 decifal
join:2007-03-10
Bon Aqua, TN | lol Pittyful | |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ | Re: lol someones gotta subsidize the "haves" getting expensive fios installs! | |
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| st7860
join:2004-05-13
San Francisco, CA | in canada you pay about $15/mo for using your phone at home, but then it runs over WIFI and you then get unlimited calling minutse, while at home. | |
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Airwolf7
Premium
join:2004-12-12
Franklin, KY
1 edit | Morons Morons will be snapping these up left and right!
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Edit: I should not have insinuated that potential users of this device would be morons.
I'm sorry. It was not very nice of me.
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| neufuse
join:2006-12-06
Indiana, PA | Re: Morons so, I'm a moron because I have spotty coverage in my house and wanted one just to improve coverage?  | |
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yock
TFTC
Premium
join:2000-11-21
Fairfield, OH
| Re: Morons said by TKJunkMail  :It is just too bad Verizon didn't make this service & device available with unlimited calling when used within the home. It helps Verizon with reducing the load on overloaded towers and it would get many more people to buy the device. I never thought I'd see the day where you and Karl agreed on a consumer issue. Suffice it to say that this one's a slam dunk. Outside of exceptional circumstances, this thing is a paperweight. | |
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| | | tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY
| said by TKJunkMail :said by neufuse :so, I'm a moron because I have spotty coverage in my house and wanted one just to improve coverage? No you are not. This device has its place for some people. And if it works properly it could allow more people to drop their landline & save monthly fees(and maybe that is why Verizon isn't offering unlimited minutes with the device - it could cause people to drop their VERIZON land line which Verizon wouldn't want to happen). It is just too bad Verizon didn't make this service & device available with unlimited calling when used within the home. It helps Verizon with reducing the load on overloaded towers and it would get many more people to buy the device. Newsflash.. Verizon is hemmoraging POTS landlines like the plague... they will only stem these losses with a much cheaper (1/3 typical landline pots charges) VOIP service with with all those features you pay extra for with POTS included for free. I don't see how providing a service to others is beneficial to the consumer.. if they have broadband, chances are they can have voip-- if they don't have FTTP, and DSL is unavailable.. a Femtocell may be an alternative, but it wouldn't be my first choice. IMO, I'd move where those choices are better. Keeping with the idea, if you can afford housing, you generally should have your pick of the litter of where you go, especially if renting. | |
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T1 repairman
@comcast.net
| It only cuts down on traffic to the first cell site if its cell to cell.( free call). Call goes out on broadband and then routed to cell site to connect to cell phone. If its cell to landline then yes it does reduce traffic. Call goes out on Broadband to central office ties in to switched network. (free after 900p and weekends) | |
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| | Airwolf7
Premium
join:2004-12-12
Franklin, KY
 ·AT&T Southeast
3 edits | »www.wilsonelectronics.com/Produc···p?Type=B
Features:
Supports US cellular & PCS frequencies (800/850MHz & 1900MHz). Does not support iDEN/Nextel
Works on all generations of CDMA, TDMA and GSM including 1xRTT, EVDO (EV-DO), GSM, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA and AMPS
Automatic gain control to prevent signal oscillation
Automatic shut down on overload
Maximum +30dBm output power
Receiver sensitivity -110dBm CDMA 1% FER
AC power supply included
FCC and IC (Industry Canada) type accepted
Patent pending
Benefits:
Designed specifically for small office and home office environments, apartments, high rises, condominiums and dorm rooms.
Greatly reduces signal disconnects and drop outs
Significantly improves voice and data signal quality
Has up to 10 times more power than your cell phone or laptop cellular data card
Receives and transmits better than a cell phone or cellular data card
Improves data communication rates required for 3G technologies
Allows multiple cell phones and cellular data cards to be used simultaneously
Extends battery talk and standby times
Requires:
Outside antenna: For maximum performance, it is highly recommended that the outside antenna be located outside of the building although under certain conditions the antenna may be located inside near a window.
Inside antenna: The antenna that communicates with your cell phone or cellular data card should be installed in the center of where the signal needs to be amplified.
