@home

[girlygirl333]

Ok T-mobile@home has been out for a while now. I've been considering getting it and wanted to know if you guys could share your personal experience with it?? I had heard before that it will slow the internet down if you are on the computer and the phone at the same time. I would like to know if that happens and how noticeable it is. Also, in the features it says Caller ID and Call Waiting, but I saw no mention of Call Waiting Caller ID (which is almost more important in my opinion). Anything else you might like to share would be appreciated as well.

Oh...do you have to pay for the modem right when you get it? or is it billed on your next billing cycle?? (a rep on the phone told me the latter)

[wralford]

HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - HotSpot@Home (http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=243)

[Leche159TKE]

Oh HowardForums. A little healthy competition never hurt anyone, right?

[analogs]

With the exception of the pseudo-international roaming capability*, there's nothing particularly exciting about at Hotspot @ Home. If you live or work in a place where you don't get cell reception, it's a life saver. If not, there's no reason to get it. Up until I got my G1, I had been using it since Oct 2007 and my girlfriend still uses it our apartment where we get no 2G reception.

At the moment, we have AT&T (6 megabit) DSL and the Linksys T-Mobile router. But even when we had the cheapo DSL and a regular router, it worked fine. Supposedly the T-Mo router does some QoS magic but I can't tell the difference in performance between the two. We regularly have two Samsung t409's and at least two laptops connected at the same time, sometimes more, and I've never had any bandwidth issues. Like any other cell service, there are occasionally times when you can't get connected but it's rare now. The early handsets had some network-related problems but they've all been resolved and, despite being heinously ugly, the t409 works great. You'll find reports to the contrary but I've never had battery life problems either. I could get a solid two days of moderate usage on my t409 whether I was using or WiFi or not.

I'm a little bit jaded on the subject because I think T-Mobile should be taking this technology a lot more seriously. The pathetic handset selection is one thing but what really gets me is that they continue to release WiFi-capable phones without it. Don't get me started on the Shadow...

To answer your other question, Call Waiting CallerID works. The phone functions identically whether you're connected to WiFi or a cell tower.

On a related note, I'm getting reception on my G1 where there was previously none to be found. Before you get too crazy with the H@H thing, you should look into a 3G handset. And even though the G1 is the only phone with true 3G data capabilities, other phones use the new UMTS network including the Nokia 6263, 3555 and the Samsung t819.

*You can connect to a WiFi signal anywhere in the world and use your phone like you're in the US.

[girlygirl333]

Thank you for replying *smile* That is good information to know for the hotspot@home ...I was looking into that as well, but it seems like the phones I like don't have it.

My questions were actually pertaining to the tmobile@home ..home phone service. Do you have any experience with that?

[fishsticks]

I've been using the @ home service (HOME PHONE) since day 1 of release and have not had any problems with it. I have cable internet and do a lot of online gaming so having the phone eat my bandwidth just wouldn't do and wouldn't have stayed active in my house if it did. My wife can be happily talking away on the phone while I play online games without me even noticing so all good there. The call quality is fantastic, even for calling card international calls. The router has come down in price too and until jan 5th there's free activation (ask 611 or automated system for at home or ask a rep to be put through to at home upsell) You also have your 14 (30 for cali) day buyers remorse so try it out, if it doesn't work for you, get rid of it. Oh, caller id gives name and number, no call waiting id, sorry! Any other concerns ask away, I am an upsell rep for T-Mobile (can add lines for at home service) so fully trained and experienced with the service....

[Guaner]

Sounds like it's a great service you're enjoying!