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Can You Hear Me Now?
Cell phone use indoors
Wireless carriers continue to work on ways to improve connection inside the home as a means to 'increase revenue, cut expenses and retain customers'. The two main paths this improvement is taking are the Hotspot@Home service by T-mobile and the development of femtocell technology (which 'plugs into a consumer’s home broadband network to create a strong signal within a home') which is being worked on by RadioFrame Networks. Of course, better service comes with a price; it’s predicted that 'subscribers will likely pay about $10 a month more for unlimited calling in the home for the improved coverage'.
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

1 edit

KrK

Premium Member

So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

... So let me get this straight:

They want you to pay more to "Help" them deliver the service you already pay for anyway.

Ie, you have a plan with xxx minutes, but you have bad reception inside your home, and are considering switching carriers, but they offer you a plug in module to use your own equipment to boost the interior signal so their service works in your house. Sounds good up to there... but then they have the nerve to ask you to pay extra per month?

See ya! Find a better service. Can you hear me now?

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 edit

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

said by KrK:

They want you to pay more to "Help" them deliver the service you already pay for anyway.

Ie, you have a plan with xxx minutes, but you have bad reception inside your home, and are considering switching carriers, but they offer you a plug in module to use your own equipment to boost the interior signal so their service works in your house. Sounds good up to there... but then they have the nerve to ask you to pay extra per month?
THEY haven't asked for anything yet. Charging $10/mo more was a guess by the reporter who wrote the article. No one says she is right.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

The first part of the post refers to T-Mobile's Hotspot@home. That's $20/month. Instead of running off a cell tower, you use YOUR OWN internet connection, and they are charging $20/mo for the service. That's AFTER you buy a wi-fi compatible phone (currently only two available).

So yes, they HAVE asked for something.
matrix3D
join:2006-09-27
Middletown, CT

matrix3D

Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

I'd really like to hear their justification for charging an additional monthly fee for a service that rides on top of ANOTHER EXISTING SERVICE YOU ALREADY PAY FOR. What a sham -- they can make money without having to pay out a single penny for "providing" this additional "service."

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

said by matrix3D:

I'd really like to hear their justification for charging an additional monthly fee for a service that rides on top of ANOTHER EXISTING SERVICE YOU ALREADY PAY FOR.
I agree, and I am hoping that once the T-Mobile service is available nation-wide (as opposed to the Seattle market, since it is still in beta), that they will realize just that and drastically reduce the price. The only reason I am willing to pay for it at the moment is because it is the only way I can use my cell phone at home. They kinda have me by the... well, you know.
stufried
Premium Member
join:2003-10-13

stufried

Premium Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

According to my understanding, it is $20 a month extra for UNLIMITED calling when you are on wifi networks. If you don't pay the $20, it is my understanding the calls come out of your ordinary bucket of minutes.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

Negetive. Without paying that $20/mo, your phone will not connect to a wi-fi network (when it tries to register to the T-Mobile network over the internet, T-Mobile rejects it and your phone will give you an error message).

AnonymousPerson
@verizon.net

AnonymousPerson to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
Not necessarily. The article said it is predicted. The article does not say who predicted it.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: So they want you to pay more to help them deliver...

Apparently you don't get it. I HAVE the service, and I PAY $20/mo for it. That is not a prediction, THAT IS A CURRENT, TRUE FACT. Would you like to see a copy of my bill?

Damn anonymous posters.

texans20
Premium Member
join:2002-09-28
Texas!

texans20

Premium Member

Not a bad idea

This will be yet another kick in the balls for AT&T and Verizon. To be able to have reliable cell phone service in the home without using any minutes is a great way for more people to make the move from landline to cell. In my generation (I'm 25) most of the people I know don't even have a landline, they use their cell phones. The few that have a landline have it because they get a crap signal at home.

Once they get the bugs worked out, I'd see this becoming a hit in homes and offices.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: Not a bad idea

Although it may sound like I was complaining about it in my above post, you are absolutely right. I have the service from T-mobile because I have no cellular service at my house (inside or out) and I hate POTS.

Mactron
el Camino Real
Premium Member
join:2001-12-16
PRK

Mactron

Premium Member

Problem solved by carrier here...

VZ wireless put up a new tower a few blocks from here 1-2 yrs ago. Problem solved, and at their cost.
Bobcat79
Premium Member
join:2001-02-04

Bobcat79

Premium Member

Re: Problem solved by carrier here...

said by Mactron:

VZ wireless put up a new tower a few blocks from here 1-2 yrs ago. Problem solved, and at their cost.
I can connect to three different Verizon cell sites from inside my house. One of the sites is located on the Verizon Wireless Network Operations Center building. You can't get much better than that!
phaqu
join:2005-05-26
Marietta, GA

1 recommendation

phaqu

Member

Home reception

I dont think I would use a cell service that didnt work at my house. But,thats just me.

DataDoc
My avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.
Premium Member
join:2000-05-14
Hedgesville, WV
·StarLink
·HughesNet

DataDoc

Premium Member

Re: Home reception

said by phaqu:

I dont think I would use a cell service that didnt work at my house. But,thats just me.
I agree, but most of the time you don't know it until you'ved signed up.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: Home reception

Or you move. That's what happened to me.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9 to DataDoc

Premium Member

to DataDoc
You can always take the carriers up on their 15- or 30-day money back guarantees if you don't have a good signal at your house.

DataDoc
My avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.
Premium Member
join:2000-05-14
Hedgesville, WV

DataDoc

Premium Member

Re: Home reception

I had to drop Sprint a couple of years back, the phone wouldn't even do the initialization.

sfdafdsadf
@comcast.net

sfdafdsadf

Anon

Re: Home reception

I use sprint, and thats one of the reasons I use them, the reception is outstanding in my home, both places I have lived since I had sprint, their reception in my house has been great. I haven't had a land line in over 6 years now and would have no interest in going back. If I didn't have home conn. then I would just return within 30 days and switch (assuming you check the coverage map for your area).