Antenna separation: In order for your system to function properly, you must maintain adequate separation between the interior and exterior antennas. This amplifier requires a minimum of 20' of separation between the outside and inside antennas. If a directional antenna is used for either the inside or outside antenna, ensure that it is not pointed at the other antenna. | |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
 ·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| Re: Morons Exactly... no limits on users, or use of your broadband connection. A few real rural users might want one of these mini-cells for a backup solution to a local cell site but then again - if they were going to get one - wouldn't they want something that allowed high data / voice as well ?
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | decifal
join:2007-03-10
Bon Aqua, TN
| Re: Morons said by en102 :Exactly... no limits on users, or use of your broadband connection. A few real rural users might want one of these mini-cells for a backup solution to a local cell site but then again - if they were going to get one - wouldn't they want something that allowed high data / voice as well ? Okay.. Rural... Remember.. People living in Rural areas are so labled as "unprofitable" thous alot of if not most rural people do not have broadband.. And being they in theory would be ones likely to benefit the most from such a product.. I mean hell seriously?! Does the rest of the world really believe that everyone has broadband? Satellite internet doesn't count.. It might as well not be real when it comes to these type of services.. EVDO is pretty good if you have LOS, but damn... | |
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| | | Airwolf7
Premium
join:2004-12-12
Franklin, KY
·AT&T Southeast
3 edits | I have the unit as described in my post above at my lake house. I use AT&T Mobility (Cingular) and have no signal at all there. Directional antenna is aimed at my providers cell tower giving me 5 bars of signal at lake house.
5 bars of signal outside with none inside at 50,000 square facility. Have similar setup as above with omnidirectional antenna outside with three omnidirectional antenna inside. Now have 5 bars of signal inside building. My analog Motorola StarTec worked fine in the building before making upgrades while no other cell phone (digital) would work. Kind of was better when I had no signal. Has to fuss at employees for using cell phone at work after upgrade. Had to rewrite employee handbook because of this upgrade.
Installed similar type setup in my autos. Works great.
Not all of these are Wilson brand. Watch out for non FCC approved China made junk. Must observe antenna separation instructions or else bad things will happen.
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Edit: Just in case anyone missed the link I added in the first reply.
»www.wilsonelectronics.com/Produc···p?Type=B | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ | Re: Morons You gave a picture and the specs. So where is the device name and link for this booster you are pitching? | |
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| | | | | | | Airwolf7
Premium
join:2004-12-12
Franklin, KY
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: Morons Yes I edited my post after your reply. Sorry I did not use proper format to indicate the edit.
Nerves shot now because everybody including the dog is yelling/barking because ice storm just took out tree down the street. Lots of noise, arcing, and transformers exploding. All my UPS devices are alarming. Phone/DSL still working though. Going to disconnect everything now and get fireplace going.
Going to log off now. Hope all of you are safe if it is storming in your area. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Re: Morons said by Airwolf7 :Yes I edited my post after your reply. Sorry I did not use proper format to indicate the edit. Nerves shot now because everybody including the dog is yelling/barking because ice storm just took out tree down the street. Lots of noise, arcing, and transformers exploding. All my UPS devices are alarming. Phone/DSL still working though. Going to disconnect everything now and get fireplace going. Going to log off now. Hope all of you are safe if it is storming in your area. Good luck. Looks like the midwest has been slammed with another snow/ice storm.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page | |
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| | | flashcore
join:2007-01-23
Lutherville Timonium, MD | You do realize this is $140+ more then the Verizon offering right? The cheapest I found it for was $399 for the basic one going to $700+ for the more advanced versions. Not to mention you need to run cables through your house for the 2 antennas. | |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
 ·PHONE POWER
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Morons Exactly. This amplifier sounds great, but it's expensive and requires a lot of work to install properly. Using broadband to boost your cell service instead seems like a much cheaper, cleaner "plug and play" solution.
Getting unlimited calling at home would be a great feature add-on and hopefully Verizon will add that option, but some of us don't need it. Most of you acknowledge that going cell only makes a lot of sense, but cell service isn't perfect. Not everyone has a good signal in their home.
