woods we have Cricket Wireless for unlimited cell usage.
»www.mycricket.com/
said by nitzan  :As far as giving unlimited minutes and all that - again - their prices are still higher than VoIP, and will always be higher than VoIP. Verizon tops 'em all with not even providing additional minutes. |
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dcm
join:2008-09-12
Pennsylvania
| reply to christcorp
said by christcorp :He did try voip for a while. It worked fine. But he was still paying $24 +/- a month. He still has his cell phone, and therefore, Femtocell lets hime save anywhere from $24-$60 depending. Maybe you should suggest that he try F9, Callcentric (w/ dirt cheap DID) or Voicestick PAYG plans. |
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christcorp
Premium
join:2001-05-21
Cheyenne, WY
 ·Bresnan Online
·VOIPo
1 edit | He has no need for a home phone other than he can't get cell service. With cell service he would save all the money. He wouldn't need to spend even 1 penny for another phone. There's actually quite a few people who can live on just a cell phone. QUITE A FEW! Not everyone needs thousands of minutes. The vast majority of voip/home users actually don't use more than 500-1000 minutes at the very most. It's the rare few that need more, and thus are the ones who "Debate" or "Complain" of the all illusive "UNLIMITED MINUTES" statement. Even VOIP is a waste of money for a lot of people.
My only thing, as Nitzan properly pointed out; the vast majority of users of cell phones already have coverage. They aren't in a position where a $250 investment; or even less; is needed. If they were going to cancel their POTS for using Cell; they would have already done it. They don't gain anything with Femtocell. Maybe; be if here; Femtocell providers offered additional/free minutes, it MIGHT add a few users, but it's not going to be significant. Femtocell is definitely a small niche market. It helps the cell companies keep some customers, but that's about all. Even for commercial use, the current Femtocell micro-cell tower system only supports around 3-5 phones. So putting it in an office bldg for customers isn't even all that practical. Oh well; it's another topic for debate. later... mike.... |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO
| reply to RockyBB
Here is my situation: I live in a treed area just over the hill - Can you hear me now? No! 300 ft up the road, Yes, but not in the house. So, a femtocell looks good and I can loose my POTS - or can I? If I call Qwest and drop my pots (and have a femto) I have to carry my cell all over the house - 24x7. If the femto unit had a RJ-11 that would connect to the house wiring (or a base unit) life would be good. The flip side is I lay my cell on the dresser Fri PM and wander out to the garage Sat AM .... screwed!
Who has a unit that allows connections to a base unit for a cordless phone - they have my business 
Thanks |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| said by liderbug :Who has a unit that allows connections to a base unit for a cordless phone - they have my business Pretty much any VoIP provider.
Start here: »/gbu |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
| reply to liderbug
Have a similar problem myself do get fair coverage at my house but as far as caring your cell around get a blue tooth gateway. If you cell is in range it connect to it via blue tooth. Then the gateway has rj-11 to hook to your house wiring.
see: »www.amazon.com/Intellitouch-ITC-···00S1W7ES
Also see my original question about the device at »Bluetooth Gateways |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| reply to liderbug
said by liderbug :The flip side is I lay my cell on the dresser Fri PM and wander out to the garage Sat AM .... screwed! hmmm. what animal instinct would make you remember to retrieve the cordless phone before the journey to the garage that would also make you forget to retrieve the cell phone prior to that journey? wouldn't it more likely be the case that your cell and your cordless would be sitting right next to each other, in the wrong room?  I do agree with your premise, nonetheless, that it would be awesome if the next generation of the femtocells had an RJ11 jack and appropriate electronics to share traditional single line phones and house wiring. |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27 | Maybe he has a cordless unit in his garage (or close to it)? that's the beauty of multi-handset cordless - you can add a base and handset anywhere. |
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dcm
join:2008-09-12
Pennsylvania
| reply to RockyBB
said by RockyBB :hmmm. what animal instinct would make you remember to retrieve the cordless phone before the journey to the garage that would also make you forget to retrieve the cell phone prior to that journey? wouldn't it more likely be the case that your cell and your cordless would be sitting right next to each other, in the wrong room? Some people have phones in their garage.
I personally have a handset in each bedroom, office, living room, kitchen, and basement. I have to remember to take one into the bathroom. 
My cell phone is not an additional appendage, so it's very unlikely that I'd ever give up my "landline" (VoIP in my case). |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to nitzan
Close - it's an wired black rotary wall phone. And we have a CL in the kitchen, one in the BR, and one down in the FR. Some one said T-Mobile's unit had a RJ-11. |
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jay_rm
join:2002-04-12
Netville
 ·Fox Valley Internet
·ViaTalk
| reply to liderbug
said by liderbug :Here is my situation: I live in a treed area just over the hill - Can you hear me now? No! 300 ft up the road, Yes, but not in the house. So, a femtocell looks good and I can loose my POTS - or can I? If you're going to spend money anyway, maybe all you need is a cellular repeater.
