  jjoshuaPremium
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ
kudos:1
 ·Verizon FiOS
| More details needed I'll assume that you have to buy a femtojack that is compatible with your cell phone.
Basically, the femtojack configures itself to masquerade as your cell carrier?
This gives new life to old wireless phones which are no longer in service. | |
|
 | | | Re: More details needed If it's masquerading as your cell carrier then routing over your internet connection... why would you need to be wary of your 3G operator's monthly caps? | |
|
| | | | Re: More details needed said by Uncle Paul:If it's masquerading as your cell carrier then routing over your internet connection... why would you need to be wary of your 3G operator's monthly caps? Not sure... the beginning of the article makes it sound like you can run your cell phone off of a broadband internet connection (which means nill -- money-wize -- unless you're on a pay-as-you-go plan). The end of the article makes it sound more like you can get internet on your laptop over a 3G wireless connection. Not really sure what this thing does... oO ?
--
- "Techie" Jim | |
|
| | | | said by Uncle Paul:If it's masquerading as your cell carrier then routing over your internet connection... why would you need to be wary of your 3G operator's monthly caps? I'm no wireless guru but I don't see how that's possible because they'd need spectrum licenses in order to broadcast in VZ, Sprint, AT&T, etc. bands unless there's some sort of exemption for low powered transceivers operating on those bands...
- Tate
--
It's time to let go of TDM people. If it's not IP-based, it's crap! | |
|
| |  kleinml
join:2008-04-18
Levittown, PA | It was explained to me once like this. the call somehow it has to get from VOIP on to the Cell Co's Switches then back out to the Telephone network to connect the call. so When the Call jumps from the Internet onto the Cell company's network as a VOIP call they charge your Data plan for it not your minutes plan. I know Logically we think were not using their towers we shouldn't hit our plan at all but it still has to go on their network because your using the Tel Num they provided. At least that is what I was told when I was looking at Verizon's Femtocell a while back. Never got it though. | |
|
|  DaveDudeNo Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
kudos:1 | If your on 'ATT' your not going to see this device, btw is it UMTS, or CDMA ? Any thing that broadcasts to an ATT cellphone is shown as ATT. Plus it has to have a 310, 311 mmc. Not enough info... | |
|
|  wifi4milezBig Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY | Agreed, I need more technical details about this product. From the article it appears as if it "hijacks" your wireless providers signal and uses the MagicJack network instead. If thats the case, then their femto will need to have multiple radios on it to support both GSM and CDMA phones. | |
|
| |  ThrowDemsOutIf you can't convince 'em, confuse 'emPremium
join:2002-03-03
Mullica Hill, NJ
kudos:4 | Re: More details needed said by wifi4milez:Agreed, I need more technical details about this product. From the article it appears as if it "hijacks" your wireless providers signal and uses the MagicJack network instead. If thats the case, then their femto will need to have multiple radios on it to support both GSM and CDMA phones. Maybe that is why it has 2 antennas - 1 for each type of cell network.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
| |
|
| |
| | |
| | Reviews:
 ·magicjack.com
| said by ThrowDemsOut:Here is their press release at CES and it is still very light on details: They've been talking about this since last Spring. One news article said it was due in Q3 2009 (if I recall correctly).
MagicJack has a bit of trouble in the optimism department. They've said other things were in the pipeline that have never been seen (ATA device, Linux softphone.). The only thing they delivered on after a few missed targets was number portability.
They may be working on a femtocell. But, it could be a long time before it's released.
MagicJack is a fantastic bargain when it works out for the user. It can come with headaches, unmet expectations, periods of unuseable quality and the feeling that you bought a product from PT Barnum. But, you can save some serious money if you can work through those issues.
Mark | |
|
| | | Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| Re: More details needed Magic jack meet ATA  I use it while traveling the world , plug in the ata any where I have data and away I go works great.
Plus it's cheap , If I lose the ata no big deal it's easy to disable on my side and they are cheap on ebay. Something like $20
--
"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" | |
|
| | | | Reviews:
·magicjack.com
| Re: More details needed said by BosstonesOwn:Magic jack meet ATA I use it while traveling the world , plug in the ata any where I have data and away I go works great. Plus it's cheap , If I lose the ata no big deal it's easy to disable on my side and they are cheap on ebay. Something like $20 I didn't understand your comment. Are you saying 1) MJ is an ATA? Or, 2) that you obtained your SIP credentials and are using them with a generic ATA?
