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Why T-Mobile wants to give you a wireless router for free
If you're a T-Mobile customer, your company just gave you a very unexpected gift at yesterday's UnCarrier event: a wireless router. Yes, a fully functioning, magenta-branded, ASUS-built router, which can do essentially everything your current router can do -- and if yours is old, this will likely do even more. The device, which would cost roughly $200 if you purchased it on Amazon without T-Mobile's tweaks, only requires a $25 deposit, which gets returned to you once you're done using it. The company is going all-in on its commitment to providing every subscriber and every carrier-branded smartphone with free WiFi calling, and the router -- called the T-Mobile Personal CellSpot -- is the icing on the cake. But, you may ask, why is this a thing that's happening in the year 2014, especially when most of us already have access to a router (and thus, WiFi calling) nearly everywhere we go?
Qualcomm aims to solve the coming mobile data crunch with small cell base stations
Qualcomm's been doing very well lately, and most of those chips it builds are for mobile devices that demand a lot of data to serve their owners' needs -- and as more and more folks jump on the smartphone bandwagon, the demand for data will continue to grow exponentially. Today at Qualcomm's What's Next in Mobile event in Santa Clara, California, the company told us more about its plan to help build a network that'll be able to serve up the data all its SoC's need. The goal is to give us 1000 times the capacity of what we currently have. One of the key parts, as Qualcomm sees it, is small cell base stations in homes, offices and retail spaces working in tandem with the large cell towers that currently adorn so many roofs and mountain tops -- the same thing ex-FCC head honcho Julian Genachowski talked about last year. You see, macrocells (read: towers) can blanket wide areas in signal, but they struggle to penetrate the innards of buildings, which is where small cells come in handy. For those who aren't familiar, small cell base stations like femtocells and picocells have been around for years, helping to boost cell signal in small areas by hooking into a local wired network. Until now, these small cells have served as a small-scale supplement to macro networks, but Qualcomm CTO Matt Grob sees them comprising a much bigger chunk of the network of the future. According to him, there are a few issues with using them in an expanded role, however.
Vodafone Sure Signal now plugs directly into the wall, doles out more 3G at once
Femtocells are rarely subtle devices, including Vodafone's earlier Sure Signal models. That's what makes a newly revamped version of the Sure Signal so noteworthy -- it's very nearly unintrusive. The new edition plugs directly into a wall outlet and doesn't occupy more space than a night light, letting it dish out 3G in low-reception areas without becoming a conspicuous part of the landscape. It's also a better pick for offices, or just crowded homes, now that it can handle as many as eight 3G connections at the same time. UK locals who face the unenviable dual problems of cellular dead zones and tight spaces can solve both at once by spending £100 ($161) today.
NTT DoCoMo readies first dual-mode HSDPA, LTE femtocell for December
LTE's frequent gotcha has been indoor coverage: as it often relies on high frequency ranges outside of the US, the signal can drop off quickly at home or in the mall. There have been LTE femtocells before to fill in the gaps, but NTT DoCoMo claims to have the first mini cell site that would cover our needs much more thoroughly. The Japanese carrier's new base station run simultaneous 112.Mbps LTE and 14.4Mbps HSDPA (sorry, no HSUPA upload speeds) on the 2GHz band to keep 3G data and voice working side-by-side with 4G, piping both through a wired broadband connection; there's no need to sacrifice the basics or legacy support just for a better LTE signal. NTT DoCoMo plans to sell the dual-mode femtocell to local homeowners, offices and stores in December. Sadly, there's no immediate word of plans for femtocells that support networks abroad, although the technology's existence gives us hope that we'll see it spread to other providers -- and that black holes in cellular coverage will be distant memories.
Congo femtocell pilot could spawn DIY mobile networks for isolated communities
It's nice to get a delivery, but what if your remote village could use the contents to finally talk to the rest of the world? That's what African communications company RascomStar-QAF is cooking up with a pilot network in the Congo's jungles. They're going in to villages throughout the African nation and installing 50 router-like femtocells -- normally used in homes for better cellphone access -- from UK vendor ip.access. Those devices will be connected through the ViaSat orbiting network to RascomStar's telecom gateway in the capital, Brazzaville. Since the femtocell setup is nearly automatic, anyone with limited technical knowledge could do it, rather than the team of engineers normally needed for more complex networks. The result would be a system which could be shipped in a box, connecting previously inaccessible areas to a telecom network -- a lot bigger deal than the WiFi veranda project we were thinking of. To see how it'll all come together, connect to the press release below for more details.