»www.wilsoncellular.us/cell-phone···c-3.html
--
3500/512 5.7 GHz Motorola Canopy Wireless; FoxValley.net
'It looks just like a Telefunken U47 !' |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO
| Just got off the phone with T-Mobile. They have a femtocell they call Hotspot@Home and it has a RJ-11 so you can plug in your wireless base unit with your pots number. They have 2 units if I read things right w & w/o a 4 port RJ-45. Looks like it will run me (w/tax) ~$80/month. However I can cut my Qwest bill by ? $30 ? by dropping pots and going DSL only.
[ Actiontec 704 for sale ??? ]
Unless someone can come up with something better... |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| For the casual lurkers here, realize that T-Mobile's Hotspot@Home product is an add-on to their cellular service, not a standalone offer. So be sure to understand any remaining contract commitments you have to your current cellular provider, and also to check traditional coverage maps to ensure that you can use the cell phone where you typically expect to be able to do so. »www.t-mobile.com has a coverage map link on their homepage, bottom left side (at least tonight that's where it is). |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO
| Apr 14, 2009 - current VZ contract ends. To-wit the reason for my activity on this subject. I consider the TM solution to be .. 95%. From what I can tell TM is the ONLY fem with a RJ11. VZ's fem is $250 up front and no RJ11 (why would we do that when we can sell you VOIP @ $25/mo?).
Everybody's situation is different - for me, TM works the best. 100% would be: me on some beach sans phone
(and boss, and AH co-workers, and bills, and and and and....)
Ko-e-nut mit rum + cute redhead, gentle wind, sand ... ... [ sigh ] |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| said by liderbug :Everybody's situation is different - for me, ... + cute redhead Let's get the phones working before moving on to the next fantasy...
You didn't mention your high speed internet provider. If it's cable, everything is easy. If it's DSL, then you'll have to coordinate with the Bell company (assuming Qwest) to release your phone number while converting your HSI (aka DSL) to standalone status.
once your Bell number ports to T-Mobile, be sure to disconnect your inside wiring from the Bell network inside the interface box on the outside of your home PRIOR to connecting the T-Mobile box to any wall jack. |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO
| ... next fantasy ... LOL
Cell is VZ and ISP is Qwest. I've checked with Qwest: switching to smallbusiness, with Qwest as both DSL & ISP (there will be NO finger pointing). My plan (har har) is to order, receive, setup TM @home router - configure firewall etc. A couple of days later roll VZ cells(2) to TM - keeping numbers. Once that is working ok then call Qwest and switch from residential (phone $40(inc tax), dsl $54) to SB dsl only $60(inc tax) Oh, and VZ $80. Total (OMG) $175. And rolling pots number to @Home home number (flash shows inserting sim card in back of unit - sweet)
New total: 60+70 = 130 (140??) - I get what I want and for $30 cheaper ???? Prob.not.but........
Film@11 |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| You'll need to double check with T-M, but I don't think they'll get you the @Home router without a cell phone account. If I'm right, you'll establish the cell phone account first, coincident with the order for the @Home. After your evaluation that everything works, you'll port the cell phone numbers, and the Qwest number. As with all porting timelines, do NOT cancel your phone service with the losing provider -- let the port process move your active phone number. Expect the cell phone numbers to transfer within a few hours, the POTS number will take a few weeks. After the ports complete, then you call the losing carrier to confirm service cancellation. You'll need to make double sure with Qwest that the port out of your phone number will not take down the HSI (fka DSL) service. |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO | Sounds like the voice of experience. Like me - ISP vs DSL - Not OUR problem - go talk to ______. |
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liderbug
join:2009-03-04
Colorado Springs, CO
1 edit | Update: We were in Sams on Sunday - to "just look" at the various cell phones available with @Home. Turned out they had 2, both BBs. The salesman handed us a BB Curve and said "call home". ..... ah, not without a stylus! !$!@## I never thought you could make a button that small. He said "we're having a special..... [ sigh ]" So we took home a router for $10 and 2 BB Pearl Flips for $60 ea with family plan. (with the trackball). They had temp numbers. Plugged every thing in and ... freek'n magic ... both cells worked. Plugged in my desk phone and ... it worked too. Will wonders never end ..... |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| said by liderbug :Update: ... Will wonders never end ..... congrats! Hey, I'm not too familiar with the T-M line (and I haven't read your older posts) ... if you make a call from your new BB when you're within range of the @Home box, do the minutes count against your T-M plan allowance (like Verizon), or are they free minutes (like Sprint)? |
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