1. modifier's Avatar
    Just ordered one this morning from the business department. Cost was $0 shipped, although I don't know if it's the same for non-business accounts. The page on T-Mobile mentions a $25 refundable deposit for regular customers.

    Wifi Calling & Wifi Extenders for Better Service at Home | T-Mobile

    Assuming it works as advertised it will reduce the need for WFC in the Passport and Classic. It's still good to have it in the handset but this could be a good compromise. Scratch that. I was misinformed by Business Care on device function. Apologies for relaying bad info.

    [Q10]
    Last edited by modifier; 09-24-14 at 06:53 PM.
    09-17-14 09:35 AM
  2. jaydee5799's Avatar
    Don't carriers usually provide these for free?
    09-17-14 09:56 AM
  3. modifier's Avatar
    ATT/VZW? Sure. Tmo? Not usually. It was free for me but doesn't sound free for those who eat cake. Business accounts with Tmo rarely pay for equipment or activation. But, the price wasn't the point of this thread.

    This device was just released this morning, 17 Sep.

    [Q10]
    09-17-14 10:03 AM
  4. barbarianthemadserb's Avatar
    Just ordered mine this am too. No shipping cost and no deposit (or so said the sales person).
    09-17-14 11:32 AM
  5. scrannel's Avatar
    So far as the Gogo business: they list a handful of phones that come compatible. Then a list of phones which will be receiving updates. Of course, no BBerry on the list. At least for now. I guess what the software does is -- what we can do by hand -- put in a/p mode, activate wifi and turn on wifi-calling. As far as cost, it's a little unclear whether you have to pay for the wifi service first. If you do, then this is a service for those who ordinarily couldn't figure it out on their own?
    09-17-14 11:40 AM
  6. raino's Avatar
    As far as cost, it's a little unclear whether you have to pay for the wifi service first. If you do, then this is a service for those who ordinarily couldn't figure it out on their own?
    You're talking about the cost to use Gogo WiFi? I think that's going to be free now. It wouldn't be worth announcing if you could pay to get on their network to text...you can already do that (as you said you have done personally.)

    Reading their directions the other day (and perhaps parsing too much,) it said these things that might worry me as a BB10 user:

    Update device software over Wi-Fi, if needed (are they pushing something out OTA for this?)
    Click the T-Mobile banner on the Gogo start screen for free access

    Both of these, especially the second point means there is some sort of verification involved. Hopefully it's just a SIM check to confirm that you are a TMO customer, and not a compatible device-check.
    09-17-14 12:40 PM
  7. hubermania's Avatar
    Assuming it works as advertised it will reduce the need for WFC in the Passport and Classic.
    Au contraire, Personal CellSpot is simply a Wi-Fi router that is optimized to give priority to WFC packet traffic.
    09-17-14 03:08 PM
  8. Kwms's Avatar
    Au contraire, Personal CellSpot is simply a Wi-Fi router that is optimized to give priority to WFC packet traffic.
    i think he is assuming it somehow performs like a Cel-Fi booster that internally hands off to your internet connection, instead of a T-mo tower. I don't see/understand it that way either. Or maybe he knows something we don't.
    09-17-14 03:41 PM
  9. AnimalPak200's Avatar
    Don't carriers usually provide these for free?
    I had to pay for my Verizon network extender a few years back,.. and the Internet reconnection it relies on ever since. Such an "awesome" deal........

    Posted via CB10
    09-17-14 03:45 PM
  10. modifier's Avatar
    Au contraire, Personal CellSpot is simply a Wi-Fi router that is optimized to give priority to WFC packet traffic.
    Supposedly this contains no ability to act as a router, or so I've been told. Home routers already have QoS settings for VoIP traffic so it makes little sense to release a device just to prioritize WFC traffic.

    i think he is assuming it somehow performs like a Cel-Fi booster that internally hands off to your internet connection, instead of a T-mo tower. I don't see/understand it that way either. Or maybe he knows something we don't.
    Tmo business sales said it works like a femtocel. If you already own a signal booster they won't let you have this due to overlap. If it's just a gateway for existing WFC routing then it'll be useless in Tmo's quest to expand coverage.

    In any case, I guess I'll know soon enough.

    [Q10]
    Last edited by modifier; 09-17-14 at 05:36 PM.
    09-17-14 05:23 PM
  11. Kwms's Avatar
    Supposedly this contains no ability to act as a router, or so I've been told. Home routers already have QoS settings for VoIP traffic so it makes little sense to release a device just to prioritize WFC traffic.


    Tmo business sales said it works like a femtocel. If you already own a signal booster they won't let you have this due to overlap. If it's just a gateway for existing WFC routing then it'll be useless in Tmo's quest to expand coverage.

    In any case, I guess I'll know soon enough.

    [Q10]
    oh, that would be great then! And negate everything i have said.
    09-17-14 05:40 PM
  12. modifier's Avatar
    oh, that would be great then! And negate everything i have said.
    I sure hope so, otherwise business sales will have wasted a bunch of my time. I read enough conflicting reports this morning (Anandtech also said it's a femtocel) that it seemed worth trying for myself.

