Looks like T-Mobile quietly launched its dual WiFi/cellular phone service called “T-Mobile Hotspot @ Home” yesterday in Seattle. Potential customers can sign up for the service at www.theonlyphoneyouneed.com. The T-Mobile service is based on Unlicensed Mobile Access, UMA, which is a big boost for the standard, and will work over the two launch handsets the Nokia 6136 and Samsung T709. We previously wrote about T-Mobile’s UMA plans, and had been expecting the service last month.
If this story interests you, check out our
upcoming conference: Mobilize — The Next Generation Mobile Conference
10 comments so far
9:21 AM PT
Any idea on the price/mo for getting @Home service?
9:32 AM PT
brilliant. now where’s sprint? verizon? others? looks like i might be finally switching over…
9:41 AM PT
Ravneet, it’s a $19 per month add-on (according to NYT)
9:44 AM PT
I wonder if you get T-mobile Hotspot internet access for your phone or laptop as well.
1:08 PM PT
Thats what I have been hearing on the price Jacob ($19.99).
That is way too much price to pay when the service makes use of users’ broadband. Casual users are mostly at home when they can make use of the UMA, and as TMO is selling this as a ‘better coverage @ Home’ feature, $19.99 is a bit too high for those ~100mins you can use at home.
1:18 PM PT
I have T mobile and I would consider this plan if:
1>Its $20 per account, not per phone
2>Its a FREE router that I can use for access to my home network on my laptop
3>It works on all open WiFi networks
4> I can use my laptop at T-Mobile WiFi networks at no extra charge.
And I am dreaming here now but, 5> Nokia introduces an E70 with UMA
4:16 PM PT
“That is way too much price to pay when the service makes use of users’ broadband. Casual users are mostly at home when they can make use of the UMA, and as TMO is selling this as a ‘better coverage @ Home’ feature, $19.99 is a bit too high for those ~100mins you can use at home.”
That’s an OK price if you think of it. It’s landline substitution plus. People are using their mobiles in lieu of landlines anyway and this is an extension of that. So the @Home service isn’t for everyone for sure. But Ravneet may have it wrong. You pay $40 as a base plan and then it’s 20 on top of that for unlimited calling (domestic I imagine) at home and any T-Mobile Hotspot.
As a consumer, I would hope that it’ll work in all open wifi networks but from T-Mobile’s viewpoint, where is the upside there?
1:57 AM PT
the upside from tmobile’s viewpoint is freeing up the gsm network. gsm is different from cdma by many different ways but one of these ways it that cdma can accept a theoretical unlimited amount of users during peak times but the only downside is that the call quality decreases as the load increases. gsm on the other hand the quality stays the same but there is a limited amount of users that can be used in let’s say one given antenna. so therefore as more people use the wifi, it free’s up the gsm network so that it can support more tmobile/roaming subscribers.
11:56 AM PT
anyone actually purchase this yet?
i contacted t-mobile, in seattle, the end of nov and they had no idea what i was talking about.
10:13 AM PT
A few items from someone who has it,
You have to go to an actual tmobile outlet in seattle. you can go to (link) for a list.
Resellers will have no idea what it is since it is not widely offered yet.
I’m not sure where Jacob got ~100 min. But the svc is unlimited over wifi, to anywahere in the US.
It does work on every wifi that is not password protected. It also does not work on ones where you need to click accept such as hotel lobbies.
I am not sure yet but I think this means you could travel with it worldwide and go to open wifi to call home unlimited.
It is $19.99 and must be added to a $39.99 or bigger plan
Best way to sign up.
Go with Current family plan deal
$39.99 + $19.99 wifi = ~$60 per mo.
1000 min
Anytime, anywhere, no roaming, no long distance
Unlimited mobile to mobile
You’ll have two lines of svc to split the minutes
a free voip optimized router after rebate
And unlimited wifi talking on each phone(worldwide maybe)
Try to beat that on any other carrier
Peace out
Leave a Comment