Vodafone Station brings FMC service to Italy
By Darren Murph 
posted Jun 2nd 2008 10:15AM
posted Jun 2nd 2008 10:15AM
Truth be told, Fixed Mobile Convergence still isn't talked about much (comparatively speaking) 'round these parts. Yeah, we've seen a few FMC routers scattered about, but Vodafone's taking a stand by rolling out its Station in Italy. The box, which was developed in cooperation with Huawei, is an integrated switch / router with ADSL2+, WiFi, UMTS / HSPA (via a removable USB key) and four Ethernet ports. Essentially, it's designed to combine voice with fixed and mobile broadband services, and it enables users to make calls on their handset through a fixed line connection when they're kicking back at home. We're also hearing that the device will eventually make its way to other Vodafone markets, but there's been no word yet on future rollout dates.[Via GigaOM]
Does that mean I can plug one of these into my hotel rooms broadband in Japan/US/Asia/anywhere and get free 3G calls over the internet?
I'll have one right away!!!!!
How about creating virtual 3G networks by scattering these all over New York, Tokyo etc?
Only if you reject reality and substitute it with your own. These things are going to require a sim card, data plan and the sale of a kidney or two.
nothing like this. It is just a commond ADSL router with a common USB UMTS simcard based key. You can use both under the same contract, in you home or outside, but the pricing is different if you intetnet is routed trough adsl or umts. Also, you can keep the key connected to the router, and use 3g networking for your home internet if adsl is down or not still connected (in Italy getting a fuking cable connected can be painfully slow).
No free calls and no way you can connect a 3g phone to this thing, anyway.
This is something I've been waiting for in Hong Kong. I've been with one of Vodafone's partner "Smartone-Vodafone" here for some years. They are currently the only mobile carrier in Hong Kong who tries to delivery the a better service.
I had wanted to get something like this from many other manufactures (ie. www.cradlepoint.com) and none of their devices will work with the UMTS network here.
I sure hope Vodafone will bring this device to HK soon.
I updated my original post with pricing info.
http://www.telecomsitaly.com/2008/05/fmc_service_by_vodafone.html