In fact, cell service works poorly at my home, my sister's home, my other sister's home, and my mother's home. We're all in compeltely different cities within Los Angeles county, the second largest city in the US. And in all four of our cases, none of the major carriers works well. It's like we have a genetic disposition for picking homes with poor cellular reception. Sure, it would be great if the carriers could beef up their coverage. AT&T installed a tower less than 4000' from me, but it still doesn't work well. Sometimes terrain just doesn't make cellular coverage practical.
With this device getting Verizon Wireless service is now an option for me. That's not to say it's perfect - it's not - at very least one should be able to limit access to your own cell phone. But for me it would still beat having to pay extra monthly fees for minutes I don't need.
-- Rob
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AT&T U-Hearse
Your funeral. Delivered.
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| Re: Morons I'm not sure where in the Copper Hill area you are, but expect AT&T cell sites on ..
-Copper Hill & Seco Canyon
-Decoro & Seco Canyon
-Startree ln & Raintree ln
-Plum Canyon & Bouquet Canyon
-Plum Canyon & Heller Circle
T-Mobile has a new site up near
Tessoro Del Valle
Seco Canyon Hazel St.
Sprint / Nextel doesn't show anything new
Verizon Wireless... couldn't tell | |
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MrMaster
What If
Premium
join:2000-12-16
Austin, TX
clubs: | What's the price on this thing? | |
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| | Airwolf7
Premium
join:2004-12-12
Franklin, KY
·AT&T Southeast
| said by neufuse :so, I'm a moron because I have spotty coverage in my house and wanted one just to improve coverage? No you are not a moron. I should not have insinuated that potential users of this device would be morons.
I'm sorry. It was not very nice of me.
What really sucks is that the femtocell could have been a great piece of technology but leave it to the providers to cripple/ruin it. | |
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N3OGH
Bear patrol must be working like a charm
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs | AW SNAP!
It sucks.... | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | Re: I think its great It's insulting because Verizon and at&t should be giving unlmited minutes for FREE. We are reducing loads on current towers and also reducing their need to add addtional towers both of which saves them loads of $$$$$$. | |
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See 26 replies to this post |
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kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL
| Idiots They don't get it. Neither does AT&T.
Sprint gave me the Airave device for free (actually, they gave me 10 of them for free) and also waived not only the $4.99 fee to use the device, but also the $20 fee for unlimited calling when using the femtocell.
Yes, it's most definitely the network...and it's time to ditch it and go for something more reasonable, like Sprint.
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»www.Digium.com | |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
| Re: Idiots How they hell did you get it. I was willing to buy the device and just burn minutes for when I use the cell at home. I get signal but not a good one. They insisted I have to get at least the $5.00 plan. Babbled they have to do this because of the GPS service in the unit. I figured that was bull.
--
Any unauthorized use of your own judgment is strictly prohibited. | |
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uffda98
@vzbi.com
| Yeah that Sprint has it all right. Oh wait, they are that company that is near the edge of extinction. They are that company that is losing money and customers like a sive. Maybe they have to give it away to try and keep customers0. Free service from a company that goes out of business isn't a deal. | |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | rural broadband user? "Unless you're a rural broadband user with poor indoor cell coverage and $250 burning a hole in your pocket, it's simply not a very compelling offering."
maybe in fantasyland they have rural broadband users, in America they don't exist. | |
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See 10 replies to this post |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC |  Awful Idea
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| Re: Awful Idea said by wifi4milez :said by Matt :They should at least offer the option of a plan to add minutes at a significantly reduced rate. Absolutely. Give people the option to use their own plan minutes AND an option for cheap unlimited calls. Then almost everyone will be happy. For once, we wholeheartedly agree.  | |
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swintec
Premium
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME
 ·RapidVPS
·surpasshosting
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·VoicePulse
·RoadRunner Cable
| said by wifi4milez :said by Matt :They should at least offer the option of a plan to add minutes at a significantly reduced rate. Absolutely. Give people the option to use their own plan minutes AND an option for cheap unlimited calls. Then almost everyone will be happy. This is exactly what Sprint does. Sure they gave me the $100 device for free...however, I do pay the $4.99 monthly access charge. I use my plan minutes and I still do not come close to using them all each month, part of it may be due to my unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7 PM.