    [Q10]
    09-17-14 05:44 PM
  13. Powdah's Avatar
    Paid $200 for a Verizon booster a few years ago. It has become problematic and Verizon wants another $250 for a new one.
    09-17-14 05:47 PM
  14. Kwms's Avatar
    I sure hope so, otherwise business sales will have wasted a bunch of my time. I read enough conflicting reports this morning (Anandtech also said it's a femtocel) that it seemed worth trying for myself.

    [Q10]
    Oh!!! T-Mobile about to confuse the heck out of people lol

    09-17-14 06:58 PM
  15. barbarianthemadserb's Avatar
    Just to take out the confusion. TMO just today introduced the WIFI CELLSPOT ROUTER. It is indeed a router. I went onto the TMO site, found this router and chose the correct one. Then I looked at the instructions and videos (including opening the box which shows a ROUTER being taken out). This router I believe is made by Asus. It does not take 4g LTE off the air and amplifies it and sends the signal throughout the house. It hooks directly into the modem . There are many configurations. Just go to TMO site and there is a lot of info there. They do have other Personal cellspot devices as shown by the poster who included opening of the box.
    09-17-14 07:54 PM
  16. modifier's Avatar
    Just got off the line with Tmo bus care and they sent the router gizmo. Crap.

    [CB10 / Q10]
    09-17-14 08:36 PM
  17. raino's Avatar
    Just got off the line with Tmo bus care and they sent the router gizmo. Crap.
    Shouldn't be a problem, IMO. If you can return a $600 iPhone after a "test drive" to any TMO store, a $25-deductible router should be returnable too. Just call business CS, and they should set it up for you, or at least send you a prepaid mailing label.
    09-17-14 09:08 PM
  18. gariac's Avatar
    Shouldn't be a problem, IMO. If you can return a $600 iPhone after a "test drive" to any TMO store, a $25-deductible router should be returnable too. Just call business CS, and they should set it up for you, or at least send you a prepaid mailing label.
    I thought $25 is a deposit. So in a sense, I trust be returned sooner or later.

    Posted via CB10
    09-17-14 11:47 PM
  19. raino's Avatar
    I thought $25 is a deposit. So in a sense, I trust be returned sooner or later.
    Right. Used the wrong word there. $25 deposit, fully refundable. My bad.
    09-17-14 11:52 PM
  20. raino's Avatar
    09-18-14 12:03 AM
  21. modifier's Avatar
    Shouldn't be a problem, IMO. If you can return a $600 iPhone after a "test drive" to any TMO store, a $25-deductible router should be returnable too. Just call business CS, and they should set it up for you, or at least send you a prepaid mailing label.
    I didn't pay anything... zero deposit... device was free. I'm just disappointed that it isn't a femtocell as initially described by CS. I already have an AC router with QoS set for VoIP. I never lost WFC service during the blackout, either. I was hoping for a contingency plan in case Tmo didn't make amends with BB.

    So, in short... Crap.

    [CB10 / Q10]
    Last edited by modifier; 09-18-14 at 06:22 AM.
    09-18-14 12:43 AM
  22. gariac's Avatar
    There are two devices here. One is the wifi with QOS. Really silly in my opinion unless you can't figure out QOS. (When you are on public wifi, so don't have QOS and wifi calling mostly works anyway.) The other is the LTE booster.

    I nearly skipped the unboxing since they tend to be really stupid. (I'm cutting the security tape...wow, good tip.) But this one shows the LTE booster is two boxes with a wireless connection between them. it looks well thought out, though you have to wonder on what frequency they bond together.

    If somebody can get the FCC numbers on the units, I can dig up the data from the FCC product database.


    Posted via CB10
    09-18-14 04:30 AM
  23. modifier's Avatar
    I nearly skipped the unboxing since they tend to be really stupid. (I'm cutting the security tape...wow, good tip.) But this one shows the LTE booster is two boxes with a wireless connection between them. it looks well thought out, though you have to wonder on what frequency they bond together.
    Other than the two boxes being the same size, it's no different than any other Cel-Fi unit. It's made by Nextivity. IIRC they bond over 2.4GHz.

    [CB10 / Q10]
    09-18-14 06:21 AM
  24. kvndoom's Avatar
    I made the call this morning... I'm just in it for the "free" router! ASUS routers are damn awesome. Once I get the T-Mo router, I'll sell the one I just bought. :P
    09-18-14 08:48 AM
  25. gariac's Avatar
    I made the call this morning... I'm just in it for the "free" router! ASUS routers are damn awesome. Once I get the T-Mo router, I'll sell the one I just bought. :P
    http://arstechnica.com/security/2014...xploited-flaw/

    One of many hacks on Asus routers. You really need to run DD-WRT or similar open source firmware on a router.

    Posted via CB10
    09-18-14 12:17 PM
31 12

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