businessweek.com — The wireless provider is testing routers that will allow users to make calls from home via cell phone for a flat monthly rate. Why is this T-Mobile-At-Home service such a big deal? If this trial is successful and is followed by a full-blown rollout, it could open the floodgates on landline-to-wireless migration.
Aug 14, 2006 View in Crawl 4
kb9vgrAug 15, 2006
NO NOT VOIP it is a system to hook your home phones to the cellular network from the article "The devices will enable users to make calls from home via a T-Mobile cell phone for a flat monthly rate,"sounds to me like they will have you dock your cell when you get home to allow you to make your calls or you use a dedicated cell constantly docked to make calls i think i saw something like this at wal-mart awhile back for Nokia phones and you had to use the included handset and it was on the clearance rack because no-one bought them
thomashallockAug 15, 2006
-baleted-
thomashallockAug 15, 2006
Not so sure about RstyShackleford's UMA theory. Perhaps "special router" means a low-power GSM box in my living room that uses my broadband connection to send / receive directly to / from T-Mobile's network. (which would be freakin' schweet!) Using UMA would require the users to get a hybrid WiFi / GSM phone.... T-Mobile's SDA phone might be able to handles this with a software upgrade, but a low-power GSM box would work with the cheap phone I already have, as well as all my with T-Mobile using friends that I already have :)
lukas88Aug 15, 2006
This is nothing new. There are already phones that can connect to your PC through bluetooth or wifi and can be used with programs like skype to send free outgoing calls. Tmobile just wants to charge for something that is already free. Granted, the ability to use the same number as your cell phone would be useful, and it will probably require alot less tech familiarity.
a99tandemAug 15, 2006
I am an employee of the above-named company. We will be launching several UMA capable phones within the next few months. The UMA feature is fairly low power in comparison to other WiFi devices. The SDA and MDA WILL NOT support UMA (as of yet.) The selling points to this service are that when you use your phone with the T-Mobile@Home service, you will not be billed for minutes. In addition, if you live in a poor coverage area, as long as you have a broadband connection you will now have cellular (UMA) service.
benguriAug 15, 2006
actually it is pretty new....seeing as nobody has implemented it. you need a better understanding of the technologies!
benguriAug 15, 2006
Please read up on the technology. This *IS* VOIP!
ornoAug 15, 2006
does anyone know the difference between this and say, a Homezone facility that providers in Germany have been offering for eons? (link: <a class="user" href="http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homezone">http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homezone</a> , sorry its only in german)
mlemAug 15, 2006
No, it's not the same. This just requires a UMA capable cell phone and a router. No PC is required, and you can use the same phone and number on a GSM network. Plus, Skype is only going to be free for a limited time.
mlemAug 15, 2006
It's a wireless router (i.e. connects to the Internet) with the capability of securely connecting your UMA handset to T-Mobile.
ptsukOct 14, 2008
Is it just me but why would you pay money to make calls on your/through you cell phone from a "home phone". So you are just paying the privilege of using a home receiver? is that it?Why not just use your CELL to make those calls. Most if not all the providers have a "nation wide plan", as well as a "nights and weekends plan". I have only 600 minutes and i've never run out and my siblings and parents live across the country. I ditched my "land line" years ago when i got my first cell and don't see a need to go back. If i'm at home i'm going to use my "home phone" just my cell phone at that point is my "home phone". And get this, if i go out to the pool or down the street it still gets calles and isn't tethered to the base in the house! go figure!
manuelhp42Nov 3, 2008
My experience with T-Mobile @ Home was less than stellar: <a class="user" href="http://manuelhp42.blogspot.com/2008/11/t-mobile-home-not-worth-it.html">http://manuelhp42.blogspot.com/2008/11/t-mobile-ho ...</a>We just canceled the service.