Femtocell

Microsoft: The spam vigilante

Links from Friday's episode of Loaded:

Microsoft helps the feds bring down a large e-mail spam outfit.

The New York Times announces its pricing structure for access to digital editions.

Microsoft launches a mobile app to help men be cool.

The FCC may not allow cell phone boosters.

Samsung launches 3D video on demand in Korea.

New research shows that Twitter solidifies social circles of happy and sad people.

Portable device lets travelers make mobile calls over the Net

A new portable device will soon be able to help people make cell phone calls in other countries without relying on local 3G networks.

That bit of technical magic comes courtesy of a new device called an attocell, or a personal femotcell. Created by U.K.-based femtocell company Ubiquisys, the device is a small base station that can provide broadband Internet access to an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android phone, and virtually any other 3G mobile phone. But since it's smaller than a traditional femtocell, the attocell is designed to be portable.

The attocell from Ubiquisys connects to a laptop through a USB port, providing both the juice and the Internet access, according to Ubiquisys. From there, the device figures out which country it's in so it can determine the allowable 3G power consumption, which then dictates the range of the attocell to the phone. Depending on the country, the 3G range of the device could be as small as a fraction of an inch or as large as an entire room.

If the range is small, the user can place the phone on top of the device and make calls via a headset or speaker. Otherwise, the caller is free to roam around the room.… Read more

Ask Maggie: Am I better off with an iPhone 3GS?

Geeks will always tell you to get the latest and greatest product on the market, but sometimes choosing a previous generation product will satisfy your needs without breaking the bank.

In this week's column I answer a question from a reader who needs a new iPhone and can't decide whether to get the older-generation iPhone 3GS or the iPhone 4. Most technophiles would scoff at such a question. Who actually buys last year's model when this year's model is available? What do you think? I outline the pros and cons below. Feel free to add to … Read more

Verizon Wireless adds 3G to its Network Extender

Verizon Wireless will be releasing a new Network Extender femtocell that will finally be able to access 3G/EV-DO data. Like the previous Network Extender, it works by connecting to your home broadband connection. You can then use it to make and receive phone calls and text messages, and now, you can surf the Web with it as well.

According to Verizon Wireless, the 3G Network Extender has a 40-foot range and will work with up to six different Verizon Wireless devices. The unit costs around $249.99 upfront, but there's no monthly access fee to use it.

Sprint offering 3G femtocells if you qualify

Sprint has confirmed with CNET that it's starting to ship 3G-capable femtocells, but only to qualified customers. Like the previous 2G Airave, the Airave Access Point acts as a mini cell tower using your home or office broadband connection to help boost voice and data coverage. The primary difference between the two is that the Airave Access Point supports EV-DO while the older Airave only supports up to CDMA 1x.

Sprint spokesman Mark Elliott did tell us, however, that the Airave Access Point is not actually available for purchase. If you have specific coverage issues in your building, you … Read more

Ask and ye shall receive a free AT&T femtocell?

Maybe AT&T isn't as implacable as I'd thought.

In a venting of the spleen I wrote in March, I argued that AT&T should buy you a free femtocell if you're having troubles connecting to the company's 3G mobile phone network.

Then on Saturday, Engadget reported one AT&T customer got just what I sought. AT&T sent the customer a letter that he could collect one at the local AT&T store, but told Engadget it was only a market trial.

For background, a femtocell is a small radio … Read more

Sprint to upgrade its Airave femtocell to 3G

Even though Sprint was one the first carriers in the country to offer a femtocell solution to its customers, its Airave device was not able to support 3G service. So while your voice calls would improve, your data signal would be the same as before. (The Airave does provide coverage for the 1x network, however.)

Now it seems that Sprint will finally be adding 3G/EV-DO support to a new generation of Airave femtocells, including a port for landline VoIP, if these FCC documents are to be believed. Word is that Verizon is also getting in the game by releasing … Read more

Why AT&T should buy you a femtocell

Femtocells, network widgets that ease the problems that many suffer trying to use their mobile phone at home, are going to be selling like hotcakes soon.

But here's what I'm thinking. You shouldn't have to buy yourself a $150 femtocell. They should be coming with your next-generation mobile phone--for free.

Let me explain.

Don't feel bad if you haven't heard of a femtocell. But don't be surprised if you hear more about them soon, because they're a hot item. Market research firm iSuppli forecasts unit shipments to grow from 571,000 in 2009 to 1.9 million in 2010--and to continue surging to 39.6 million by 2013.

Femtocells are small, lower-power radio transmission stations that provide a 3G network connection to your phone. They plug into your home broadband network. AT&T has begun selling them in the United States, Vodafone is doing so in the United Kingdom.… Read more

AT&T to roll out 3G MicroCell nationwide starting in April

LAS VEGAS--After months of trial tests in select parts of the country, AT&T announced Wednesday that it'll begin rolling out its 3G MicroCell femtocell solution nationwide beginning in mid-April. Yes, that will include San Francisco and New York City, two of the more maligned cities when it comes to AT&T coverage.

As a reminder, AT&T's 3G MicroCell acts as a mini cell tower in the home to improve both signal strength and data connections via your home's broadband connection. The 3G MicroCell unit will sell for $149.… Read more