The problem with UMA is well, it requires modification to the system ROM. Since the ROM is the firmware, using a custom ROM would require the networks to modify each and every custom ROM with their modified software - and it would still only work with phones with an actual RIL, whereas a "tacked on app" can work on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.
I was referring to Google/the device manufacturers implementing it themselves, so that the custom ROM brigade could more easily take the bits that are needed to make it work - and maybe it'll work properly.
The "tacked on app" I was thinking of is Orange's one. It isn't available except on the Orange ROM of a couple of Samsung phones. Despite being baked into Orange's ROM, it never actually works properly. It also means that if you wanted to debrand and move to the current Samsung firmware (which is normally way ahead of the Orange branded version), you have to think about losing UMA. Generic UMA support would help. (or a totally third party app, but having never used one I won't comment)
It's fine if you don't have to pay for it, but many people do.
Agreed. The networks should really give them to people who have serious issues, anyway (while there is no alternative from most networks/handsets in the form of UMA or an app). There may be no guarantee of coverage in any particular place but really people expect to at least be able to use their phone at home.
Compatibility with any 3G handset is one advantage of a femto, yeah. Though apparently most people have smartphones now and most smartphones are Android or iOS, so complete third-party apps have good reach too.
Back in the old days, if your chosen network didn't have coverage at your home, that was it. Tough. Cancel your contract and change networks was the only thing you could do.
As mentioned, I think not building it into phones is actually an advantage.
If I were to lose, break, or forget my phone I can use my phone service on anyone else's handset by downloading the app and logging in - UMA requires an actual SIM card, and an actual phone. An app can be used on any device with or without a SIM card slot, and you can have several devices connected at once - UMA only allows one. Because it requires the SIM card.
I don't see any issue providing both (UMA & APPs).
The reason an app on its own isn't enough is based on my experience of the o2 app and VoIP apps on android. We may just need a better quality of app.
The current app solutions do not provide a sufficiently high reliability to be trusted. UMA did get close to that on the Blackberry I used with a reasonable tool on battery.
On paper, I agree, a reliable app would be perfect. In reality we are yet to see a decent example. My guess is that the app cannot get a deep enough hook into the phone to maintain its connnections correctly (so it sometimes misses events etc). This probably also explains why battery life is affected so badly (inefficient polling?).
I wonder if this will easier to implement when VoLTE is activated?
I have three signal at around 2 bars (higher at top of house) in a fair proportion of my house, but lose signal downstairs especially in kitchen/dining room.
Three's coverage checker shows me as good - but outdoor coverage, which is pretty accurate - in a previous house in the same area I struggled inside with any signal, so much better now
When I switched from voda back to three I went 1-month, and am going to stick with it as everything else is so much better. The recent price change proposal on the 1plan (I have 30 day sim only 1 plan @ 18/month) means I'm going to call up three and upgrade to the 12 month contract
Any thoughts on likelihood of getting a home signal, and at what cost?
Any particular process recommended?
Any thoughts on likelihood of getting a home signal, and at what cost?
Any particular process recommended?
If it shows on the checker that you get good signal indoors and outdoors you may not get it. I only get good signal outdoors and they monitored my post code for a week or so and then phoned back and told me that i qualify for a Home Signal box, which works great.
You could phone up and blag it saying that the checker is wrong, really lay it on thick that signal is bad and you might get one.
Good luck.
I have the direct number to the Home Signal dept. if you want it?
I wouldn't bother with the 3 homesignal box!! I have had nothing but problem's, mainly NO INCOMING CALLS
I started getting a lot of voice mail's when leaving home to visit friends/shopping etc
when i returned home I dialled my mobile number from my land line and I could hear the ringing then it diverted to voice mail
but my mobile failed to physically ring and sat there on standby /fullsignal
It was like i had dialled a wrong number so i tried it again, and same again no call received on mobile.
I then reset box and voila!! it worked for a few hours and then voice mails again.
it seems to randomly loose its connectivity! hell knows why!
I have spoken to three hs cs several times but seem to get the usual reset the box/rest the box/
no definate resolution!
apart from the bin if it continues!
This could be a DHCP router issue. You cannot directly set the IP address of the signal box, and so the IP address is automatically set by the DHCP server.
I had similar problems with my box needing frequent reset. I found the IP lease time on my router only being a short period.
I modified the server to set the lease period (max 1 week on my router - some will do indefinite). After that I had no issues.
With some routers you can fix the IP address of your signal box by linking it to the mac address (usually on bottom of router).
I have three signal at around 2 bars (higher at top of house) in a fair proportion of my house, but lose signal downstairs especially in kitchen/dining room.