Optus intros 3G Home Zone, Australia's first consumer femtocell
Friends down under: have you been craving a femtocell even more than that luscious vegemite sandwich sitting in your fridge? Undoubtedly you have, if your humble home was built squarely in a black hole of coverage. Optus has the perfect solution, but it's going to cost you; the new 3G Home Zone beefs up the signal in your abode, using your broadband connection to magically transform your dead zone into five bars of wireless heaven. All it takes is a fair amount of green stuff -- the upfront cost ranges from AU$60 to AU$240, but monthly installment plans are available -- and a minimum 1Mbps down / 256Kbps up broadband connection. Oh, and it's only available in select stores for now, so check to see if your neighborhood store has one in stock before squandering away what's left of your day. One last thing: in view of the fact that the 3G Home Zone sucks up data like a milkshake, it's a good idea to make sure a capped data plan won't leave you sidelined before the month is over. Full PR after the break. [Thanks, James]
Femto Forum publishes API specification for femtocell apps, places focus on 'awareness information'
As if the world needed one more association to keep up with, CTIA Wireless 2011 is delivering just that. The Femto Forum, which has done an excellent job remaining undercover of late, has just published an "industry-wide agreed set of API specifications" that will enable "advanced mobile applications based on femtocell technology." Truth be told, the first apps based on the specifications have already been built, and their currently available to the femtocell community. The specifications are for network-based APIs, which will purportedly "allow operators to drive the development of femtocell-powered open access, enterprise and consumer applications," and it'll also provide awareness information in order to allow developers the opportunity to incorporate enhanced presence, context and location-sensitive features into new and existing apps. Granted, we'd care a lot more about those location-based apps if we could drag our 3G MicroCell to Panama to use it to make free calls whilst on vacation, but hey -- maybe that's the next logical step. Not that we're much for passing along hints or anything.
Ubiquisys unveils Attocell: personal femtocell designed to work internationally, make dreams come true
It's definitely one of the first things we thought of trying with AT&T's 3G MicroCell back in 2009, but our dreams were quickly dashed after finding that said device was hard-wired to only operate when receiving a GPS lock within the United States of America. Thankfully, it looks as if at least a few engineers at Ubiquisys are riding our same train of thought, and come Mobile World Congress, it'll be debuting the device of our dreams. The Attocell is described as a personal femtocell for use with 3G smartphones, and best of all, it's designed for use internationally. In essence, this would allow a smartphone from one country to use their international web connection to tunnel a cell call through -- presumably free of charge -- and definitely bypassing those nasty roaming fees that are incurred when ringing through an overseas cellular network. The company admits that it has been tested with the iPhone, BlackBerry handsets, a few Nokia phones and a gaggle of Android handsets, and we're guessing that Windows Phone 7 and webOS users won't have any issues, either. The idea is fairly simple: connect the Attocell to your laptop via USB, which provides power and an internet connection. From there, it'll analyze the IP address and radio environment to determine which country it is in, and sets its 3G radio power accordingly to below the licensed level. In some countries its range will be just five millimeters, in other countries, it could cover a whole room. For those in the former, you'll need to place your phone atop the dongle and use a Bluetooth headset to make a call, but hey, it's still better than paying AT&T two arms and the vast majority of a leg just to phone home from wherever you may be. Crazier still, Ubiquisys thinks that the device's low power output -- coupled with its ability to "continuously monitor its radio environment to ensure that there is zero impact on existing mobile networks" -- will make the Attocell exempt from regulatory controls and the requirement for type approval. Here's hoping it flies through just as the company hopes, and we'll be hitting the floor in Barcelona to pry out a price point, release date any carrier deals they've managed to land.
AT&T offering free MicroCells to top 7.5 percent of customers 'likely to experience poor in-building coverage'
We've known that AT&T has been test-marketing free 3G MicroCells to subscribers with particularly awful reception in certain parts of the country since the product launched last year, but as of January 23rd, they're codifying the offer and taking it nationwide. Bottom line: the "top 7.5 percent of 3G wireless customers identified as likely to experience poor in-building coverage at home or in small offices" will be receiving some snail mail with a discount code; bring it into an AT&T store and you'll be offered a gratis MicroCell. There's a catch, though -- you need to agree to a one-year contract on the unit (separate from your normal account contract), so if you cancel service within that year, you need to either return the MicroCell or get charged $199.99 minus $16.67 per month that you've had it. Of course, that lines up with the newly-increased MicroCell price that the carrier is instituting starting this Sunday. Considering that AT&T needs to acknowledge that you're in a terrible reception area to get it, we can't say we'd hope to be one of the "lucky" 7.5 percent -- but it's a nice benefit nonetheless.