1) You're right that MJ is technically an ATA. I meant an ATA which you can plug into a router for always-on telephone service without the need to keep your computer turned on, or cobble together a "thin client."
2) That violates MJ's ToS. They have terminated users in the past. And, have taken steps to obfuscate the credentials to prevent people from doing it (causing illicit ATA users to lose service for days or weeks until they can hack the credentials again.).
Mark | |
|
| | | | | Reviews:
·Comcast
| Re: More details needed Right on both.
on #2 It's all good they terminate me I will just go grab another and do it again.
I use my sip info on my droid when in the us over 3g , and I also use it when I travel anywhere with an ata. And if they change it again I drop back to usb for awhile until it's fixed.
Worse case I can move to another voip provider and do the same I do now for a little bit more. I also have the ability to roll my own voip and terminate it at my home win win for me.
--
"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" | |
|
| | | | | | |
|
 ptrowskiGot Helix?Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
kudos:4 | Not good... VoIP is not so great over 3G due to high latency. I can't see how they would overcome that. | |
|
| wifi4milezBig Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY | Re: Not good... said by ptrowski:VoIP is not so great over 3G due to high latency. I can't see how they would overcome that. This doesnt appear to have anything to do with 3G. From what I can tell they simply replace the existing 'cellular' signal (ATT, Tmo, etc) with the magic jack one. | |
|
| | Reviews:
·magicjack.com
| Re: Not good... said by wifi4milez:From what I can tell they simply replace the existing 'cellular' signal (ATT, Tmo, etc) with the magic jack one. Isn't that called interference?
How will it work if I use a femtocell in an apartment? What's that going to do to my neighbor who gets 2 bars as an AT&T customer?
Mark | |
|
| | | iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Comcast
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: Not good... They'll use your FemtoJack of course, sucking up a precious 80 kbps of internet bandwidth each way for a call but not draining any of their minutes. They'll love you and not know why 
Of course, that's assuming they're eight feet from the 'jack to associate with it in the first place. | |
|
| | | | Reviews:
·magicjack.com
| Re: Not good... said by iansltx:Of course, that's assuming they're eight feet from the 'jack to associate with it in the first place. IMO, this is just MJ's way of getting in the news, free advertising, etc. To me, the story doesn't add up. But, sleazy, con-man business ethics are typical for MJ. Promulgating psycho-babble products just to get some free press coverage does add up.
If MJ wanted to cater to a new demographic that wants some kind of whole-house coverage, why not an ATA device. They could have released one of those a year ago. Why go for an exotic cellular product, FCC licensing of radio waves, etc?
They delayed a simple product for something complicated? That doesn't sound like MJ at all. MJ has a history of shooting for the simplest, lowest-common denominator.
Mark | |
|
| | | | | iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Comcast
·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: Not good... What's simpler than bringing your cell phone into the house and getting unlimited minutes through MJ?
That said, I agree that MagicJack has been all bluster and no action of late. The single product they have is great, but they need to go ahead and do something else now to keep the momentum going. | |
|
| | | | | | Reviews:
·magicjack.com
| Re: Not good... said by iansltx:What's simpler than bringing your cell phone into the house and getting unlimited minutes through MJ? I meant simpler to design and bring to market.
I question whether this is simple from a usage standpoint too. It's hard to believe a private company can broadcast on privately-owned frequencies. Or, that they can do it at a power level that will overcome nearby towers, but at the same time not interfere with neighbors who use a service whose tower is distant.
It seems like a lot of potential headache to accomplish what most people would be happy with: a router-based ATA device.
We heard that was coming almost 2 years ago. Almost a year ago we heard the Femtocell was coming (no mention of the ATA device).
And, all during that time MJ hasn't done anything to add features to the existing service. No improvements to the softphone -- except adding two radio buttons to the title bar, causing people to accidentally choose the button which they warn people not to use(!).
It doesn't add up for me. I'll be happy if MJ comes out with something. But, when they can't even add a single new feature to the softphone without bungling it, I'm skeptical they can produce something as complicated as a femtocell.