Three's coverage checker shows me as good - but outdoor coverage, which is pretty accurate - in a previous house in the same area I struggled inside with any signal, so much better now
When I switched from voda back to three I went 1-month, and am going to stick with it as everything else is so much better. The recent price change proposal on the 1plan (I have 30 day sim only 1 plan @ 18/month) means I'm going to call up three and upgrade to the 12 month contract
Any thoughts on likelihood of getting a home signal, and at what cost?
Any particular process recommended?
How I got one:
- Phone 333, complain about signal problems, say it's not a temporary issue (I said it has been this way for years and has caused me to leave 3 once, which was true).
- the rep told me that the network team will call me back (they did)
- they wanted me to be at home, I wasn't so they gave me a number to call when I was
- I called, and they put me on hold while they looked at my phone (I deliberately put my phone in the part of the house with no 3G signal at all)
- they came back, said it I was right, they don't plan on improving it, do you want a free home signal
If they offer it to you, they'll ask you to upgrade to 12 months in the same call, so you don't need to do it in anticipation of that. If you want to risk it you might want to do it anyway, to avoid the imminent price increase.
I don't agree with the person who says it is useless - I have had no real issues with mine, apart from a single dropped call once. It achieves a surprisingly good range in my house, which suffers from thick granite walls that don't help wifi signals much (I have two access points to cover a larger than average semi detached) - even works across the road in the car.
Apart from that dropped call, I found that the online form for adding other people's phones is crap, they never responded to me. Calling the number that is supplied with the box gets through to someone who can do it for you immediately.
Moving soon to area that does not have 3 3g coverage - even outdoors. Looks like the HS box will be vital. However anyone know if a 4G version is being readied for the future?
[QUOTE=Any thoughts on likelihood of getting a home signal, and at what cost?Any particular process recommended?[/QUOTE]
I am not sure if its the same but when home signal was released they said that sim only or pay as you go are not vaild for home signal boxes only 24 month contracts it may of changed but thought i would advise of what it was.
Moving soon to area that does not have 3 3g coverage - even outdoors. Looks like the HS box will be vital. However anyone know if a 4G version is being readied for the future?
Consumer wise.. Absolutely no point until the networks support VOLTE and it becomes well supported. I expect it will be corporate only for a long while. Surely wifi would suffice, especially seeing that nearly all the main networks will have a voice app shortly.
There are already 4G Fempto's, some EE and Apple stores have them. Very expensive though, not much demand out with retail.
Moving soon to area that does not have 3 3g coverage - even outdoors. Looks like the HS box will be vital. However anyone know if a 4G version is being readied for the future?
There's no point in a 4G homesignal box. It connects to your home broadband, and can't go faster than your home broadband.
You're better off using WiFi when at home for your phone data, so that you're not using up your data allowance on 3!
I am not sure if its the same but when home signal was released they said that sim only or pay as you go are not vaild for home signal boxes only 24 month contracts it may of changed but thought i would advise of what it was.
I'm on 30day SIM only (the one plan), cost £50 and was 3 phone calls. Free boxes may be more difficult to get. Worth the money for me.
Apart from that dropped call, I found that the online form for adding other people's phones is crap, they never responded to me. Calling the number that is supplied with the box gets through to someone who can do it for you immediately.
I thought the same until I realised that you need to restart the box a couple of days after filling out the online form...
I thought the same until I realised that you need to restart the box a couple of days after filling out the online form...
I am not so sure. When I called them, the numbers had obviously not been added as that's what the rep said. When he added them, they worked within a few minutes without needing to reboot the unit.
I am not so sure. When I called them, the numbers had obviously not been added as that's what the rep said. When he added them, they worked within a few minutes without needing to reboot the unit.
Ah! In my case I added the number online & nothing happened for weeks! Then I lost signal to the box one night and did a restart and when I eventually turned on the other phone it had full signal!
I don't need my second mobile now and will cancel ASAP. After reading comments online I'm not looking forward to cancelling
Well that was pretty easy. I dropped them an email on Wed saying I was interested in switching 1 to 12 month
They called back today and confirmed that but I was completely honest pointed out I was struggling a little in the kitchen/dining (trued - drops to no signal) but if that was resolved I'd go to 12 month. I was immediately offered one for free, so all sorted, just wait now. They of course pointed out that it remains their property, which is fine
pretty perfect outcome :-) and all for £15/month :-)
Comments
I was referring to Google/the device manufacturers implementing it themselves, so that the custom ROM brigade could more easily take the bits that are needed to make it work - and maybe it'll work properly.
The "tacked on app" I was thinking of is Orange's one. It isn't available except on the Orange ROM of a couple of Samsung phones. Despite being baked into Orange's ROM, it never actually works properly. It also means that if you wanted to debrand and move to the current Samsung firmware (which is normally way ahead of the Orange branded version), you have to think about losing UMA. Generic UMA support would help. (or a totally third party app, but having never used one I won't comment)
A potential benefit for the femtocell, anyway!
