[Mobilepartners] T-Mobile VOIP/Cellular Hybrid Service

[Andrew Yu]

Hello,

As we get inundated with hourly news from the iPhone release, T-Mobile 
recently launched a nationwide HotSpot @ Home WiFi Service after an initial 
trial in Seattle.

In short, the service allows T-Mobile customers to save money on voice calls 
by using Wi-Fi connection at home and other T-Mobile HotSpots (e.g. 
Starbucks, airports, etc.). The other interesting thing is the "seamless" 
handoff between a cellular and Wi-Fi connection. So, in theory, you can 
start talking on the phone at a Starbucks (using Wi-Fi which gives you 
unlimited minutes) and walk to your car and not lose the call (as Wi-Fi 
hands off the call to T-Mobile's GSM network) .

This is the first commercial release of this type of service from any major 
carrier in the U.S., and it demonstrates how the future might be like when a 
Wi-Fi enabled devices can provide both cost savings (by using less cellular 
minutes) and better coverage (switching between Wi-Fi and cellular network) 
using ONE phone number.

If you are interested, there is an Engadget article:
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/06/27/t-mobile-goes-national-with-hotspot-home-wifi-calling/
The article makes it sound like you can use the devices to make "free calls" 
using any Wi-Fi network that can be added to the phone (even possibily at 
MIT using MIT's Wi-Fi network.
*** This has not been verified and I will ask T-Mobile for more information 
in the near future ***

To get the official version from T-Mobile:
http://www.theonlyphoneyouneed.com/

Andrew

_______________________________
Andrew Yu
Mobile Devices Platform Coordinator
Information Services & Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Phone: 617-324-8985
Email: andrewyu at mit.edu