(Disclaimer: MJ's a great bargain even with shortcomings which make me skeptical about this news.).
Mark | |
|
Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| why not sip? I wouldn't mind paying the MJ company $40 for unlimited service for the year if I could use a sip device as my perferred access technology. The USB only drawback is also what limits SKYPE's technology (and google's) from taking off even if it were free.. nobody wants to jump through "hacks" which jump from one service to forward to another to make it work.. just make it work with the one and they'll have volume of customers/subscribers, etc-- make it complicated and even if you give it away free, it can only fill a limited niche use. | |
|
| iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 | Re: why not sip? Actually, MgicJack does use SIP. I'm using a softphone with it right now because the hardware device crapped out. It's rock-solid though DEFINITELY not supported by MJ. | |
|
tomz17
join:2004-01-09
Newark, NJ | FCC I wonder how this will work
#1 : All cell phones in the US (and most civilized countries) operate in regulated licensed spectrum (FCC in the USA). Billions were spent on this spectrum at auction. When your carrier sells you a femtocell it comes with a GPS receiver so that it can use only spectrum owned by that carrier in that particular part of the country. Your phone radio is simply physically incapable of tuning to an unlicensed band (900/2.4, etc.)!
Furthermore, each carrier has techs which check for interference infringing on their spectral property (e.g. a leaky transmitter from another cell phone provider). If you live in a mildly populated area and turn on a femtojack with power for 3,000 sq ft. of coverage, the FCC WILL come knocking on your door.
#2. Roaming profiles in modern phones are run off of very long and very complicated lists. Your CDMA (verizon/sprint) phone has a PRL which typically forbids association with any network not on the list (it is also set to favor the native network over any other). Your femtojack will NOT be on the PRL list unless you edit it on your computer in a mildly complicated procedure -or- alter the home-sid in your NAM! Verizon + Sprint account for WELL OVER 50% of the US cell phone market.
This *has* a chance of working on a GSM phone (t-mobile / AT&T), unless carriers specifically start restricting their sims (I think this is possible but might be against GSM spec). In any case, once your phone associates with the femtocell, you will not get any incoming calls, texts, etc. | |
|
| NyNexit
join:2009-11-01
Huntington, NY | Re: FCC good info thanks ! | |
|
| Reviews:
·Acanac
| said by tomz17: In any case, once your phone associates with the femtocell, you will not get any incoming calls, texts, etc. This part is wrong. Once your cell associates with the femtocell, you WILL be able to use your phone as if nothing happened. That being said, you'll be charged the tariff of that particular Femtocell's network operator, in this case magicjack.
Another thing to keep in mind is that carriers CAN and WILL forbid your SIM card from connecting to specific networks so they can VERY easily counter this.
Adi | |
|
| | tomz17
join:2004-01-09
Newark, NJ | Re: FCC said by adisor19:said by tomz17: In any case, once your phone associates with the femtocell, you will not get any incoming calls, texts, etc. This part is wrong. Once your cell associates with the femtocell, you WILL be able to use your phone as if nothing happened. That being said, you'll be charged the tariff of that particular Femtocell's network operator, in this case magicjack. Nope... I stand by my original statement. Unless your operator is set up to roam on a network (from their end), your phone will just appear to be out of its service area. Calls will go straight to voicemail, texts sit in queue, etc. Magic Jack needs the full cooperation of your cell carrier to pull off incoming calls/texts.