Federal Wi-Net bill proposes a femtocell and WiFi hotspot in every federal building
Here's one way to fix the spectrum crunch: set up wireless base stations and WiFi hotspots in every single one of the 9,000 buildings currently owned and operated by the US General Services Administration. That idea, along with the proposal that such installations be made mandatory in all future federal structures, was put before the US Senate this Friday. It's argued that installing femtocells at those locations would improve reception indoors, lighten network loads in busy areas, and expand accessibility for more rural locales. Ubiquitous WiFi routers, on the other hand, hardly require any justification beyond "common sense," but you should be aware that the Federal Wi-Net bill also asks for a $15 million budget for the performance of retrofitting and future installs. Full PR after the break.
Verizon rolls out 3G Network Extender for $250
Samsung had signaled Big Red's intention to replace its old, non-3G Network Extender as early as CES in January this year -- something Sprint did a couple months back -- but only now are they getting official with the updated model. The aptly-named 3G Network Extender is a warmed-over version of the original, boosting simultaneous connection capability from four to six (Sammy's specs at CES had it listed for eight, interestingly) and offering EV-DO coverage in the event that your home, office, or other location of interest isn't blanketed with Verizon spectrum. The company claims it'll work for up to 40 feet surrounding the device, which seems reasonable considering your average home is rife with RF-hating barriers. There are no monthly fees for the device, but you'll be shelling out $249.99 upfront; it's available now. Follow the break for Verizon's press release.
Sprint's new Airave shipping to customers who 'qualify'
FierceWireless got the lowdown on the new Airvana-built Airave femtocell that Sprint is shipping, and it turns out there's a good reason why stores we called hadn't heard of it: the carrier's only shipping it to people who pass the test. What test, you ask? Well, Sprint is saying that "each customer situation is reviewed independently to determine whether the customer would qualify and benefit from Airave use," and if you qualify, you get the EV-DO-capable Airave gratis -- with the catch that you'll be charged a non-return fee if you walk away from Sprint and don't send it back. From our perspective, we don't see a good reason why these wouldn't end up replacing the 1xRTT-only Samsungs that stores are still stocking, but at this point, it's Sprint's call when or if that's going to happen. Update: We've been tipped with information that the Airaves are being provided to customers without a spending limit who are considered "mid" value or better; they're being offered via direct ship only and won't be offered in stores.
Sprint's 3G-capable Airave from Airvana starts shipping
Corporate-owned Sprint stores that we've called don't seem to know what we're talking about, but at least one reader has managed to get Sprint telesales to ship him one of its long-rumored upgraded Airaves from Airvana that supports EV-DO (the original model sported 1xRTT only for data). Our tipster tells us this bad boy will run up to six simultaneous calls -- up from the old Samsung's three -- and although the femtocell supports a VoIP landline connection, Sprint is telling folks that it's not available for use just yet. The jury's still out on whether this looks better than the outgoing model -- but hey, you can always shove it in a corner where no one will notice it; in the short term, the bigger concern will probably be finding a store willing and able to sell it to you. [Thanks, Connor]%Gallery-99924%
MagicJack's femtocell misses its launch date, still hasn't been submitted to the FCC for approval
Wondering about the fate of the MagicJack femtocell now that its promised second quarter launch window has passed? So was Computerworld, and what it found out isn't exactly promising for the as-seen-on-TV company. According to a MagicJack spokesperson, it's taken longer than expected to finish the software and patents associated with the product, which means it still hasn't even been able to submit the device to the FCC for approval. The company says the software should be done within two weeks, however, but that still means a wait time of several more months while the FCC does its thing. Of course, that's to say nothing of the many legal problems facing the device, which MagicJack is unsurprisingly not commenting on -- although it insists the device will be available "this year."
AT&T handing out free 3G MicroCells to loyal customers? (update: it's a market trial)
While we've no clue how widespread AT&T's generosity is, or how you might get one, it appears that the company's "most valuable customers" are now receiving free range-boosting femtocells. Today, loyal reader Jason got a old-fashioned paper letter in the mail, offering his iPhone-wielding family a 3G MicroCell with no strings attached. Driving down to the local AT&T store, he got the product, but the dumbfounded reps offered no explanation why. Though his calls do frequently drop at home, Jason says he wasn't terribly vocal about the issue and only pays around $180 per month for his family plan -- the only thing that might possibly qualify him, in his opinion, is that his contract was set to expire. We've reached out to AT&T for more information; in the meanwhile, see Jason's letter after the break. [Thanks, Jason] Update: We're being told that AT&T is currently in the process of trialling different ways of offering the MicroCell, which is why a handful of customers have received this letter. We suspect you're always going to get positive reactions when you're offering something for free... but maybe we're crazy.
