  Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY |
Tomek
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 2:58 pm
FemtocellIsn't that simply a technology that T-Mobile uses with their @Home service. I have UMA phone and call through my router. Must say it's a win-win solution for me. While that way I get perfect coverage, it also helps with roaming. | |
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 |  wifi4milezBig Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY |
Re: Femtocellsaid by Tomek:Isn't that simply a technology that T-Mobile uses with their @Home service. I have UMA phone and call through my router. Must say it's a win-win solution for me. While that way I get perfect coverage, it also helps with roaming. No, this is something totally different. This service broadcasts an actual GSM signal that your phone (or any other GSM phone) can use. | |
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| | Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY |
Tomek
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 4:10 pm
Re: FemtocellSo wouldn't that be a similar concept? With the exception that GSM -> Internet conversion is done in the femtocell instead of headset? | |
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| | | wifi4milezBig Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY |
Re: Femtocellsaid by Tomek:So wouldn't that be a similar concept? With the exception that GSM -> Internet conversion is done in the femtocell instead of headset? Similar idea, however your UMA service only works on the (very few) handsets that support it. Femtocell service on the other hand, can be used by every phone on the market today (except those by Nextel). Lets say you live in a cellular "dead zone", you put one of these there and any GSM/CDMA (depending on which femtocell you have) phone will work. Its a much broader application than the UMA service, but essentially does the same thing. | |
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| |  en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA |
to wifi4milez
There's good with both services...
T-Mobile
1. UMA / WiFi service allows for any WiFi connection - which basically works great for cheap international roaming
AT&T:
1. Should be usable on any GSM/3G (assumption) phone that the carrier will allow to use
2. Not as 'portable', as its using carrier licensed frequencies and not 'open' WiFi. | |
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| | | wifi4milezBig Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY |
Re: Femtocellsaid by en102:There's good with both services... T-Mobile 1. UMA / WiFi service allows for any WiFi connection - which basically works great for cheap international roaming AT&T: 1. Should be usable on any GSM/3G (assumption) phone that the carrier will allow to use 2. Not as 'portable', as its using carrier licensed frequencies and not 'open' WiFi. You are both correct in that they are very similar, and accomplish the same task. You also bring up a good point about (international) roaming via UMA. I think the real distinction is that femtocell service is simply an extension of the existing "cellular" network, whereas UMA is more of a supplementary service for specific handsets. Both are good, and I think that people should choose the solution that works best for them and their situation.  | |
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 tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA |
tshirt
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 3:11 pm
say what....??A cellphone customter should pay for their Broadband, plus buy an additional $100 device, pluse pay $15-30 amonth more so AT&T doesn't have to improve coverage for a device/sevice the already bought?
The user should get a discount, plus a free femtocell, since they are paying for the access. | |
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|  RolteC0h
join:2001-05-20
New York, NY |
RolteC
Member
2008-Oct-30 3:19 pm
Re: say what....??And what I don't understand is:
What is to stop half your block from using YOUR mini tower for access?
I have not at all researched this technology, so if anyone can provide links, then thank you. | |
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| | wifi4milezBig Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY |
Re: say what....??said by RolteC:And what I don't understand is: What is to stop half your block from using YOUR mini tower for access? I have not at all researched this technology, so if anyone can provide links, then thank you. The Sprint device enables you to only allow specific phones (based on IMEI I think) to access it. Alternatively, you can leave it open and only 3 to 5 people can use it at a time. I assume the ATT device will also allow for whitelists. | |
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to tshirt
said by tshirt:A cellphone customter should pay for their Broadband, plus buy an additional $100 device, pluse pay $15-30 amonth more so AT&T doesn't have to improve coverage for a device/sevice the already bought? Unless I missed it the article doesn't say anything about AT&T charging $15 - $30/ month and $100 for the device. It DOES say that is what Sprint charges for their service. SO before you go bitching about AT&T try bashing Sprint first. For all you know AT&T might make it free. | |
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| | tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA |
tshirt
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 6:42 pm
Re: say what....?? You are right, I mis-read it (though I think I read elsewhere AT&T intends to charge too.) My point was without regard to which company does it, but more as to why to user should pay more in order to fill in the providers incomplete network? If anything the user should get a discount just for his phones, perhaps recieve micro-fees if he provides outsider coverage. | |
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| |  KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Zoom 5341J
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to skrupowies
said by skrupowies:For all you know AT&T might make it free. If at&t makes this available free or with no monthly cost I'll donate my PC to charity. There's ZERO chance of at&t doing it just to improve their customer's service. | |
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 danza
Premium Member
join:2002-08-23 |
danza
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 3:22 pm
It's strangethat you have to pay them to use your internet bandwidth and extend their coverage.