Anyways, I have usable coverage outside of my house, but the problem is, hour long conversations standing in two feet of snow gets old quick. It has nothing to do with carriers refusing to expand coverage, since like I said, coverage is fine outside. CDMA cell technologies just do not penetrate walls/buildings that well. My best option was simply pay 4.99 to not stand outside in the snow anymore, and also get to take advantage of my cell plan more than I was in the past, so essentially I feel like I am now getting more value out of my plan.....strangely enough, as of late...I am now also getting EVDO data coverage when before I was not.
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Block Accounts | UseNet Now | |
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Jahntassa
What, I can have feathers
Premium
join:2006-04-14
Conway, SC
| One use.. You know, there are people that don't get good coverage from VZW. I have a couple of co-workers in LA that simply can't get good reception in their houses, most likely because they're in the hills.
I can't see why this wouldn't work for them. While this isn't a 'weapon of the century' I don't see why it wouldn't work as a local 'repeater'. $250 to have your own tower, wow, what a ripoff?
Honestly, if you need to stick with VZW but you have bad coverage at your home, why not use this? The main concern I could see is that you might hit a bandwidth cap, but if you aren't in an apartment (as said), I don't see that as much of an issue.
Am I wrong here? | |
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hw
@myvzw.com
| Re: One use.. No you're not wrong at all. The reviewer views it as some way to get full 3.1mbit EVDO to his phone (Blackberry, whatever). That's not what it's for. It's for exactly that situation, if you've got broadband, but cell phones just don't work due to terrain or NIMBYism, you get this and you're good. Voice, SMS, ok there's no EVDO, but picture and video messages, etc., are not too bad at 1X speed honestly.
As for the billing (that others have complained about).. sour grapes. Sprint and T-Mobile both charge a monthly fee for the privilege of having coverage where you want it. Sprint waiving fees? They give people crazy deals, this is not sustainable, they will go bankrupt if they continue doing this. | |
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| | dieman
Premium
join:2002-08-02
Minneapolis, MN
| Re: One use.. Uh, I don't pay for a fee on UMA. If you pay a fee for UMA on t-mobile its for unlimited UMA minutes. Otherwise it just uses the bucket for free. Since my workplace has one of the largest (no joke) 802.11n networks I've got a ton of great coverage on our campus, not just a few hundred square feet. | |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| you have 'urban' method (AT&T/T-Mobile) or rural method (VZW I personally would prefer one of these devices to have the 'option' to use one or the other
Eg.
Device paid for only:
- Can be used, but no discounts on minutes, takes from your bucket (any user) - sort of like T-Mobile UMA w/o plan
Device 'with voice plan or data'
- Can be used with voice AND/OR data plan - for a low fee - unlimited voice/data should be usable.
In both cases, the user should be able to control who can access it. It _is_ your network after all.
Verizon Wireless network extender's value is that it provides cell service over Internet where cell service isn't available.. and that's about it. If it doesn't have any user limits, then it may be good for small businesses to deploy in far areas (i.e. top of a ski hill).
--
Canada = Hollywood North | |
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madiany
@charter.com | can i take one with me to mexico ? can i take one with me to mexico and use my cell phone down there? | |
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See 10 replies to this post |
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That Guy
@charter.com
| I'm getting one Well... lets see if I can sum this up.
1) I think the biggest insult is that I can't shut other people out of my network. (However I am not concerned because of the 15ft range you need to be into to connect).
2) I live in a village of 1500 people with terrible coverage (I don't even get one bar in my house)... not just from Verizon, but with any other cell provider available.
3) Who would want to pay $10/month extra for unlimited calling... I don't even come close to using all my minutes.
4) Bring me the one time cost over a monthly payment any day. I pay upfront now... or what I pay 2 to 3 times the cost down the road... some of you people are crazy
5) Why wouldn't it use your Verizon minutes? You are still using a network/system created by them to be used with their products. | |
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WCP
@comcast.net | Great Points No 3G No Thanks! | |
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mike12806
Premium
join:2007-08-28
Milton, MA
·Comcast
| Re: The network huh? I really don't see a device that doesn't add value except make your phone "work like it should", becoming the weapon of the century for Verizon.