said by adisor19:Another thing to keep in mind is that carriers CAN and WILL forbid your SIM card from connecting to specific networks so they can VERY easily counter this. Adi AFAIK, standard GSM just has facilities for a small "preferred" network list on the sim. I believe about 25 entries without any additional access information (i.e. you can still choose to use networks not on the list... the list is just there to guide the "automatic" network selection on the phone). This is NOT the same as an IRDB or PRL. This is why I was *more* optimistic about this working on GSM handsets. Everything else is controlled network-side. However, I bet there are clever SIM hacks (outside of GSM specs) you can pull off to block access to particular network. The question is only how motivated your carrier will be to actively block magic jack, and whether they can do so on existing sim cards. | |
|
| | | patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
kudos:1 | Re: FCC said by tomz17:AFAIK, standard GSM just has facilities for a small "preferred" network list on the sim. I believe about 25 entries without any additional access information (i.e. you can still choose to use networks not on the list... the list is just there to guide the "automatic" network selection on the phone). This is NOT the same as an IRDB or PRL. This is why I was *more* optimistic about this working on GSM handsets. Everything else is controlled network-side. However, I bet there are clever SIM hacks (outside of GSM specs) you can pull off to block access to particular network. The question is only how motivated your carrier will be to actively block magic jack, and whether they can do so on existing sim cards. In GSM roaming, your roaming carrier will make a circuit between the SIM card in your phone, and your home carrier. Your home carrier will approve or deny every roaming attempt in real time, so the need for very long PRLs like on CDMA isn't needed with GSM. Geographically limiting roaming is done by the home carrier in real time, not a fixed list in the phone. | |
|
 DataDocMy avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC
·Suddenlink
| Maybe it's as simple as picking their signal My phone (Sony Ericsson) lets me see which carriers it receives and apparently can pick them by name. Maybe you would choose "MagicJack" and that's it.
Or maybe I'm confused what it really does.  | |
|
| |
Ope
join:2001-02-11
Richmond, VA |  Magic Jack could be my Magic Bullet???
I’m unable to use AT&T in 1/3 of my apartment … so for me this would be a (hoping) Big Improvement for me…
I’ve searched the net and have looked and looked but can’t find anywhere that will show me a list of Towers used by AT&T
In the Richmond VA Area?
Can you guys help me find them?
Thanks
Op | |
|
Eek2121Lovin Verizon FIOS
join:2002-10-12
Newton, NJ Reviews:
·Service Electric..
| Re: Magic Jack To Offer Femtocell Magic Jack is likely creating a low power Femtocell that can supplement or replace your cell phone carrier's signal. IIRC, the FCC does not block signals of sufficiently low strength, even on regulated spectrum. The signal is likely going to be of such low strength that walls will block or severely degrade it. I think this is a great idea. Combine this device with Google voice and you have a potential winner. | |
|
vzguy71
join:2006-02-11
Albany, NY
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
1 edit | Voip over 3G I think what he means by "using 3g to deliver voip" is that if you have your pc connected to the internet via a 3g card, you have the option of using that 3g network to transport the femtojack voip call. I don't think this has anything to do with 3g on the cell phone you're actually using to place the call. | |
|
|  AVDRespice, Adspice, ProspicePremium
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ | Re: Voip over 3G I skype over my 3G connection all the time.. even a little gizmo5..
--
standard disclaimers apply. | |
|
| | problem. This wont work if you live in close proximity to a cell tower. I live across a highway from one and my signal is always 100 pecent at home. so if you use this magic jack femto cell thing how will you know ur using it instead of the cell tower? | |
|
| | Why USB! Too stupid!!! This thing should plug into Ethernet, not USB!
Magicjack and Femtojack, cool idea, bad implementation! | |
|
| Reviews:
·magicjack.com
| Re: Why USB! Too stupid!!! said by AstroBoy:This thing should plug into Ethernet, not USB! Magicjack and Femtojack, cool idea, bad implementation! I think it has something to do with the demographic MJ targets. The infomercial watcher. The 7/11 or Walmart impulse buyer.
The original MJ device's genius was that it took the esoteric topic of VoIP (and the myriad of choices, such as ATA, BYOD, DID, etc.) and put it into something a person could hold in their hand. No choices. No complication. As easy to use as a thumb drive. Just plug it in, attach your phone. No smorgasbord of choices. No routers to connect an ATA device to.
If this femtocell thing is real, MJ is probably following the same, simple "sham-wow" formula. Something that can be explained in a 20-second infomercial.
I can see the Sham-Wow commercials already. "Plug it in. Dial your cell phone. Talk as long as you want. And, if you order in the next 10 minutes we'll include a Windy-City BBQ grill. That's right! You can talk to family and friends while enjoying the tastiest mini burgers on earth! But wait, there's more..."
I agree that a femtocell might be beyond the grasp of that demographic. They're going to hear "femtojack" and think "femto what?"
If MJ was going to move a little outside its original demographic, I think it would have been better to get away from the USB (always-on computer) interface. A true ATA would have met I larger need (IMO).
