Voda to market pointless device
Discussion
Tne Beeb said:
Vodafone is to start selling hardware that makes it easier to use a mobile in the home.
The box, known as a femtocell, is essentially a tiny base station that boosts mobile signals within the home.
The hardware, which Vodafone has dubbed the Access Gateway, routes calls across a broadband connection.
LinkThe box, known as a femtocell, is essentially a tiny base station that boosts mobile signals within the home.
The hardware, which Vodafone has dubbed the Access Gateway, routes calls across a broadband connection.
Does this not strike you as a rather silly product?
I mean, you have to have a telephone line to use your mobile...huh?
My firm has been trialling a few devices for the domestic market which converts the mobile into a landline as soon as you enter your home - saves call charges.
They're reasonably common in the commercial world - the mobile recognises it is on-site and routes calls across the landline phone network. The savings for firms with large mobile workfore - consultancy or legal firms for example - are pretty significant.
They're reasonably common in the commercial world - the mobile recognises it is on-site and routes calls across the landline phone network. The savings for firms with large mobile workfore - consultancy or legal firms for example - are pretty significant.
RushDriver said:
TeamD said:
Asterix said:
Would be a great device out here in Dubai.
Cancelled my land line 3yrs ago - only use mobile. Most are the same.
How do you get your broadband? Using Mobile? Cancelled my land line 3yrs ago - only use mobile. Most are the same.
ETA: Obviously I'm in a minority in believing this to be one of the most dumb ideas ever.
Edited by TeamD on Wednesday 24th June 12:21
So it's a small mobile cell station, the type of thing that Daily Mail middle England claim is giving their children 2 heads and 6 eyes when placed on the roofs of schools or in the middle of housing estates?
What's the range, as it sounds like Vodafone are making their network bigger/better at the expense of the consumer?
What's the range, as it sounds like Vodafone are making their network bigger/better at the expense of the consumer?
Edited by FourWheelDrift on Wednesday 24th June 12:42
FourWheelDrift said:
So it's a small mobile cell station, the type of thing that Daily Mail middle England claim is giving their children 2 heads and 6 eyes when placed on the roofs of schools or in the middle of housing estates?
My understanding of it - admittedly I only work for a major Telco, so don't have the benefit of all the knowledge the armchair experts here have - is that it's effectively no different from a Wireless Router or a wireless landline 'phone.As for the comments about 'telephone over broadband' arf arf chuckle chuckle - what do you think your Virgin Media Cable TV/Broadband/Phone package uses? There's only one wire to the house...
Edited by Dunk76 on Wednesday 24th June 12:45
FourWheelDrift said:
So it's a small mobile cell station, the type of thing that Daily Mail middle England claim is giving their children 2 heads and 6 eyes when placed on the roofs of schools or in the middle of housing estates?
What's the range, as it sounds like Vodafone are making their network bigger/better at the expense of the consumer?
Yup, although at much lower power.What's the range, as it sounds like Vodafone are making their network bigger/better at the expense of the consumer?
Range depends entirely on clutter, max power and frequency. Think WiFi performance and you're probably not far off.
Dunk76 said:
My understanding of it - admittedly I only work for a major Telco, so don't have the benefit of all the knowledge the armchair experts here have - is that it's effectively no different from a Wireless Router or a wireless landline 'phone.
Except for the radio technology and all of the trick things the box does. The "it's a box that plugs into your network and talks over radio to your device" bit is correct. The way it does it is rather different (WiFi won't work to the average 3G phone).
TeamD said:
RushDriver said:
TeamD said:
Asterix said:
Would be a great device out here in Dubai.
Cancelled my land line 3yrs ago - only use mobile. Most are the same.
How do you get your broadband? Using Mobile? Cancelled my land line 3yrs ago - only use mobile. Most are the same.
ETA: Obviously I'm in a minority in believing this to be one of the most dumb ideas ever.
Edited by TeamD on Wednesday 24th June 12:21
Etisalat is my comms supplier - I have cable internet (which is bobbins and x5 the cost in the UK) and the land line was a seperate contract, billing and on a completely seperate line/set up.
We have mobile deadspots out here so a booster for home/office would be of use for some.
Skype is illigal as is all VoIP in the UAE - there are ways around it but many simply don't bother.
It might not be as usefull as the motorcar but it might be of benefit to some. Capisce?
Dunk76 said:
FourWheelDrift said:
So it's a small mobile cell station, the type of thing that Daily Mail middle England claim is giving their children 2 heads and 6 eyes when placed on the roofs of schools or in the middle of housing estates?
My understanding of it - admittedly I only work for a major Telco, so don't have the benefit of all the knowledge the armchair experts here have - is that it's effectively no different from a Wireless Router or a wireless landline 'phone.As for the comments about 'telephone over broadband' arf arf chuckle chuckle - what do you think your Virgin Media Cable TV/Broadband/Phone package uses? There's only one wire to the house...
Edited by Dunk76 on Wednesday 24th June 12:45
One for cable TV/Internet.
One for Phone Line.
Asterix said:
TeamD said:
RushDriver said:
TeamD said:
Asterix said:
Would be a great device out here in Dubai.
Cancelled my land line 3yrs ago - only use mobile. Most are the same.
How do you get your broadband? Using Mobile? Cancelled my land line 3yrs ago - only use mobile. Most are the same.
ETA: Obviously I'm in a minority in believing this to be one of the most dumb ideas ever.
Edited by TeamD on Wednesday 24th June 12:21
Etisalat is my comms supplier - I have cable internet (which is bobbins and x5 the cost in the UK) and the land line was a seperate contract, billing and on a completely seperate line/set up.
We have mobile deadspots out here so a booster for home/office would be of use for some.
Skype is illigal as is all VoIP in the UAE - there are ways around it but many simply don't bother.
It might not be as usefull as the motorcar but it might be of benefit to some. Capisce?
a. Since the device requires a connection to broadband then your QoS (non-existent) on the line will cause you problems.
b. If you're tunnelling mobile protocol over IP (which is the way that your kit talks on broadband) then what have you effectively got other than VoIP?
Go figure, the whole idea is about reinventing the wheel for stuff you already have and charging you extra for the privelege.
hugo a gogo said:
my old flat had very bad reception for my work mobile, so it would have been useful to have it there
also, the building where I work now has piss poor reception more than 10 foot from the windows, so it would be useful here too
You can get Mobile Phone Single Repeaters to do that job, and then you are not tied into 1 provider (though units are frequency dependent ie. 900mhz O2/Vodafone 1800Mhz Orange etc.) also, the building where I work now has piss poor reception more than 10 foot from the windows, so it would be useful here too
dtmpower said:
Dunk76 said:
FourWheelDrift said:
So it's a small mobile cell station, the type of thing that Daily Mail middle England claim is giving their children 2 heads and 6 eyes when placed on the roofs of schools or in the middle of housing estates?
My understanding of it - admittedly I only work for a major Telco, so don't have the benefit of all the knowledge the armchair experts here have - is that it's effectively no different from a Wireless Router or a wireless landline 'phone.As for the comments about 'telephone over broadband' arf arf chuckle chuckle - what do you think your Virgin Media Cable TV/Broadband/Phone package uses? There's only one wire to the house...
Edited by Dunk76 on Wednesday 24th June 12:45
One for cable TV/Internet.
One for Phone Line.
[ETA] Like this:
I believe it's called Siamese Cable.
Edited by aclivity on Wednesday 24th June 17:06
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