In-home cellphone links, or femtocells, could be next revolution

The industry is preparing to try to convince consumers that they need a device for their homes called a femtocell, which provides better indoor coverage by linking a cellphone wirelessly to a fixed-line broadband Internet connection, which has more capacity and is usually faster. The IHT reports. "By some estimates about a third of cellphone calls are made in homes as consumers now favor less-expensive fixed-line services, the computer and Internet calling services like Skype. With improved indoor coverage, which is still spotty in the United States, Europe and many developing countries, more people might be tempted to use their cellphones, helping to increase the revenue of wireless operators. "Femtocells offer mobile operators a way to make the mobile phone competitive indoors, not just with the fixed-line phone, but with a computer connected to a broadband Internet connection," said Andy Tiller, the vice president of marketing at ip.access, a British company that makes femtocells." permalink (December 3rd, 2007)

Femtocells should end bad cell phone reception

There is a new home technology on the block, known as femtocells, and if the hype is to be believed, it will end signal problems forever. The BBC reports. "The paperback sized-boxes are essentially a compact, personal mobile phone base stations that plugs straight in to your internet connection. Make a phone call on your mobile, and instead of routing the call through the network of base stations and masts that cover most of the country, it sends the call over the internet using your broadband connection. Until now, they have been the preserve of big business, but sometime in the next two years they could come bundled with your mobile phone contract. " permalink (July 26th, 2007)

Verizon launches femtocell for all comers

Verizon has officially launched its own line of femtocells, allowing cellular customers with poor reception in their homes or offices to take advantage of their broadband connections to make cell phone. [via arstechnica] permalink (January 27th, 2009)

Sprint's Femtocell

A growing number of mobile phone users have the option of installing small base stations, called femtocells, in their homes to boost coverage indoors. [via Investors Business Daily Several carriers around the world are testing the femtocells, which also have the benefit of reducing traffic on regular cell towers. Sprint Nextel sells the devices in Denver, Indianapolis and Nashville and says it plans to offer femtocells nationwide this year. It charges $50 for each device, meaning it is subsidizing the roughly $200 cost of each unit. Related articles linked to femtocells. permalink (April 4th, 2008)