T-Mobile Launches Home Phone Service For $10 A Month

[hank424]

About a year ago, T-Mobile USA launched Hotspot@Home, a service that encourages people to drop their landline by allowing customers to roam on to Wi-Fi to get unlimited phone calls for $10 a month. Today, it is launching a follow-on product called T-Mobile @Home, which allows people to have a home phone using VoIP. Britt Wehrman, T-Mobile's director of product development, told me that they developed the product because some people were still reluctant to cut their landline. For instance, parents who are out at dinner may want to call the babysitter to check up on things, or a family member may want to know if anyone is home. In my own trials of the service, I found a need for it this morning as a person, who cut the cord and uses T-Mobile's hotspot@Home service. This morning, I had to call my email provider to walk me through a fix for my BlackBerry, and it had to be from a different phone. Release.
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How it works: The landline-like service is a weird hybrid between a mobile phone and VoIP. Users must get a special Wi-Fi router that has a slot for a SIM card, and has jacks that phones can be plugged into. The SIM card is what allows the person to be assigned a phone number and authorized to use the T-Mobile network; however, the voice calls travel over the person's internet connection, like VoIP. What is a bit odd, but also gives you a comfortable and familiar feeling, is that the service acts much like a mobile phone. You can call 611 to contact customer service, and when you are setting up your voicemail box, it says things like, you'll have to enter your password when roaming (even though you have no plans to take your phone anywhere). You can also set up CallerTunes, also known as ringback tones, which play music while the person calling you waits for you to pick up. In my experience, the voice-quality was excellent and I found reasons to use it. In addition, the set up was fairly simple. I skipped installing any software on my computer, and instead unplugged my current router and plugged in the new one, and then connected a cordless phone to it. Calling within the U.S. is unlimited, but international calls will cost you a pretty penny with long-distance charges on par with a cellphone rather than a landline. Other features included are: call waiting, caller ID, three-way conferencing, voicemail, call forwarding, which make it seem like a cheap alternative to the landline company. The service costs $10 a month and $50 for the router with a two-year agreement.

Money-maker or retention play?: It's worth pointing out that this is a bit of a role reversal for T-Mobile, which is one of the only U.S. wireless carriers that isn't tied to a landline company. But it now appears that it is acknowledging that there is some value in having a landline-like service. Still, Wehrman said T-Mobile won't be making a lot of money on this service. "You have to be a T-Mobile customer to do it (single-line customers must have a $39 a month voice plan, and family plans must be $49 or higher). This is a value offering to our loyal customers, who can save $55 a month. In today's economic environment, it's a thank you to our customers and a way to inspire loyalty and trust and continue to wow them with the type of services T-Mobile offers." For the last few months, the home service was being tested in Dallas and Seattle, where T-Mobile said it found that 97 percent of the customers, who had a traditional landline phone service, ended up dropping the service after adopting T-Mobile @Home.

Demand: JupiterResearch's Michael Gartenberg said they have research that suggests this will be a success. He wrote in his blog: 18 percent of the consumers we surveyed, state that they had tried using a cell phone for all of their calls, but later decided to add a home phone service as well. The number goes up to 23 percent for those ages 25 to 34 years...While 18 to 24 year olds are the most likely to be wireless-only, it is their slightly older siblings at 25 to 34 years, who are mostly likely to have added back a home phone. "Given that trend, it looks like T-Mobile has the right product at the right time," he added. "While T-Mobile will need to work to evangelize and market to consumers the low price point changes the game. The landline is now an upsell to the cellphone."

Update on HotSpot@Home: I took this opportunity to ask T-Mobile how successful its Wi-Fi service has been. Of course, they were reluctant to give details, but Wehrman told me that 45 percent of the people signing up for the Hotspot@Home service come from other carriers. In addition, T-Mobile continues strong support for it?today it has eight compatible handsets, and by the end of the year, they expect to have 12.
T-Mobile Launches Home Phone Service For $10 A Month - washingtonpost.com

[Telekom]

The article is quoting old information. It's $15 per month.

