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."

emily | 9:53 AM | Technology |
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