T-Mobile’s transition to VoIP
Check this out:
http://www.theonlyphoneyouneed.com/
It’s a system of devices and calling plans that enables you to use a T-Mobile hotspot wifi network to make calls when you are near one, and the regular mobile network when not.
This is a pretty radical move for a mobile carrier to make, since it’s a system where all of the intelligence is on the ends (internet style (well no shit, it is using the internet)) instead of in the middle (archaic mobile network style). This system hinges on Net Neutrality. Will Verizon start to filter or slow down T-Mobile voice traffic?
Certain aspects of the system are a little murkey…
- There probably isn’t a technical reason to restrict wi-fi usage to T-Mobile hotspot networks, other than I suppose quality control. Still, I think most users, given a minimal amount of education regarding the factors involved, would want flexibility over quality.
- They refer to your home network as a “T-Mobile hotspot”… does this mean that other t-mobile customers can use your home network with their laptops and phone plans?
- They sure aren’t making it easy to figure out how much these special plans cost.
- And last but not least… wow, look at all those handhelds! How long have these dual-platform devices been on the market in the US? It’s news to me.
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