Femtocells ~ the future of phones?

[Texsox]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtocell

 

Basically your cell phone links to your own "mini cell tower" while at home and uses the internet to link to your cell phone service provider. Early plans have made these calls free, or at least not part of your cell packaged minutes. When you leave your house, they start accumulating as always.

 

Better reception, cheaper calls. There are some hurdles left, see the wiki, but overall pretty cool stuff.

[BobDylan]

I'd still rather they tapped into the unused radio frequencies for free internet.

 

And if I read into this correctly, it doesn't seem that beneficial. But I suppose that depends on the cost.

[Texsox]

I'd still rather they tapped into the unused radio frequencies for free internet.

 

And if I read into this correctly, it doesn't seem that beneficial. But I suppose that depends on the cost.

 

It takes your current cell phone and gives you better service at home. Basically you would have a mini cell tower at your house. Basically it removes another barrier to people going 100% cell phone and dumping their land line, poor reception inside homes.

[BobDylan]

It takes your current cell phone and gives you better service at home. Basically you would have a mini cell tower at your house. Basically it removes another barrier to people going 100% cell phone and dumping their land line, poor reception inside homes.

 

I understand that, but I don't think it's "the future." Now, were those towers to provide in-home hot-spots for internet access, then I might fork a few down for it given their internet speeds were as good, if not slightly less than what I can get from my local cable provider just to consolidate my bills. But seeing as how this product appears to feed off the internet that the owner already has, this is impossible. Plus, living in the big city that I do, I don't have a problem getting cell reception anywhere I go around here. Not even in the apartment. I know I'm only thinking about myself here, but I imagine all 3 big cities (NYC, LA, CHI) have more than enough adequate towers from cell phone providors. That's a large chunk of the population right there.

 

Skype (or alike), free wireless internet across the globe, UMPC... that's the future. Or should be.

Edited February 20, 2008 by BobDylan

[Texsox]

I understand that, but I don't think it's "the future." Now, were those towers to provide in-home hot-spots for internet access, then I might fork a few down for it given their internet speeds were as good, if not slightly less than what I can get from my local cable provider just to consolidate my bills. But seeing as how this product appears to feed off the internet that the owner already has, this is impossible. Plus, living in the big city that I do, I don't have a problem getting cell reception anywhere I go around here. Not even in the apartment. I know I'm only thinking about myself here, but I imagine all 3 big cities (NYC, LA, CHI) have more than enough adequate towers from cell phone providors. That's a large chunk of the population right there.

 

Skype (or alike), free wireless internet across the globe, UMPC... that's the future. Or should be.

 

So if you received your internet bill from your cell phone company, this would work for you? Isn't it really just a billing issue? And would this not allow you to drop your home phone bill, which does reduce one bill?

[DrunkBomber]

This wouldnt really even do anything for me either. i havent had a land line for a few years and Ive never had a problem getting reception anywhere, let alone inside my house.

[Texsox]

This wouldnt really even do anything for me either. i havent had a land line for a few years and Ive never had a problem getting reception anywhere, let alone inside my house.

 

Would you like to have free minutes at home, using the same phone and phone number?

[BobDylan]

So if you received your internet bill from your cell phone company, this would work for you? Isn't it really just a billing issue? And would this not allow you to drop your home phone bill, which does reduce one bill?

 

I haven't had a hard line in years anyway. And T-mobile is so cheap that I never come close to reaching my max minutes.

[DrunkBomber]

Would you like to have free minutes at home, using the same phone and phone number?

I can see how that would be a good benefit for most people, especially families, it just wouldnt effect me. I have a ton of minutes on my phone and have free sprint to sprint minutes and nights starting at 6. If they can get everything like internet and cable to run the same way somehow that wouldd be pretty cool.