T-Mobile readying cell-to-WiFi service

[jones]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060907-7689.html


T-Mobile readying cell-to-WiFi service
9/7/2006 4:11:26 PM, by Jacqui Cheng

T-Mobile is preparting to launch T-Mobile At Home, a new service that will allow customers to use one phone that will seamlessly switch between cell and WiFi networks. Although other companies are working on similar solutions, T-Mobile is expected to be first to offer it in the US. Here's how it works: consumers will be able to use their mobile phones as a cell phone on T-Mobile's network, but will be able to switch to WiFi when a network is available. Calls would then be routed over VoIP rather than T-Mobile's cellular network, allowing customersto make and receive phone calls from the same phone number. The benefits would be better call quality, reduced load on the cell networks, and probably most important to many consumers, preserving precious call plan minutes..

T-Mobile will charge a flat monthly fee for the service, which is expected to be lower than current landline costs. Some analysts believe that T-Mobile and other cell carriers might have a tough time convincing consumers that a dual-mode phone service would be worth the cost. To overcome such reservations, T-Mobile will have to highlight benefits other than reduced minute use. One example would be faster downloads of games, wallpapers, and videos to cell phones over a WiFi network. Additionally, there might be new services involved such as the ability to retrieve voicemail messages over the web and seeing which of your phone contacts are "online" and available to receive phone calls, similar to Skype.

Early reports are that consumers will only be able to use the dual-mode phone service on their home WiFi networks at first. Our sources tell us that there appears to be no such limitation either with the phones or the T-Mobile At Home service. The dual-mode phones currently being tested are able to switch seamlessly between the cell network and any WiFi network that the user has access to, including nearly 8,000 T-Mobile HotSpots and secured wireless networks.

One possible issue with the dual-mode phone service is WiFi network admins enforcing limits on T-Mobile At Home over bandwidth usage concerns. Partnerships with broadband providers, such as the one that Sprint is currently working on with cable companies, could be one potential answer to this problem in the eyes of consumers who may be unsure of whether T-Mobile At Home will work everywhere they want to use it.

As WiFi networks proliferate from sea to shining sea, dual-mode phones seem like a win-win for cell providers and consumers. Dual-mode phones themselves are not brand new, but we've heard little about them in the US so far due to cell providers' fears over losing revenues to VoIP if they were to introduce them. With that in mind, T-Mobile's new service will be closely watched by other cellular providers contemplating a similar offering. Although T-Mobile At Home or any other UMA service is unlikely to replace the landline for more conservative consumers, it provides a step in the right direction if the service will in fact be offered at a lower cost with more benefits than traditional landlines.

[TelcomJunkie]

The handoffs outa be interesting. I wonder how it handles leaving the wifi coverage area during a call.

[jones]

Originally Posted by TelcomJunkie

The handoffs outa be interesting. I wonder how it handles leaving the wifi coverage area during a call.

It should handoff to a Cell Tower.
Of Course if there's No Cell Tower Coverage outside
your House after WIFI Reach the Call will Drop.

[TelcomJunkie]

Originally Posted by jones

It should handoff to a Cell Tower.
Of Course if there's No Cell Tower Coverage outside
your House after WIFI Reach the Call will Drop.

Thanks for the clarifacation edit, even if there is cellular signal outside with the variable latency of the internet you're handoff request could easily be delayed a few milliseconds or so and you'd get dropped. I wonder if you'll bounce back and forth, the range of a regular wifi connection is pretty small so just walking around the house you could hand off back and forth several times. It will be interesting to see how it works once it's released.

[jones]

This should give T-Mobile an Advantage over regular Cell Carrier,
since it will also work in Hotspots.

T-Mobile HotSpot subscription customers can now stay connected at 30,014 locations worldwide including:

7,215 T-Mobile HotSpot U.S. locations
22,799 roaming locations in 22 countries
135 airports, with T-Mobile HotSpot roaming access throughout the concourse area in 88 of these airports
T-Mobile HotSpot U.S. locations include Starbucks coffeehouses, Borders Books and Music stores, FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Centers, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Red Roof Inn, the airline clubs of American, Delta, United and US Airways and select airports.

[nKrypteD1]

I agree, but it's still a very intriguing and beneficial process and could potentially save people like me (no home phone but home based High Speed Internet) a bundle, I only have 450 minutes a month so I'm weary about how much I call and who I call.

[jones]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

I agree, but it's still a very intriguing and beneficial process and could potentially save people like me (no home phone but home based High Speed Internet) a bundle, I only have 450 minutes a month so I'm weary about how much I call and who I call.

The Deal Here is a Flat Fee of $5/Month
for Unlimited WIFI Calling.

T-Mobile, whose cellular spectrum and network is comparatively small compared the three top mobile operators (Sprint-Nextel, Verizon, and Cingular) moving customers to VoIP based service not only frees up capacity on their existing cellular network for both more customers and high-bandwidth applications like mobile music and video, it also provides a way to offer services unavailable via standard cellular networks (such as Skype-like availability indicators, retrieving media and voicemail via the Internet, or managing services via the Web rather than phone, etc.). Plus, data services will likely have more bandwidth via Wi-Fi than via 3G cell networks.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by TelcomJunkie

Thanks for the clarifacation edit, even if there is cellular signal outside with the variable latency of the internet you're handoff request could easily be delayed a few milliseconds or so and you'd get dropped. I wonder if you'll bounce back and forth, the range of a regular wifi connection is pretty small so just walking around the house you could hand off back and forth several times. It will be interesting to see how it works once it's released.

Maybe they will have it setup that once the phone picks up the wifi signal it will prefer that over the tower, until you get to almost no signal for the wifi?

Almost like the roaming setups with carriers, as long as your picking up a signal it will stay locked on to the wifi, before going back to the tower. Especially since you will have to buy the wifi unit from T-Mobile to make this system work.

[nKrypteD1]

Wirelessly posted (Cingula 8125 (Thor): HTC-8100/1.2 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.5; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320))

Originally Posted by Fire14

Maybe they will have it setup that once the phone picks up the wifi signal it will prefer that over the tower, until you get to almost no signal for the wifi?

Almost like the roaming setups with carriers, as long as your picking up a signal it will stay locked on to the wifi, before going back to the tower. Especially since you will have to buy the wifi unit from T-Mobile to make this system work.

I doubt tmobile will require purchase of a 802.11x WAP although I'm sure it'll be optional.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

I doubt tmobile will require purchase of a 802.11x WAP although I'm sure it'll be optional.

You may be right, per the 2nd article on this thread: http://forums.wirelessadvisor.com/wi...h-indiana.html
the only difference that they know of between these 2 routers & the ones on the market now, is a button to allow the phone to connect without entering the security passcodes.