Verizon Wireless releases 'Network Extender'

wow $249.99 and a $400 deposit??
I dont think so....kinda sounds like a way to "make money"

 

Sprint's service is actually very good here in Orange County. Not sure where you saw that it was "FAIR" but it's mostly dark green in the important populated areas which is "Best". I don't even need an Airave here but just just liked the idea of my own private network which can potentially hold up better during earthquakes and heavy rain storms in the winter. I could unplug it and actually have even stronger signal without it in some parts of the house.

 

We are used to being nickled and dimed, so we accept it. And while I don't like giving Sprint an extra $5/mo, I can live with it. I still get more for less than I could with any other carrier. Even T-Mobile would cost me more (though only by a few bucks). And the fact that I now get good service at home is important. It keeps me from needing/wanting to switch to VZW. T-Mobile is lousy at my house too, and AT&T flat out does not work in my office. So I pay an extra $5 for flawless coverage.

 

It's great that we have a variety of plans to choose from where carriers differentiate their offerings so we can pick the one that best fits our needs.

 

I don't mind paying the $5 a month either. That's only like 15 or 20 cents a day.

 

This is from the Verizon website

This sounds like it will work if you're in a licensed area, even if you get absolutely no Verizon signal?

It seems like I remember hearing that Sprint's Airwave needed to pickup a small Sprint signal to activate properly, to make sure you were in a Sprint licensed area. But if Verizon uses GPS, this might be a better solution for areas of no coverage.

 

Sprint's uses a GPS too. The GPS is used to ensure the device is used in an area where Sprint/Verizon have a license to transmit a signal. It would be illegal for the device to transmit in an area where the carrier is not licensed to do so.

AFAIK the Sprint Airave doesn't need to detect a Sprint signal to work. I hadn't heard that before.

 

I could have been mistaken. But what you said would make more sense. I think it was just a random review I read on the airwave several months ago. But then again, it's quite possible the person was trying to use it in a basement or somewhere and it wouldn't activate because it couldn't get the "GPS signal" and not the "Sprint signal". Now that I think about it, that would probably make more sense! In any event, I'm glad these things will work even in houses that get no signal!

 

...Well I wouldn't be too sure about that. With Sprint's Airwave, there is a location checker to see if the Airwave will work in your zip code... some local zip codes (which happen to have Sprint service), are not yet serviced by the Airwave... but in my current zip code (with no Sprint service) it says the Airwave will work in my area. But that was several months ago, it could just be that they were slowly working to expand the areas it could be used? As with Verizon, I think you have to enter your zip code before purchasing anything - and I would think the same applies to the Network Extender, so if you aren't sure, go into a Verizon store or call them up to confirm it will work before spending the money and getting your hopes up.

 

The "location checker" = GPS. Unless you are referring to the Sprint web site, as you can enter your information at their website and find that out online before you buy. You can also update the ZIP code in your online account management once you bought the device.

There are probably places in nearly every zip code with no Sprint signal. So I don't think the absence/presence of a Sprint signal in a certain ZIP code is not enough to disqualify availability of the Airave.

 

I was referring to the zip code checker on Sprint's Airave Page --with this feature alone, it goes without saying that at this point one cannot use the Airave everywhere in the U.S. (although I would say nearly everywhere).

...But for example, the zip code of Hagerstown, MD with a population of some 40K is not yet covered. Enter the 21740 zip code and you'll get this message: "Not yet... While we are rapidly expanding the coverage areas for Airave, that ZIP code is not currently eligible for Airave service. We apologize for any inconvenience." But my current zip code of a population of only something like 3K in a relatively rural area is covered, and I get the message: "Yes! Great news. You will be able to use your Airave at this location. Contact or visit your nearest Sprint Store for details."

What would make an area not yet ready or eligible for the femtocell technology deployed by Sprint, Verizon, or any other carrier? It has to be more than licensing issues... because I know for a fact that the city of Hagerstown is in a licensed Sprint area... but yet according to the website, I'm doubtful that the Airave would work in that location. I have no desire to be with Sprint, or purchase an Airwave (nor do I have plans to move back to Hagerstown)... but it does make me wonder if the same is true with Verizon or with any other carriers that deploy femtocell technology....

 

Well I spent my money on this for vrz today I hope it works
as I was rdy to change carriers

 

It sounds exactly like the Sprint Airave, which has been out since July 2008. T-Mobile has had similar WiFi solutions out called T-Mobile@Home and HotSpot@Home since 2008 and 2007 respectively. It's also rumored that AT&T will eventually release a similar femtocell device eventually as well.

IMO, I would say that Verizon's Network Extender is more "damage control" rather than "gaining the upperhand on the competition".

 

In the DSLReports.com article that mentioned AT&T's 3G Microcell, it lists "*Available unlimited minute plans - Individual or Family Plan." as the 2nd bullet point. To me this doesn't mean that AT&T's service is free, but would also cost money. The money could either come from specific AT&T plans that bundle voice/messaging/data service with the 3G Microcell (and are more expensive than the other AT&T plans without the 3G Microcell), or that they will offer the 3G Microcell as an add-on to existing plans for a monthly fee (similar to Sprint). Knowing AT&T, and based on the wording of the bullet point, I'm willing to guess that it's the former... which probably would make Sprint's $5/mo look cheap compared to AT&T's new "3G Microcell-specific" plans!

 

What you said; right on point. The VZW unit seems to offer so much less than the T Mobile and Sprint units. And the VZW Hub is also disappointing.