Originally Posted by hank424

About a year ago, T-Mobile USA launched Hotspot@Home, a service that encourages people to drop their landline by allowing customers to roam on to Wi-Fi to get unlimited phone calls for $10 a month. Today, it is launching a follow-on product called T-Mobile @Home, which allows people to have a home phone using VoIP. Britt Wehrman, T-Mobile's director of product development, told me that they developed the product because some people were still reluctant to cut their landline. For instance, parents who are out at dinner may want to call the babysitter to check up on things, or a family member may want to know if anyone is home. In my own trials of the service, I found a need for it this morning as a person, who cut the cord and uses T-Mobile's hotspot@Home service. This morning, I had to call my email provider to walk me through a fix for my BlackBerry, and it had to be from a different phone. Release.
ad_icon

How it works: The landline-like service is a weird hybrid between a mobile phone and VoIP. Users must get a special Wi-Fi router that has a slot for a SIM card, and has jacks that phones can be plugged into. The SIM card is what allows the person to be assigned a phone number and authorized to use the T-Mobile network; however, the voice calls travel over the person's internet connection, like VoIP. What is a bit odd, but also gives you a comfortable and familiar feeling, is that the service acts much like a mobile phone. You can call 611 to contact customer service, and when you are setting up your voicemail box, it says things like, you'll have to enter your password when roaming (even though you have no plans to take your phone anywhere). You can also set up CallerTunes, also known as ringback tones, which play music while the person calling you waits for you to pick up. In my experience, the voice-quality was excellent and I found reasons to use it. In addition, the set up was fairly simple. I skipped installing any software on my computer, and instead unplugged my current router and plugged in the new one, and then connected a cordless phone to it. Calling within the U.S. is unlimited, but international calls will cost you a pretty penny with long-distance charges on par with a cellphone rather than a landline. Other features included are: call waiting, caller ID, three-way conferencing, voicemail, call forwarding, which make it seem like a cheap alternative to the landline company. The service costs $10 a month and $50 for the router with a two-year agreement.

Money-maker or retention play?: It's worth pointing out that this is a bit of a role reversal for T-Mobile, which is one of the only U.S. wireless carriers that isn't tied to a landline company. But it now appears that it is acknowledging that there is some value in having a landline-like service. Still, Wehrman said T-Mobile won't be making a lot of money on this service. "You have to be a T-Mobile customer to do it (single-line customers must have a $39 a month voice plan, and family plans must be $49 or higher). This is a value offering to our loyal customers, who can save $55 a month. In today's economic environment, it's a thank you to our customers and a way to inspire loyalty and trust and continue to wow them with the type of services T-Mobile offers." For the last few months, the home service was being tested in Dallas and Seattle, where T-Mobile said it found that 97 percent of the customers, who had a traditional landline phone service, ended up dropping the service after adopting T-Mobile @Home.

Demand: JupiterResearch's Michael Gartenberg said they have research that suggests this will be a success. He wrote in his blog: 18 percent of the consumers we surveyed, state that they had tried using a cell phone for all of their calls, but later decided to add a home phone service as well. The number goes up to 23 percent for those ages 25 to 34 years...While 18 to 24 year olds are the most likely to be wireless-only, it is their slightly older siblings at 25 to 34 years, who are mostly likely to have added back a home phone. "Given that trend, it looks like T-Mobile has the right product at the right time," he added. "While T-Mobile will need to work to evangelize and market to consumers the low price point changes the game. The landline is now an upsell to the cellphone."

Update on HotSpot@Home: I took this opportunity to ask T-Mobile how successful its Wi-Fi service has been. Of course, they were reluctant to give details, but Wehrman told me that 45 percent of the people signing up for the Hotspot@Home service come from other carriers. In addition, T-Mobile continues strong support for it?today it has eight compatible handsets, and by the end of the year, they expect to have 12.
T-Mobile Launches Home Phone Service For $10 A Month - washingtonpost.com

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Telekom

The article is quoting old information. It's $15 per month.

No, it's $10. I've been on the receiving end of a few calls from a TMO employee who has been using it - it works well and definitely worth the price to dump your old landline.

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by Matt

No, it's $10. I've been on the receiving end of a few calls from a TMO employee who has been using it - it works well and definitely worth the price to dump your old landline.

You do have to have a $40 or higher plan to get it though which would leave me out. As it is I rarely even come close to using all my minutes on my $30 per month plan.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

im confused about the whole router with a SIM card thing.......i thought this was a simple router that allows phone calls from WiFi enabled devices.......this makes it sound like a landline thats just an extra line o your tmo account.....explain??

[hank424]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

im confused about the whole router with a SIM card thing.......i thought this was a simple router that allows phone calls from WiFi enabled devices.......this makes it sound like a landline thats just an extra line o your tmo account.....explain??

