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Verizon Testing New Broadband Phone Device
Home Phone Connect being tested in New York, Connecticut

According to the New Haven Register, Verizon is testing a new device that will allow users to route home phone service over their cellular network. According to the report, Verizon is testing a device called "Home Phone Connect" in portions of Connecticut and in Rochester, New York. The hardware is being given away for free if users subscribe to Verizon’s Family Share Plan, after which users will have to pay $10 a month to eat plan minutes, or $20 a month for unlimited calling.

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There's a little more detail available on Verizon's website.

The dual band 800/1900 MHz CDMA device comes with two standard RJ-11 phone jacks and a battery backup providing two days of standby time and three hours of talk time. The device offers most if not all of the functionality of a landline, including caller ID, call forwarding, call waiting and holding, three-way calling, and E911 service.

An added layer of irony of course is that Verizon is initially aiming this service at Rochester, New York -- the home of Frontier Communications, who just purchased billions in unwanted Verizon POTS networks in more than a dozen states. While currently CDMA only, the device could eventually support LTE -- and it will be curious to see just how hard Verizon pushes LTE as a rural replacement to traditional DSL and POTS.
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gruntlord6
join:2010-06-10
Barrie, ON

gruntlord6

Member

That would work

Provided the towers are adequately maintained, this would work well.
However, I cannot see data being replaced by cell towers anytime soon.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: That would work

If Frontier insists on keeping 3M down, 384k up DSL in Rochester, I don't see why it couldn't. LTE can run circles around that.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to gruntlord6

Member

to gruntlord6
what do the towers have to do with this device? the device does NOT rely on any tower. It routes your calls direct to a switch and skips the tower completely. So where ever the switch is located your calls will go there. Hell they could route your calls to a switch 100miles+ away from your home.

And as more and more of these things pop up and UMA becomes standard on TMO phones yes- this will start replacing cell towers.
56403739 (banned)
Less than 5 months left
join:2006-03-08
Naples, FL

56403739 (banned)

Member

Re: That would work

said by hottboiinnc4:

what do the towers have to do with this device? the device does NOT rely on any tower.

So then, what is on the other end of the "dual band 800/1900 MHz CDMA" radio link? Someone with a wet finger and semaphores?

These devices have been around in one form or another going back to the "ranch phone".

David
Premium Member
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL

David

Premium Member

Re: That would work

said by 56403739:

said by hottboiinnc4:

what do the towers have to do with this device? the device does NOT rely on any tower.

So then, what is on the other end of the "dual band 800/1900 MHz CDMA" radio link? Someone with a wet finger and semaphores?

These devices have been around in one form or another going back to the "ranch phone".

LMAO!!!


EvelKub
Kitty is crazy
Premium Member
join:2002-03-17
Mesa, AZ

EvelKub to hottboiinnc4

Premium Member

to hottboiinnc4
Umm, This is a CDMA device which provides "home phone" service over the cell network. Potentially it is better because you can put it upstairs where you get good cell reception, and use your cordless phone around the house and not drop calls.

TypicalVZ
@sbcglobal.net

TypicalVZ

Anon

typical

Figured this would have come out ages ago. If you are allowed to transfer your current home phone number to this and share that number with the cell phone account this device runs on; seems like a good plan for people that want to ditch the landline. Cool feature would be that when it senses your cell phone near the device it forwards the calls to the dumb handset.

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

Re: typical

just use google voice
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

It's like an inverse femtocell!

This tech has been around for years, though different providers have done it differently...a local GSM provider sells GSM "desk phones", T-Mobile has sold UMA TMobile@Home routers...the list goes on.

What's interesting is that, if you have a family plan, this device is MUCH cheaper for unlimited local, long distance, etc. than a tradtional landline. Of course you have to spend at least $70 per month on Verizon Wireless service before you can get that $20 unlimited, but you'd be spending $60 for a landline with comparable features, $40 if you're talking to the cable company instead of your local telco.

jp498
@midcoast.com

jp498

Anon

cellsocket

I used to have a thing called a cell socket for my long gone Nokia tdma phone. Takes power and hooks up to your internal home phone wiring (or a traditional handset). Then you dock your phone into it, and it works like Verizon is suggesting. It cost about $100 at the time and no monthly surcharges.