 

it works and u should buy it

 

yet another attempt by Verizon to be the control freak

 

the darn thing works

 

we're just saying that the other companies' devices work better and that Verizon's device is considered a little substandard compared to the competition...

 

Well let me say this to U
I live in a framing area and the location is in a valley
That makes it very hard for Any carrier to work
here.
So my personal Cell phone goes from not working
very good to 6 bars or full bars.
My cell sounds as good as my AT&T phone..
I was willing to pay the money to help make it work.
AND it does work
All of the other carriers may have other extenders so be it
All I can say is THIS ONE WORKS FOR ME !!!

 

Yeah, there is really no reason it shouldn't work great for you... I have much of the same situation where I live and I connect with T-Mobile - it works just fine for me. From having no bars to full service at home is great no matter how you get it!

 

No one here said it did not work. And calling people stupid is not polite.

 

Regardless of features, all of these devices are a score for the buyer. They all give you better coverage in your home (or office) where you use your phone the most.

Ideally, they would all be free and provide unlimited minutes, but that's not going to happen. Once VZW and AT&T have theirs solidly deployed, I'd expect to see the prices settle at $100 for the unit, use plan minutes, and offer an addition unlimited plan for $10-20/month.

DougM21: Don't forget that many of the users here are debating things they will never use, but will know more about it than the people that do. Even if the AT&T unit is better than the VZW unit, I don't expect you'll see anyone changing carriers for it. So if you've got VZW, then the Network Extender is just what you needed (aside from assessing other carriers in your area

PS - I'm thanking the previous post simply because someone named "Stupiud" is thanking someone who said calling people "stupid" is not polite. That's hilarious.

 

That device would be a very good thing for me. However, if it uses my plan minutes while using my internet connection or if I have to pay a monthly fee, forget it. How it should be, to me anyway, is that I would pay an upfront cost for the unit....anywhere from 100 to 200 dollars. I would then get unlimited calls/data since its using my internet connection that I already pay a lot for. In my eyes, any other way, is a ripoff. That is my take on this thing anyway, lol.

 

VZW has to pay for all the bandwidth that comes INTO their system from all the users with femtocells. You pay for bandwidth on your side, and they're paying for bandwidth on theirs. Plus they have to maintain the gateway and route the calls properly onto the network, including connections with the PSTN, just like they do for calls through their towers. It's only a marginal cost reduction for them, and a major coverage improvement for many users.

Plus, it doesn't require exclusive access to your internet connection. You'll still use your internet just like before, and you'll probably never even notice it. All the junk on most people's computers, or a few visits to Flickr, probably use more bandwidth than calls will in a month. High rate codecs (EFR/AMR high) are only 12.2 kbits/sec. Even with a little overhead, you're not talking much.

I think providing the device at cost (manuf/development/distribution) and then offering either a small chunk of free minutes through the femto (50-100) or an optional unlimited plan for additional money is fair (at least in the same sense that it costs $40/month for a 450 minute plan).

Of course, I'm taking engineering management courses so my perspective may be skewed from the normal customer...

 

well consider that by introducing the femtocells they're reducing the traffic over special access lines...their own fiber network can only go so far before they run it over the cable companies's networks or the other telecom networks.....by using femtocell......the user is picking up that cost as well.......so in the end you're just finding a way to utilize what you already pay for......you're paying for all this broadband bandwidth that you prolli won't employ doing regular web surfing and if you're paying for it use it.......in the process......the cell companies don't have to pay to cover your traffic over the telecom companies because now essentially the customer is paying for this

 

You have to understand that Verizon and Sprint have a lot of expenses related to the use of these devices. Even though it does use your internet connection which you already pay for, it also uses Sprint's network resources which they have to pay to keep going. They have separate switching facilities, employees and separate customer service/tech support for the devices. Plus they probably had to shell out some very big $$$ to design and develop the product. So they can't just let everyone use the device unlimited without some type of charges.

Also if they offered the device for only $100 to $200 and after that everything free can you imagine how many people would be jumping to get these devices? If everyone and their brother had a device working it would play havoc with the network. You would have too many stray signals bouncing around which would cause dropped calls and would also lock out users from having service because people can set the devices to restrict mode. They also cannot make hand-offs reliabily. I honestly don't think the carrier's want too many of these devices floating around out there.

 

If your broadband is via synchronos satellite (WildBlue, HughesNet), will the Network Extender work? It seems to me that the propogation delay would ruin communication. Unfortunately, lots of us rural folks that lack a strong cell signal also lack land-line Internet access.

 

It will not work with any kind of satellite broadband.

I found this out when I looked into this for a friend who is lives in a rural area with moderate reception.

 

The way I see it. The network extender is not using any minuets. It's only purpose is to supply a signal to those who have no signal at home. Now I agree that it is not for every one. But I can see where it can be very useful to those who live in an area that has no Verizon signal, but wants to have their very large nationwide coverage. Lets say user "A" already has broadband and wants Verizon, but much to user "A"s dismay, has no VZW signal at home. This would fix the problem. User "A" could even port their number in and like Jay2TheRescue said, get that dock-n-talk.That would be a pretty sweet setup. Free nights and weekends, m2m,and now the option for their friends and family. I think that it's a great option for VZW to offer their customers. Now , with that said, it has a big flaw. If 2 people leach on to your signal at the same time, you would not be able to use your own device. That would really suck!! And any family would be limited to only 2 simultaneous calls at one time, and that could be a big inconvenience. But on the other hand, normal landlines can only do 1 call at a time.IMO