Verizon just launched their Network Extender Femtocell this weekend for $250. It is very similar to Sprints AIRAVE wireless service extender. In case you don’t know it just uses your broadband internet connection to extend Verizon service in your home with a mini cellphone tower. Unlike Sprint there is no monthly fee required so that makes this a better deal.
You can only use the device in the US (via GPS) which sucks since it would be awesome if you could take it overseas. Also the biggest failing is that there is no EV-DO support so your device will use really slow data! This sucks since Verizon BlackBerrys do not have WiFi for data. I actually tend to like T-Mobiles implementation of UMA better since it works over WiFi but that is a bit of a battery drain and does not work for non-WiFi UMA phones.
Nikolaus Walch Not Registered
Posted: January 27, 2009 at 1:04 PM EST
I’m still laughing why no one else adopted UMA like T-Mobile. Once you leave the location of your femtocell, you are depending only on the towers again. Since I got a Wifi-berry I have discovered just how much open wifi there is around all the time. 4/5 restaurants, bars, and even dr. offices have open wifi. Also when traveling internationally my phone thinks it is back in the USA with no SIM switch or roaming charges. Why stick a femtocell in your home when your existing Wifi and any open Wifi will do the same?
DavidB Not Registered
Posted: January 27, 2009 at 1:15 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9530
No EV-DO=fail.
Nate Not Registered
Posted: January 27, 2009 at 3:26 PM EST from my BlackBerry 8330
@David B I completely agree!