I not a T-mobile expert but from reading the article This is my understanding

- You need a High speed Internet access
-A T-Mobile account (single-line customers must have a $39 a month voice plan or higher or family plan...) (with every line there is a sim card) T-mobile is gsm.
Sim card = holds you account information, #, etc)

-Once you add the Home Phone Service For $10 A Month plan. Another sim card is needed
Tmobile gives you a router. It has that sim opening in it. The sim card has your new home phone number plus any other information. The router also has phone jacks in it. Something to like what vonage has.

It would be nice if someone from t-mobile can say if this is right.

[hank424]

This seems like a good deal. but I think the better deal is with Magic Jack. something like 29 bucks for the whole year. You need a high speed internet then the jack equipment(cost about 60 bucks) then you got voip in the states for 29 bucks a year. not a month.

magicJack

but like sunrocket I heard that they might go down also. You know how the FCC is.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by hank424

I not a T-mobile expert but from reading the article This is my understanding

- You need a High speed Internet access
-A T-Mobile account (single-line customers must have a $39 a month voice plan or higher or family plan...) (with every line there is a sim card) T-mobile is gsm.
Sim card = holds you account information, #, etc)

-Once you add the Home Phone Service For $10 A Month plan. Another sim card is needed
Tmobile gives you a router. It has that sim opening in it. The sim card has your new home phone number plus any other information. The router also has phone jacks in it. Something to like what vonage has.

It would be nice if someone from t-mobile can say if this is right.

That is basically right - I believe you are actually doing a port of your landline to T-Mobile. I don't know all the details, but IIRC the router also allows you to use your cell at home over your high-speed Internet account, too (Similar to what they already offer).

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by Matt

That is basically right - I believe you are actually doing a port of your landline to T-Mobile. I don't know all the details, but IIRC the router also allows you to use your cell at home over your high-speed Internet account, too (Similar to what they already offer).

It's only a port if you want it to be. Otherwise you're issued a new local number. You do not have to port your regular land line number unless you choose to do so.

[tmobileman]

Originally Posted by Telekom

It's only a port if you want it to be. Otherwise you're issued a new local number. You do not have to port your regular land line number unless you choose to do so.

Yes this is different than the hot spot calling, this is for use with a land line phone, the router does have a sim so it won't work with existing routers you have to buy the new one. It's 10.00 per month unlimited calling and unfortunately you do have to have at least 39.99 single line plan or 49.99 family plan I posted this in the tmobile user forum but now have found this thread as well, sorry if I duplicated this thread in the tmobile user area. Oh and as was pointed out to me today because I overlooked this in my post, the router cost 49.99 and a two year contract is required for activation. Activation fee's apply you can either port a number in, whether it's land line or another cell from another company or we can issue you a local number.

[Barciurek]

I really wish I could get it - that would solve my no coverage problem.. but then I need a landline cos all internet i can get it DSL

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

you dont get Cable internet???

[tmobileman]

Originally Posted by Barciurek

I really wish I could get it - that would solve my no coverage problem.. but then I need a landline cos all internet i can get it DSL

you can use this with cable or DSL internet, I am using it with cable and it works wonderfully

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

yeah but DSLs a lot different though.....slower....

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

yeah but DSLs a lot different though.....slower....

Not necessarily. You get what you pay for.

[bobolito]

Lots of people use VoIP over DSL and it works just fine.

[spleck]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

yeah but DSLs a lot different though.....slower....

Even "slow" DSL at 640kbps has plenty of bandwidth to handle VoIP--an uncompressed voice channel is only 64kpbs. Latency and packet reliability would probably be a bigger factor than what most people consider fast or slow (bandwidth).

Plenty of people live close to the central office and can get 8Mbps DSL connections.

[Eric47]

in my area, DSL kicks the butt of Cable. its all about your area's providers. the cable companys here are way beyond the saturation point that their network can handle (IMO) and cable here is much slower than DSL, particularly during heavy traffic times.

i have DSL, i love the constant speeds, and its cheaper..definetly a good deal here.

ive VoIP'd with skype using video and it works flawlessly btw.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

i guess it depends on your connection too......i know right now we're having some construction done on the house and we're having the electrician run better wiring for the modem but basically what happens is when too much data goes through at one time like downloading music, web surfing, Im and anything else the connection tends to just cut out and