Someone should make a modern bluetooth replacement so it doesn't have to physically hold the large variety of phones on the market and would work with any sort of network. I'd not be willing to pay a monthly fee to use what is basically a cheap converter box.

klipko
join:2006-06-28
Portland, OR

klipko

Member

Re: cellsocket

CellSocket and Dock-n-Talk are the two I remember seeing in the early days. Few cordless phone manufactures make Bluetooth enabled phones that link cellular and base together. I have one from VTech and it work great with the mobile phones my wife and I carry.

Ericsson makes a few CDMA / GSM cellular to landline gateways (G32, G35, G36) but are expensive.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich to jp498

Member

to jp498
said by jp498 :

Someone should make a modern bluetooth replacement so it doesn't have to physically hold the large variety of phones on the market and would work with any sort of network. I'd not be willing to pay a monthly fee to use what is basically a cheap converter box.

They make several - here's one that I just got recently:

»www.amazon.com/21518EC1- ··· 01E2SPZ0

Works great - can't beat it for $30 & NO monthly fee! And it works with ANY standard T&R landline phones - corded & cordless.

I have 3-line Nortel Venture phones around my house & I just have this coming in on line 2. But you can use it w/single line phones as well - it automatically switches between the cell phone(s) & landline. (but obviously you do NOT need one) You can have 2 cell phones paired simultainously.

digiblur
Premium Member
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana

digiblur

Premium Member

Low signal

Wonder if this would work in areas where there is low signal where people have the femtocells? Kinda funny from this box...CDMA over the air to CDMA on the femtocell then out your internet connection
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

$20 standalone?

Just looked at Verizon's wording online and it sounds like you might be able to get this standalone for $19.99 per month? That would be a pretty sweet deal...
cdbma
join:2003-01-19
Bolton, MA

cdbma

Member

big assumption

I guess this assumes I have cell service at my home. I got nothin'.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

What am I missing here?

What exactly does this do that just using my cell phone won't do? So I can plug a home phone into it? Yeah, but this box is still a wireless device, so it's still going to sound just like a cell phone. If it had a, say, 12-hour talk time, then maybe I could see it being useful in power outages, but it doesn't do any better than a mediocre cell phone.

You want my opinion? This is a feeble attempt to get people to keep a "landline" that isn't really a landline at all. But the bonuses to Verizon are two-fold. First, they can market these pseudo-landlines in areas where they aren't the ILEC, and, second, in areas where they are, they can focus on selling these and let their copper plant sit in the ground and rot even faster than it's doing now.

cruz1
@sbcglobal.net

cruz1

Anon

Smart thing to do ...

This is nice for those who have a half dozen cordless phones around a house, but the smart thing to do would be to offer a femtocell device (Verizon's Network Extender) for $20 unlimited calls instead of raping your minutes..
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

One Could Always

One could always save some money, have a single phone number that's always with you, and buy a XLink.
scottb8888
join:2001-03-08
Dublin, OH

scottb8888

Member

Nothing new...

Nothing new. I have been using dock-n-talk for years. Buy it for a couple hundred bucks
scottb8888

scottb8888

Member

Re: Nothing new...

Actually it the dock-n-talk uses bluetooth now
scottb8888

scottb8888

Member

Re: Nothing new...

Actually it the dock-n-talk uses bluetooth now... and while you phone is charging you can use the dock-n-talk all over the house without 9.99 additional per month

pende_tim
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Selbyville, DE

pende_tim

Premium Member

Alarm System?

Wonder if this could replace a land line for an alarm system dialer?
chgo_man99
join:2010-01-01
Sunnyvale, CA

chgo_man99

Member

Re: Alarm System?

No. Not really. Use cell as back up only with alarm. Faster and more accurate response.
clickie8
join:2005-05-22
Monroe, MI

clickie8 to pende_tim

Member

to pende_tim
This one? Don't know.

But Telular makes units that do work.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

"Broadband" phone device?

Since when is 8 Khz "broadband" ?

Its a CDMA cellular gateway.

Will they be introducing an "HD" or "POTS" voice codec, so the connection actually *sounds* like a home phone, not tin cans and a string inside a fish tank?

Will they guarantee incoming calls ring through?
POTS doesn't seem to have trouble with the concept.
Cellular service, on the other hand, routinely drops your inbound call into voicemail, without explanation or apology.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: "Broadband" phone device?

said by elray:

Since when is 8 Khz "broadband" ?

Its a CDMA cellular gateway.

Will they be introducing an "HD" or "POTS" voice codec, so the connection actually *sounds* like a home phone, not tin cans and a string inside a fish tank?