It's supposed to be other way around since anyone with ATT will be able to hop on your mini 'cell' and use it like ATT's cellphone tower. | |
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| CTMustang
Premium Member
join:2007-09-10
New Canaan, CT |
Re: It's strangeThey are paying money because it can turn their cell phone into an unlimited home line. Basically allowing you to ditch your home service.
With sprint many people have gotten the device for free and the service free (I was one of them). | |
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|  ArrayListDevOps
Premium Member
join:2005-03-19
Mullica Hill, NJ |
to danza
any chance that someone could sniff out the calls going into these femtocells? | |
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| | mlx52
Premium Member
join:2007-06-17
Winnetka, IL |
mlx52
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 3:56 pm
Re: It's strangeDoes this allow full internet and texting on the phones as well. I would buy this in a heartbeat from ATT if it meant I could get coverage at my lake house, where there isn't currently any signal. | |
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| | |  RockyBB
Premium Member
join:2005-01-31
Steamboat Springs, CO |
RockyBB
Premium Member
2008-Oct-30 4:16 pm
Re: It's strangesaid by mlx52:Does this allow full internet and texting on the phones as well. I would buy this in a heartbeat from ATT if it meant I could get coverage at my lake house, where there isn't currently any signal. if you have broadband at the lake house, then the femtocell is exactly what you need to get cell coverage in the home. | |
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| | | Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY |
to mlx52
or get yourself UMA enabled phone. | |
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| |  swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME |
to ArrayList
said by ArrayList:any chance that someone could sniff out the calls going into these femtocells? No. At least with Sprint..the traffic is running over a VPN. | |
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 JimThePCGuyFormerly known as schja01.
MVM
join:2000-04-27
Morton Grove, IL |
Sprint does't charge $20 or $30 for unlimited callingActually Sprint only charges $10/mo for unlimited calling or $20 for multi-cell families. That's on top of the required $4.99/mo for using the device. That assumes you actually pay the fees as Sprint has waived the $100 one time charge and $4.99/mo in many cases. | |
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Rob 23
Anon
2008-Oct-30 4:31 pm
DSL Does this mean ATT will offer standalone DSL and a femtocell or just offer this to U_VERSE customers. At $15 a month it will replace cable voip and pots at $40 a month. If it's ATT or VZ cellphone svc they have the ability to pick the call at the 1st hop for QOS and you don't need the cellphone,you can speak into a larger bluetooth or sync enabled device for better call quality.(they should just use wi-fi) | |
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How do you reconcile this to ISP's prohibiting open accessISP's such as Comcast prohibit open access points that create traffic above and beyond your own personal use. It will be interesting to see if Comcast and others block this type of traffic since you may not be able to limit the access to those phones of the user purchasing the internet service? | |
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Re: How do you reconcile this to ISP's prohibiting open accessHere is what kills me.. People who are more likely to need a stronger signal from a cell tower are the same people that don't have access to broadband.. I'm sure this will help a lucky few that have broadband that live in a valley or behind a structure blocking signals.. But this overall doesn't help the mass as it requires broadband.... | |
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| |  ff1324Everybody Goes Home
Premium Member
join:2002-08-24
On Four Day |
ff1324
Premium Member
2008-Oct-31 12:33 am
Re: How do you reconcile this to ISP's prohibiting open accessThis will help far more people than you are estimating. Anyone who works in a concrete or steel framed building will be thankful for one of these.
Our firehouse is about 1/2 mile from the closest AT&T tower, however I still need to go outside on the tower side of the building to carry on a conversation.