Updated Verizon Network Extender gets FCC blessing
Sprint got FCC approval for an EV-DO-capable version of its Airave femtocell back in April -- and now, it's Verizon's turn. As you might expect, this is the same Samsung-sourced unit that we saw back in January at CES, which was expected to launch in the second quarter. It's a little late for that, but not by much -- and FCC approval is typically a good sign for these sorts of things. Besides the addition of 3G data, the new model should support up to eight simultaneous connections (versus the current model's four). Enough to justify an upgrade for current owners? Probably not, but a nice refresh for anyone on the fence about whether they really need an extra bar or three of signal strength at the home or office.
AT&T 3G MicroCell now available in all markets
Completing a phased roll-out that kicked off back in April, AT&T has finally gotten around to launching its 3G MicroCell in all of its markets, giving the entire customer base some flexibility when "more bars in more places" doesn't happen to include your place. Interestingly, the announcement was made in passing during comments by AT&T director Gordon Mansfield at the Femtocells World Summit in London this week, where he spent much of his time trying to quell a minor furor over the carrier's continued application of data caps when using the MicroCell. He makes some pretty strong arguments: even though all MicroCell voice and data traffic starts off traveling over your own internet connection, it ultimately ends up within AT&T's core infrastructure -- and a legal requirement that the carrier be able to intercept traffic for law enforcement use prevents it from diverting that traffic elsewhere. More importantly, though, if you're within range of a MicroCell, odds are very good that you're also within range of a WiFi connection -- and since all of AT&T's data-heavy handsets offer WiFi, the whole complaint is kinda moot. So just get one if you need one and don't worry about it, okay?
AT&T 3G MicroCell available in some unlaunched markets, if you try hard enough
I've personally been following the launch of AT&T's 3G MicroCell very, very closely; I moved last year into a box surrounded on three sides by foot-thick cement (not much of an exaggeration) in which only Verizon's and T-Mobile's signals were able to penetrate without assistance -- and in my position, it's a non-negotiable requirement that I be able to use devices from all four US nationals. Since the announcement a few weeks back that the MicroCell would be going national, I've been practically bombarding my Chicago-area stores with calls, looking for a hint of detail on when they might be available here; they've already launched in New York City, so AT&T clearly isn't concerned about using them in densely-packed urban areas. This weekend I called four stores, and here's what I got: Store 1: "We're supposed to have them in a couple of weeks." Store 2: "We'll have them on May 6." Store 3: "We have them in stock. Oh, hold on a minute. (long pause) I'm sorry, we're not allowed to sell them until the 10th." Store 4: "Yes, we have them in stock." In other words, there was no shortage of variety in sales reps' stories. I don't know how this happens -- it's conceivable that AT&T really is telling each store something entirely different, but it seems far more likely that these guys simply haven't been effectively educated on what's going on here. At any rate, I was able to march down to the fourth store I called and pick up the MicroCell with no hassles, therefore ending a many month-long personal nightmare of mine (and by the way, the device works just wonderfully). The lesson learned? Even if the MicroCell hasn't launched in your market -- that is, you go to AT&T's MicroCell site and it tells you it's not yet available in your zip code -- be persistent and keep calling around. You've just got to find that one sales guy who's willing to flip it.
Vodafone's Sure Signal femtocells see a couple days of outage
Wireless customers around the globe with femtocells securely stowed in their homes might start to take five bars of signal strength for granted, but there are still plenty of gotchas; your internet service could go down, for example, taking your phone with it -- and it turns out that your carrier can inadvertently bring it to its knees on occasion, too. It looks like a whole lot of Vodafone's Sure Signal-branded units in the UK have been acting up the past couple days due to network registration issues; new and existing Sure Signal customers alike have been affected, turning homes back into the barren, 3G-less wastelands they were before the device existed. Most (if not all) of the Sure Signals are now back in action, but considering that the outage lasted a lot longer than a few brief moments, let's hope that the Voda techs behind the scenes learned a lesson or two in the process. [Thanks, paddyg12006]
Sprint Airave gets remixed by Airvana, has VoIP landline and EV-DO support
The Samsung-sourced femtocell that Sprint and Verizon have been offering (as the Airave and Wireless Network Extender, respectively) is all well and good, but it's got one fatal flaw: unlike AT&T's aptly-named 3G MicroCell, it doesn't have support for 3G data -- it's compatible with CDMA 1x alone. Verizon's fixing that later this year with an updated model from Samsung, but thanks to a fresh FCC filing, it looks like Sprint will be taking a different route by roping in Airvana for the Airave's successor. On top of EV-DO, the interesting bit about this puppy is that it supports a VoIP-routed landline connection around back; we're not sure whether Sprint actually plans on enabling this extra jack, but it's specifically mentioned in the draft manual, so we wouldn't doubt it. No word on a release just yet -- but FCC approval is frequently one of the last steps on a product's road to retail, so we might see it soon.
