T-Mobile unveils @Home service nationwide
What has up until now been the exclusive playground of Seattle and Dallas-based T-Mobile customers will soon be sweeping across the entire nation. T-Mobile has announced that their @Home VOIP phone service will be available wherever T-Mobile service is found, beginning Wednesday, July 2nd. For those that need a refresher course, @Home is a supplemental service that allows existing T-Mobile customers to add a home phone line to their account for $10/month. The service requires a proprietary Linksys Wi-Fi router that accepts a T-Mobile SIM card, but customers are free to use the cordless phone of their choice. The price of the HiPort router is $49.99 with a 2-year contract when you purchase the service. We have yet to test an actual unit, but if it works as well as they say it does, we think this might prove to be an excellent alternative to a stand-alone land-line subscription.
This is something I have to admit to being excited about.
Permalink | Reply
a pretty nice blog about tmobile? wow! and just to verify things, soft launch around the USA is tommorow and the official launch is july 11th.
Permalink | Reply
Told you we don’t hate them…
Permalink | Reply
This service is terrible! I have a t-mobile blackberry 8320 with at home service and there is no smooth transition between cellular and wifi. If this works anything like that I’d never buy it in a million years.
Permalink | Reply
to chris
This isn’t using cellular it only using wifi.
So transitions won’t play into using this device.
Ps did you update software on http://www.T-mobile.com/bbupgrade known issue with first software release for 8320
Down with Vontage.
Permalink | Reply
finally!
Permalink | Reply
I use at home on my Curve…eveverything works good.
Permalink | Reply
Soft launch is today, real thing is July 2nd, not July 11th…
Permalink | Reply
We are in Dallas and have been using tmobile@home for three months, it is great. The service is the same as the digital verizon service, we had before, less the $120 a month.
The $9.99 a month is what verizon charged for the voice mail. The router only allows two lines, was the only draw back.
Permalink | Reply
Sooooo good !! It’s a good move by t-mobile.
Permalink | Reply
sounds great will be checking this out for sure.
Permalink | Reply
I’ve been in both test markets for this service, but I was unable to get it because T-Mobile’s billing system looks at this service / add-on as a sixth line if your T-Mobile family plan is maxed out with five mobiles already. Hopefully they have this worked out, because a lot of potential early adopters in Dallas and Seattle were not able to get T-Mobile @Home VoIP.
Permalink | Reply
I will have to check this to be 100% but I don’t think there will be a non-wireless subscriber plan for 49.99/month at launch. I am pretty sure that you have to be a T-Mobile customer with a qualifying rate plan 39.99 or higher for single line and 49.99 or higher for a family plan. This may be something that they allow for later but it doesn’t make much sense as it really seems to lose its value at that price. Traditional home phone service would be cheaper as long as long distance calls were kept to minimum. Soft launch is June 25th and official launch is July 2nd as mentioned before. I have tried it out myself and it works just great. No transitions to worry about like Chris mentioned before and the voice quality is as good as any other home phone.
P.s
It does appear that you are not a T-Mobile hater after all.
Permalink | Reply
Can you keep your landline number when switching to this service?
Permalink | Reply
I hope it works better now. When I bought into this system over a year ago, it barely worked. First I had a Nokia, one of 2 phones that could do this. It was terrible and now in a landfill. Then I bought a Blackberry, the 3rd phone available, and it barely worked. It often froze the phone and I missed calls, which pissed my wife off big time. After 2 weeks I threw away the BB, bought the iPhone, and never looked back. T mobile is terrible.
Permalink | Reply
All porting rules do apply with activating on T-mobile. So you should be able to port numbers in. But I will ask your landline before making any changes to T-mobile. I have seen some cariers try to prevent porting out numbers.
Permalink | Reply
I’ve been using this for a few weeks now and its great. @ 10$ a month for unlimited calls, just can’t be beat. Includes all your normal cell features plus voicemail. On top of the cool Vtech phones working great my Blackberry 8320 is perfect on UMA. the router has space for 2 sim cards and two RJ11 jacks so use that awesome sports illustrated football phone over your internet connection.
Permalink | Reply
The soft launch is today (June 25) and national launch is July 2.
Permalink | Reply
yes you can port your number, current eligible plans include at least 39.99/mo individual plan, 49.99/mo family plan(grandfathered plans are also eligible as long as they meet the current requirements). The t-mo@home service will be considered m2m for people calling from t-mo cell phones with m2m feature. Interntional rates apply just like t-mo cell phones. There is discounted calling to canada and mexico as well. This is also the first home phone service to offer callertunes if that’s something you MUST have. This is totally different than hotspot@home. You connect touch tone phones to the router, splitters work too, so get the first line running into your house into the router and all phones will work like they do now. Unlimited nationwide calling for $10/mo, why not?
Permalink | Reply
does the router support fax functions? Some VOIP do not support fax, has anyone tried using this as a fax line?
thank you
Permalink | Reply
Another question, someone on engadget posted that faxes and satellite receiver modems dont work with this, is that correct? And regarding incoming charges, t-mo users are charged m2m rates, what about people calling from landlines or other wireless carriers? Do they pay more?
Permalink | Reply
Don’t bash the service or T-mobile just because you’re having technical issues with the service. There are those of us using this service and it has worked out great.
Permalink | Reply
According to the internal memos released on HOFO about a month ago,
you cannot send faxes or use a modem with this thing.The paperwork
says it would require a separate land line for these services. I have
AT&T’s Callvantage voip service for my home phone and it sends faxes
and is able to use modems just fine. I’m not advertising for AT&T,
but they do have better Voip service than anyone out there. I use
T-Mobile for my wireless and have no problem using two different
companies for my phones services. If AT&T had reasonable prices for
wireless plans then I’d use them, but alas they don’t.
Permalink | Reply
So that would mean Tivo’s wont work with it either?
Permalink | Reply
yes unfortunately security systems and faxes will not work, however, most satellite recievers and TiVo boxes will. when july 2nd comes there will be a list of everything not compatible. For TiVo it was pre-stated that only the first 3 models made will not work. many home phone providers have a fax line for $10/mo anyway, and security systems can actually be changed to use your mobile number instead of the home number. Not too many obstacles to overcome here.
As for other carriers, they will be charged per minute of usage just like they always have. t-mo customers can call @home numbers with their cell phones for free if they have m2m on their plan.
say goodbye to goodbyes, the commercials are pretty good too
Permalink | Reply