Never. 99% of sheep dont know any better.
said by elray:

Will they guarantee incoming calls ring through?
POTS doesn't seem to have trouble with the concept.
Cellular service, on the other hand, routinely drops your inbound call into voicemail, without explanation or apology.

When they add more control channels, or increase signal power so your phone isn't at 1 or 2 bars all the time (or stop inflating bars and just give the DB reading from the field test menu).

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Verizon

Call me when you have a device that DOESN'T EAT MINUTES!
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Re: Verizon

said by dvd536:

Call me when you have a device that DOESN'T EAT MINUTES!

Number, please?

If you read the article or watch the commercial, you'd note that they do offer a $19.99 standalone plan, that offers unlimited domestic calling.
qworster
join:2001-11-25
Bryn Mawr, PA

qworster

Member

Why would anyone want one of these?

First off, you have to pay for POTS service to your home. Then you have to pay for cellular minutes. besides, people with VOIP have been able to forward their home phone to their cell for years

thedragonmas
Premium Member
join:2007-12-28
Albany, GA
Netgear R6300 v2
ARRIS SB6180

thedragonmas

Premium Member

Re: Why would anyone want one of these?

said by qworster:

First off, you have to pay for POTS service to your home. Then you have to pay for cellular minutes. besides, people with VOIP have been able to forward their home phone to their cell for years

yeah, and how much is that POTS?

if im reading that right, using this i can transfer my POTS from my current provider that costs say ~$40 a month, to this gizmo for just $10 a month, saving me $30

plus caller i.d. and other stuff included that standard POTS does not include for free.

some people have a land line in addition to a family plan, im one of them.

now, me personally i wouldnt switch. the plus side to pots, if the power goes out, it still works. bad weather comes through and knocks out the cell tower? pots still works. got a flood? pots may actually still work (we had POTS all through the flood of 94' here).
willzzz
join:2007-05-23
NY

willzzz

Member

Go VZW!

Once again a POTS internal home wiring to cellular voice gateway. Basically a CDMA 1X voice ATA. Same as VoIP ATA but MUCH HIGHER voice quality and QoS since its routed over VZW's CDMA 1X voice network.

Good choice VZW. Lower costs, get rid of land-lines, just keep your awesome cellular network and soon LTE in tip-top shape!

•••

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

Whatever...

These types of devices have been on the market for years and now Verizon is making this sound like something totally new and cool. I had a device years ago that was a GSM model where I just plugged in my, then it was Suncom, SIM chip and had it hooked to my PBX system.

Only reason it is new to people for Verizon is because of their archaic practices of NOT allowing one to bring a device to their network unless it was purchased through their system. If they do not have the ESN in their system already you cannot connect to them. At least with the GSM providers you can take the SIM out of any carrier compatible phone and put it right into another device.

VZW is so lame...
OwlSaver
OwlSaver
Premium Member
join:2005-01-30
Berwyn, PA

OwlSaver

Premium Member

This is the wrong direction for me

I am happy with my FiOS voice service. What I would like is to be able to use my Cellular handset both at home and outside. When I am outside, it would use normal cellular service. When I am at home, it would work like a cordless phone and let me talk over my home voice service. This way, I could have one handset and one address book that works in both places. I have been looking for this for years, but no one seems to want to offer it.
wkm001
join:2009-12-14

wkm001

Member

Broadband?

I'm pretty sure the data rates that travel over CDMA do not fit the definition of broadband by the FCC.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: Broadband?

said by wkm001:

I'm pretty sure the data rates that travel over CDMA do not fit the definition of broadband by the FCC.

They don't, but why should that stop them from saying it? I mean, remember those DirecTV ads that said their service was "100% digital quality", never mind that that phrase means absolutely nothing in terms of how good the audio and video would be? These are all just buzzwords that sound good to the uneducated masses but that don't mean a damn thing.

JimRochNY
@rr.com

JimRochNY

Anon

I HAVE ONE!

Just installed a Home Phone Connect with the $20/mo. unlimited calling plan. It works on both the cordless phone base and the wired phones I have in my house ... flawlessly. Call quality is very good, sounds better than the earlier CDMA codec Verizon use to use. I'm saving money because Frontier was $54/mo. for just NY calling, and I do need a dedicated home phone line for my alarm system (voice/pager type). I like the reliability because it has a built-in battery backup, the cell system is much more dependable around here than cable (power outages) or the phone system, and no one can cut my phone lines to disable my alarm system.
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