I can definitely see it being a "niche" product, for those subscribers outside of normal cell range, but for sure most people go with the carrier that offers them coverage in their home, or they switch.
Verizon's only claim to fame is their network, not their devices, and if you have to pay $250 to make their network work, WHY BOTHER?!?!?!? | |
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devrandom
I got a pot, full of random stuff here
Premium
join:2003-06-28
| On Google News Karl, you've made it to the Google (for news crack addicts) News list.
Good thing too, because as it sounds, Verizon is smoking something really good with this femtocell and they could use a good beating. | |
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BeenThere
@rcn.com
| Not surprising ..."the telco structuring their service in such a way as to give it virtually no value to consumers. "
No surprise there. Just today I called Verizon to inquire about a lower bundle price on my home phone and internet service (I've been with them for years and my bill just keeps going up while "new" service prices keep going down). The operator's first "solution" was to add DTV to my phone and internet services - all for "only" $140 and month... basically adding $46 to my bill and setting me up with a service I neither asked for nor want.
Obviously they're not too clear on the concept of "value". | |
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PL
@omcastbusiness.net | Verippoff Verizon corporation is a modern plague on our society. Bone biters; All of them. | |
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Yuma
@myvzw.com
| Question... I get weak cell reception in my house out in the Oregon boonies so this thing might help. My question is this: I have internet access through a USB Verizon broadband cell device. Would the femtocell also improve my connection to the net (I currently get only one or two bars)? | |
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| cyclone_z
join:2006-06-19
Ames, IA | Re: Question... Nope. It assumes you already have a wireline connection to the Internet. What you need is a signal booster. See the device above. | |
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B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| The previous... weapon of the century 
-- B | |
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burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
·voip.ms
·RoadRunner Cable
| Not that bad of a joke. I'm not a Verizon customer, but I don't feel it's that bad. If you have no service in your house but Verizon is still the best for your needs, what other choice do you have? Many people don't use all their minutes (I have about 4,000 carryover minutes on my AT&T plan), so it wouldn't make much difference if it still uses them. Besides, there are still termination costs for connected calls. The fact that the call orginates (or terminates) on your internet connection doesn't mean the call costs nothing to complete.
One thing I don't like is the $250 price. If it was something like $100 and Verizon was my cellphone company, I would run out and buy one. With no added monthly fees, with the assurance of getting better cellphone reception in one's home, it's a worthwhile option for many. | |
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Tsume
join:2004-02-23
Johnson City, TN
·Embarq
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| Re: Not that bad of a joke. said by burgerwars :I'm not a Verizon customer, but I don't feel it's that bad. If you have no service in your house but Verizon is still the best for your needs, what other choice do you have? Many people don't use all their minutes (I have about 4,000 carryover minutes on my AT&T plan), so it wouldn't make much difference if it still uses them. Besides, there are still termination costs for connected calls. The fact that the call orginates (or terminates) on your internet connection doesn't mean the call costs nothing to complete. One thing I don't like is the $250 price. If it was something like $100 and Verizon was my cellphone company, I would run out and buy one. With no added monthly fees, with the assurance of getting better cellphone reception in one's home, it's a worthwhile option for many. Unfortunately for them, I have excellent indoor coverage.
Now if they would do something like every 5 minutes of phone call placed over femtocell uses only 1 minute of your plan, I would for sure be getting one. That and I'm in an apartment and I need to control who is using my bandwidth (lovely 250GB cap). | |
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| DominosJR
join:2009-01-27
Bradenton, FL
| Good for you that you are not a Verizon customer. I am and have been for more than 25 years. When cell service became available, I got that from Verizon as well.
Not because I love Verizon. I don't. In some places there simply isn't a reasonable alternative. And Verizon bloody well knows it.
This situation is slowly changing and it will eventually be the death of Verizon. They have stuck to it their customers for so many years that they don't really know how to do business any other way. As the cable companies and other wireless competitors continue to improve their networks, we should see meaningful alternatives for both home and business use.
Maybe this will send Verizon the way of Lehman Brothers. They were cocky too. Now they are no more. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if Verizon ended up just like them. | |
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