Mark | |
|
| |
3 edits | Re: Why USB! Too stupid!!! Do you honestly believe that people only purchase a magicJack after watching an infomercial? A simple Google search for "magicjack" brings up 4,510,000 hits. Almost every casual user of the Internet has probably heard of magicJack. Furthermore, people are sophisticated, there is nothing complicated about setting up an ATA and using VoIP service from Vonage, ViaTalk et al.
It is amazing that you actually believe that you are more sophisticated than someone who purchases a magicJack just because you can plug your ATA into a power outlet, your ATA into your router and your telephone into your ATA. Apparently you really believe that the average Vonage or ViaTalk user is more sophisticated than the average magicJack user and you have devoted your life to making that point over and over and over again, for years on dslreports.com. Give me a break.
Furthermore, your obsession with Dan Borislow is quite disturbing, you have never met Dan Borislow in your life and yet your obsession with the man borders on the pathalogical. You need help.
--
"A 3.4KHz bandwidth is more than sufficient to convey the messages." Mazillo August 1, 2009 | |
|
| | | |
| | Network Configuration. Femto cells is a WCDMA home base station or a repeater. It transmits signal to the WCDMA (3GSM) phones and to the extent that the Femto cell purchased is backward compatible to GSM, the old phones will also be able to connect to it. The Femto cell is located in the home or office and acts as a base station for the carrier. This will enhance the performance of your cell phone connection on 3G. One of my questions is then, why do we, the public have to pay to enhance the network performance of the carrier. We need to remember that the carriers will charge us for the calls and data connections we achieve through the Femto cell in the same rate structure as going through their base station.
The Femto Cell backbone is your fix-line broadband connection, DSL/ADSL/Cable/HTTP, which you pay a monthly tariff for. This is used to enter the Internet and then to the carrier data center to their gateway switch, the GGSN in the 3GPP spec.
This means that you the consumer is providing the base station and backbone (paying for) to compensate for the inadequecy of the carrier coverage.
Femto cells which carry voice already is using VOIP technology to allow your cell phone to connect to the global network to talk. For this reason technically a third party can introduce VOIP software in a Femto cell and assign a separate IP address to try to route the signal to their IP network. The difficulty with this is that the terminal (your cell phone) will be delivering voice single in a circuit switched format to the Femto cell. Only 3GPP based WCDMA manufacturer has the technology to transform the Circuity Swithced signal to IP and then route it over plain Internet (WWW).
BTW, one of the difficulties of Mobile VOIP is that wireless broadband capacity is very unstable in the US carrier networks. The Voice CODEC technology requires 10 to 100KBPS on a steady state basis to get quality voice. In data transmission latency just makes the connection appear a bit slow when the consistency of WWW is not sufficient. IN voice, however the latency will be result in inadequate quality of the voice service. | |
|
bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | I love speculation My speculative point of view is that Magic Jack will offer their FemtoJack where by it will create an association with the cellphone and the cellphone will run through the majic jack phone service.
The power will be low enough to fit within current FCC regulations (as who would be stupid enough to create something that wasn't). Current Fem to Cell already does this or else every one of them would require an FCC license and that is not happening.
I have considered playing with the Magic Jack but didn't want to fork out $40. I did the Sunrocket thing for $199 and got almost two years before they went under.
BIG SPECULATION
Google will buy Majic Jack and combine it with Grand Central/Google Voice.
Just my speculation. | |
|
| cghh
join:2001-01-15
Milpitas, CA
1 edit | Re: I love speculation said by bigjimc:The power will be low enough to fit within current FCC regulations (as who would be stupid enough to create something that wasn't). Current Fem to Cell already does this or else every one of them would require an FCC license and that is not happening. The femtocells offered by mobile providers usually have GPS so they will only work in areas covered by that provider's license. So they are properly licensed transmitters, under the provider's license. Are there existing femtocell products out there that are not associated with a mobile provider? | |
|
| | bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | Re: I love speculation GPS does not work on a femtocell in my basement...Typically you need to have some view of the horizon.
I would venture a guess that they use IP tracking to assume that you are in your home.
GPS on your phone would work for you last reportable location.
A 3000 sf home is only a 60 diameter circle. I venture the guess that it is not a big issue for them. | |
|
|
|
I Can't Wait