Plenty of broadband service, crappy cell service... | |
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| | mrvid
join:2007-06-19
Levittown, NY
1 edit |
to decifal7
more and more, rural areas are expected to get broadband either wired or wireless and they have directv or dish networks for TV service so they wont be in the dark as far as services. As telco or cable make its way out there, the options will increase. | |
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Re: How do you reconcile this to ISP's prohibiting open accesssaid by mrvid:more and more, rural areas are expected to get broadband either wired or wireless and they have directv or dish networks for TV service so they wont be in the dark as far as services. As telco or cable make its way out there, the options will increase. I don't mean to sound harsh... But i've heard this back in 2002..... But as you can imagine.... I"m still without any solid service... Theres sprint EVDO, but with caps flying in,and service being patchy.... This needs to be changed.. It still kills me, people usually assume I live in a far far out in the middle of nowhere rural area when I mention my lack of access.. Well.... I"m not.. I think the problem is, I live on the boarder of three county's... I prefer to call it the nexus when it comes to things like this... | |
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AT&T FemtocellsThink ten million if the trial go well, and a cloud across half the country.
Ideas welcome on how this changes things. | |
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bnceo
join:2007-10-11
Bel Air, MD |
bnceo
Member
2008-Oct-30 4:56 pm
Sprint AiraveAnyone here have the Sprint Airave? I am really considering getting this when I move in with my girlfriend. She lives in a wireless deadzone (Sprint told me no new towers there for 18 months). I don't think anyone mentioned that they also offer this service for 4.99 a month if you just want to use your cell phone plan. | |
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Re: Sprint Airavesaid by bnceo:Anyone here have the Sprint Airave? I am really considering getting this when I move in with my girlfriend. She lives in a wireless deadzone (Sprint told me no new towers there for 18 months). I don't think anyone mentioned that they also offer this service for 4.99 a month if you just want to use your cell phone plan. I have one I wouldn't trade it for anything feel free to send me a message | |
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kelrod
join:2002-04-18
Kingsport, TN |
kelrod
Member
2008-Oct-30 4:57 pm
Emergency CallsWill this have the same problem as VOIP calls in that there will be no reliable way for 911 dispatchers to determine your location? | |
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| bnceo
join:2007-10-11
Bel Air, MD |
bnceo
Member
2008-Oct-30 5:31 pm
Re: Emergency CallsSame as using your cell phone. This is not a VOIP service. More of just having your own personal cell tower, but using your broadband connection. | |
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| | mrvid
join:2007-06-19
Levittown, NY |
mrvid
Member
2008-Oct-31 6:43 am
Re: Emergency CallsI believe that tracking of your phone for emergencies is done off the tower (in terms of longitude & latitude), basically GPS, im pretty sure thats correct. Therefore, if that tower is in your home, they know exactly where you are. | |
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mbkownsGot Bandwidth?
join:2003-07-01
Valley Center, CA |
LAME!This is bs.. They shouldn't be able to charge you extra monthly for it. I was excited to hear about this technology when it was announced but now its worthless.
Why should they be able to charge me more when at least a portion of the traffic is going through my internet that I pay for already. What if your a att customer useing att dsl and getting double charged for network usage.
LAME-WARE | |
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 momcat1No Relation To The Bobcat
join:2002-10-21
Wappingers Falls, NY |
ATT femtocellI contacted ATT about this several times in the last two months, and no one would even admit to the existence of the units. I am especially interested because the signal at our house is so spotty. Their resposne was that maybe I should cancel my service. I pointed out to them that they might reduce churn by offering this add-on. I even offered to participate in beta. I know in our case it would make us think very differently in regards to the quality of our service. They didn't bite.
I'd still like to find out more from them but have no contact there that admits to knowing anything. | |
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SprintLuvr9999
Anon
2008-Oct-31 2:04 am
I still prefer UMAWith Sprint's Femtocell Solution, your 3G phone becomes a 2G only device while connected. That's right. 1xRTT instead of EVDO.
My questions are:
1) Is AT&T only planning to allow voice traffic to be used over Femtocell?
2) If data is allowed, will it be 2G or 3G?
Carriers are not deploying femtocells to be the good guys. They are all looking to find ways to increase revenue as penetration levels go up. They could have worked with vendors to release these a long time ago if they really wanted to.
It's the perfect solution for them. You pay them money to offload traffic off of their network onto your own BB connection (which you pay for already).
5 years down the road, Femtocells may get more traction. But for now, I prefer the UMA solution. I'd rather have the option to connect my phone to any open WiFi network at home or abroad and be able to use voice/data independent of the native wireless networks. The phones that use UMA may be limited, but that's why I choose my equipment wisely. My T-Mobile branded BB Pearl 8120 does the trick . | |
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