Sprints nationwide network has also been very good for me, whether interstate, airports, or other cities.... all good reception.

rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL

rec9140

Member

Look at the carriers involved....

namely TMobile who has the WORST COVERAGE BAR NONE in the US. They need all the help they can get.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: Look at the carriers involved....

Did you do any research before making that statement?

T-Mobile has roaming agreements with Unicel and Cingular in most parts of the nation. Surely you don't think that Cingular has the worst coverage?

Look at T-Mobile's coverage maps compared to Cingular's. It is almost just as good in most areas, and exactly the same in others.

chd176
join:2003-01-10
Winfield, AL
·CenturyLink

chd176

Member

Re: Look at the carriers involved....

Except depending on where you are (ie. IN a T-Mobile "coverage" area) then you can't roam on Cingular or any other carrier for that matter. So yes they do still have bad coverage, those little maps that show coverage aren't always accurate, even more so when you factor in roaming coverage you can't always use.

roamer1
sticking it out at you
join:2001-03-24
Atlanta, GA

roamer1 to PolarBear03

Member

to PolarBear03
said by PolarBear03:

T-Mobile has roaming agreements with Unicel and Cingular in most parts of the nation. Surely you don't think that Cingular has the worst coverage?
T-Mobile doesn't usually allow roaming on other carriers in areas where they have coverage, even on the fringes of coverage (there are 10-mile gaps in coverage between T-Mobile and roaming in parts of AL and MS, among other areas.)

T-Mobile has very little roaming on Cingular; there are large areas of several states (among them TN, KY, and until recently south GA -- north GA is still a problem) where T-Mobile doesn't roam on Cingular even where there is no one else to roam on. T-Mobile does roam rather freely on most other carriers, although there are some exceptions (namely here in GA, where not only do they almost never roam on Cingular, they refuse to roam on Alltel's roamer GSM network in west GA or Wilkes in east GA either for some odd reason.)

-SC

rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL

1 edit

rec9140 to PolarBear03

Member

to PolarBear03
said by PolarBear03:
Did you do any research before making that statement?
YES. Personal comparison.
TMobile and its partners coverage compared to VZW, is politely, TERRIBLE.

I wouldn't use their service for the poor coverage alone.

May be great when you stay in the metroplex's, but when you travel to the real world their coverage native or partner drops off fast and hard.

No thanks.
said by PolarBear03:

Surely you don't think that Cingular has the worst coverage?

Native Cingular Pre-merger coverage, YES, it politely is TERRIBLE too.

The mergerd coverage is not much better either, and the reliability of the network is pathetic. More complaints about missed calls or inability to make calls in coverage areas than any network. At least with TMobile I knew why calls didn't work, no coverage.

Carriers I wouldn't touch with a 10ft pole in order:

1) TMobile
2) Cingular/ATT
3) Sprint - COVERAGE, COVERAGE, COVERAGE. Their coverage looks like a US Highway map.
4) Any of the local/regional bit players like MetroPCS etc..
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: Look at the carriers involved....

said by rec9140:

Carriers I wouldn't touch with a 10ft pole in order:

1) TMobile
2) Cingular/ATT
3) Sprint - COVERAGE, COVERAGE, COVERAGE. Their coverage looks like a US Highway map.
4) Any of the local/regional bit players like MetroPCS etc..
Do you know what the word regional mean? Do you know why regional carrier dont have service nationally?

rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL

rec9140

Member

Re: Look at the carriers involved....

said by patcat88:
Do you know what the word regional mean? Do you know why regional carrier dont have service nationally?
Yes, and their coverage still SUCKS for the areas they do "allegedly" cover.
ebubman
join:2002-01-17
Mechanicsburg, PA

ebubman

Member

can you hear me now?

if you don't have viable cell service @ your home, then shame on you for keeping a carrier that you can't use. umm, i believe they have buyer's remorse periods of varying lenths depending on carrier that are intended to allow the poor buyer to check the carrier's service. i daresay most just get a really cool phone/mp3 player without much consideration for how well or how poor the phone service is. shame on them. it costs very little other than some time or effort to try the phone a few times at home (or work or wherever) to say "wow, that really works well" or "darn, they can't hear me now" then to take appropriate action. must be part of this litigous culture that consistently looks to affix blame everywhere but where it generally belongs. bub

TwKs
join:2007-04-29

1 edit

TwKs

Member

My signal strength...

is excellent in my home. Of course when I look out my front door at night, I see the twinkling light on the cell tower across town also.

obeythelaw
Premium Member
join:2003-04-16
Warren, NJ

1 recommendation

obeythelaw

Premium Member

stop complaining about putting up cell towers

there isn't a day that goes by where I read in my local paper about cingular, verizon, etc. applying to the local zoning board to put a cell tower but with all of the opposition from the town residents. obviously, many people don't care about good service. i personally get excellent service from Cingular in my house (i don't have a landline) and anywhere i go. The bottom line is, let the companies pay for their own infrastrucutre and you will get better reception.

fcisler
Premium Member
join:2004-06-14
Riverhead, NY

fcisler

Premium Member

Guess I'm Lucky

I guess i'm lucky, then.

Looking out my front door i can see a cell tower less than a 1/2 mile across the sod field...

Now if they would only upgrade that sucker to 3G - i'd be in heaven.
LordBritish
join:2003-08-02
Marina Del Rey, CA

LordBritish

Member

.

My apartment walls must be made of lead because I can't use my cell phone, get really bad radio reception and getting TV air broadcast signals is impossible.

So I use good old fashioned POTS. It works that's all I gotta say.