[Keynote]

I just dished out for a network extender from Verizon. It was just released today for only $249. That's right, I will pay Verizon to extend their own network. In addition, use my internet access and electricity for the device. I live in a major city and their cell phone service barely works within almost a square mile of where I live. How clever they are. Hey, it's the network. Just wanted to let everyone know that the device is out.

[blackwidowinsc]

Have you checked with any other carriers to see if they offer better service in your area? It sounds like you are an informed buyer but you are complaining about the purchase you made.

[terrain]

Sounds like a good deal if it works for you. I'm using a Zboost and its hit/miss at best in my setup/location.

Looks like its a femtocell device -

My only issue/worry is that there appears to be NO WAY to block other folks from using your Broad Band connection. Its 40K per phone call so in my area where the entire area has bad coverage - everyone on Verizon would be using my FemotoCell and therefore using lots of my bandwidth.

I plan to call our national account rep tomorrow to find out if there is a way to BLOCK unauth #'s... From the website it appears you can do some QOS (Priority on numbers) but no way to block.

[Keynote]

Have you checked with any other carriers to see if they offer better service in your area? It sounds like you are an informed buyer but you are complaining about the purchase you made.

I have and Verizon has the best service once I drive outside the one mile radius. So I really should give Verizon credit for that. I just wish Verizon had better business practices. I am happy about my purchase since there will be no more drop calls for me. I also have AT&T.

[pilotnh]

I feel really stupid on this one, but what exactly is a network extender? Verizon has very good service in my area but it is a little weak at my house.

[irocknikes123]

Something that EXTENDS the NETWORK to make the signal better

[46hemi]

in all fairness if you have no signal in your house they should "lend" this to you for the time you live in that location. I am not 100% sure they would not do that if you told them you were going to cancel due to lack of service.

[terrain]

Check out this link if you want some more info -

My only issue is folks using up my bandwidth to make calls on my exnender!

[terrain]

in all fairness if you have no signal in your house they should "lend" this to you for the time you live in that location. I am not 100% sure they would not do that if you told them you were going to cancel due to lack of service.

Ha - sounds good on paper but good luck getting VZW to agree to that. I'm in an area is has very poor coverage - I manage over 800 VZW accounts - have access to the VZW National manager etc... and best I do is get free overnight on our orders :-) LOL.

For more info do a search on femtocell - been around for a while and other carriers are using.

I plan to order one of these tomorrow to test - I'll give it a try.

[pilotnh]

First of all irocknikes123 thank you for your useless post.

Questions- what's to keep your neighbor from tapping into this signal? Can you limit the use to certain ESNs?

Pretty ironic that Verizon can get you to pay them to essentially put a mini cell tower in your basement using your bandwidth.

I can't help but think Comcast is SO not going to like this.

[duchess]

there is a buyers remorse period after you sign up with verizon, return it if it doesnt work for you - so complaining about signal strength or trying the get a device 'lent' to you is ridiculous.

[terrain]

That's my main issue - per the verizon faq you can set the unit in management mode - that allows you to set call priority but not exclude other's from using your tower = bandwidth. Each call is 40K - so figure everyone in the neighborhood using your tower = not so much SPEED on your BroadBand. I'll pick one of these up and post results.

[terrain]

Agree with others it is somwhat of a wacky post - you bought it so use it and like it or return it right?

Did you get it yet - or did you just order it?

I just dished out for a network extender from Verizon. It was just released today for only $249. That's right, I will pay Verizon to extend their own network. In addition, use my internet access and electricity for the device. I live in a major city and their cell phone service barely works within almost a square mile of where I live. How clever they are. Hey, it's the network. Just wanted to let everyone know that the device is out.

[ArizonaGuy]

The annoyance I find is that you've paid for a device (and if you buy Sprint's airave for their network you pay an additional monthly fee). You attach it to your own broadband. And yet you still have minutes deducted from your plan.

Since you've taken the load off of their cell towers and have paid them for additional hardware (and Sprint's fees), shouldn't the minutes be deducted at a lower rate? Every two voice minutes through your broadband deducts only one from your plan?

[pilotnh]

What is Verizon going to do when Comcast figures out their bandwidth is being used for this and starts throttling it?

[duchess]

yah i hear ya - no one wants to double pay for a service...but what are you gonna do. lol.

comcast just caps you at 250gb, so they dont really care till you (or your neighbor) hit that point. fios anyone?

[Fl9]

I just bought one of these today. Inside my office I barely get one bar and sometimes no service. This device plugs into your router and gets the verizon signal through the internet and transmits it about 15 feet. Only 3 lines can use it at one time. If you set it to management mode you can program up to 50 lines for priority. If I priority line makes a call it hands off the unknown line to the tower or just drops the call.

I have only had a limited time to test it but I did go to full signal strength in my office. i previously tried TMobile UMA service which uses your wireless router. That is a VOIP service where this is on the Verizon network. I also previously tried Sprint's system which just plugged into the wall and was supposed to amplify the signal. That one was a waste of time.

[Hawse771]

I just bought one of these today. Inside my office I barely get one bar and sometimes no service. This device plugs into your router and gets the verizon signal through the internet and transmits it about 15 feet. Only 3 lines can use it at one time. If you set it to management mode you can program up to 50 lines for priority. If I priority line makes a call it hands off the unknown line to the tower or just drops the call.

I have only had a limited time to test it but I did go to full signal strength in my office. i previously tried TMobile UMA service which uses your wireless router. That is a VOIP service where this is on the Verizon network. I also previously tried Sprint's system which just plugged into the wall and was supposed to amplify the signal. That one was a waste of time.

Tell me you're kidding on the 15 feet part? If this thing only boosts the signal for 15 feet it should be free...

[RetBchBoy]

Just read a little pamphlet on it and it only makes 1X data available NOT 1XEV...
FAIL!!!

[Hawse771]

Just read a little pamphlet on it and it only makes 1X data available NOT 1XEV...
FAIL!!!

$250 for 1X..thats absurd

[Fl9]

Tell me you're kidding on the 15 feet part? If this thing only boosts the signal for 15 feet it should be free...

The 15 feet came from Verizon technical support. With what Verizon charges I agree they should give these things away for free. But at least it seems to work and you can make your calls when you need to.

[Keynote]

What doesn't make sense is why you cannot limit on who can actually use the network extender. You can set priority but not block outside users from using the device. It's my internet account and my device. With Comcast internet data limits, this worries me. In addition, isn't this a somewhat of a security risk. It's almost like Verizon is making you extend their network for everyone at one user's expense. If that's the case then the device owner should be getting paid. Five thousand square feet is actually a good amount of distance if you live in an apartment building.

[Keynote]

Tell me you're kidding on the 15 feet part? If this thing only boosts the signal for 15 feet it should be free...

You have to be within 15 feet to connect to the device but then can go as far as 5000 square feet.

[Hawse771]

You have to be within 15 feet to connect to the device but then can go as far as 5000 square feet.

Hmm..so that in itself would keep 90% of unauthorized users from being able to use it? Especially in a house. So its basically only good for people in a office/house who get horrible reception and have a broadband modem and JUST need to make calls (hence 1X). Seems like a steep price for just that, Maybe if it were just $100-150 it would be cool. But if you're a business man I can see it being a must, you gotta be able to call peeps! I dont have problems in my house and rarely at work so it is not a useful tool for me especially since it doesnt support 1XEV

[eagle17]

I agree this is very expensive for a 1x device. The reason I have verizon is that they have great reception in and around my house, however I do know some places where phone access is abit hard to come by.

I will be passing on this.