Agreed. The networks should really give them to people who have serious issues, anyway (while there is no alternative from most networks/handsets in the form of UMA or an app). There may be no guarantee of coverage in any particular place but really people expect to at least be able to use their phone at home.
Back in the old days, if your chosen network didn't have coverage at your home, that was it. Tough. Cancel your contract and change networks was the only thing you could do.
How close is your router to the 3 box? ie is there at least 60cm between them?
Who is your internet provided? Virgin by any chance?
The reason an app on its own isn't enough is based on my experience of the o2 app and VoIP apps on android. We may just need a better quality of app.
The current app solutions do not provide a sufficiently high reliability to be trusted. UMA did get close to that on the Blackberry I used with a reasonable tool on battery.
On paper, I agree, a reliable app would be perfect. In reality we are yet to see a decent example. My guess is that the app cannot get a deep enough hook into the phone to maintain its connnections correctly (so it sometimes misses events etc). This probably also explains why battery life is affected so badly (inefficient polling?).
I wonder if this will easier to implement when VoLTE is activated?
Three's coverage checker shows me as good - but outdoor coverage, which is pretty accurate - in a previous house in the same area I struggled inside with any signal, so much better now
When I switched from voda back to three I went 1-month, and am going to stick with it as everything else is so much better. The recent price change proposal on the 1plan (I have 30 day sim only 1 plan @ 18/month) means I'm going to call up three and upgrade to the 12 month contract
Any thoughts on likelihood of getting a home signal, and at what cost?
Any particular process recommended?
If it shows on the checker that you get good signal indoors and outdoors you may not get it. I only get good signal outdoors and they monitored my post code for a week or so and then phoned back and told me that i qualify for a Home Signal box, which works great.
You could phone up and blag it saying that the checker is wrong, really lay it on thick that signal is bad and you might get one.
Good luck.
I have the direct number to the Home Signal dept. if you want it?
This could be a DHCP router issue. You cannot directly set the IP address of the signal box, and so the IP address is automatically set by the DHCP server.
I had similar problems with my box needing frequent reset. I found the IP lease time on my router only being a short period.
I modified the server to set the lease period (max 1 week on my router - some will do indefinite). After that I had no issues.
With some routers you can fix the IP address of your signal box by linking it to the mac address (usually on bottom of router).
Any news on when we can expect to see the app come out?
No update as of yet on either network.
Does the 3 box support HD voice (not seen one in the flesh in awhile)
It does not
Do the EE ones support it?
Soon. End of Q1/beginning of Q2.
I was lead to believe it did at the start but after never hearing one happen, I checked.. it doesn't either.
I'd suggest an early Q2 is more likely than a late Q1, especially for EE's version.
Nope wish it did as it weird calling a couple of my friends when they are at home and not having that,
How I got one:
- Phone 333, complain about signal problems, say it's not a temporary issue (I said it has been this way for years and has caused me to leave 3 once, which was true).
- the rep told me that the network team will call me back (they did)
- they wanted me to be at home, I wasn't so they gave me a number to call when I was
- I called, and they put me on hold while they looked at my phone (I deliberately put my phone in the part of the house with no 3G signal at all)
- they came back, said it I was right, they don't plan on improving it, do you want a free home signal
If they offer it to you, they'll ask you to upgrade to 12 months in the same call, so you don't need to do it in anticipation of that. If you want to risk it you might want to do it anyway, to avoid the imminent price increase.
I don't agree with the person who says it is useless - I have had no real issues with mine, apart from a single dropped call once. It achieves a surprisingly good range in my house, which suffers from thick granite walls that don't help wifi signals much (I have two access points to cover a larger than average semi detached) - even works across the road in the car.
Apart from that dropped call, I found that the online form for adding other people's phones is crap, they never responded to me. Calling the number that is supplied with the box gets through to someone who can do it for you immediately.
My TalkTalk router sits on top of the Three signal box.
Excellent results and I am delighted with the resultant reception with Three.
Without the box I get no reception to perhaps one flickering bar. With the box I get a steady bars.
That will cause issues, unless your using 5ghz for wifi.
I am not sure if its the same but when home signal was released they said that sim only or pay as you go are not vaild for home signal boxes only 24 month contracts it may of changed but thought i would advise of what it was.
Consumer wise.. Absolutely no point until the networks support VOLTE and it becomes well supported. I expect it will be corporate only for a long while. Surely wifi would suffice, especially seeing that nearly all the main networks will have a voice app shortly.
There are already 4G Fempto's, some EE and Apple stores have them. Very expensive though, not much demand out with retail.
There's no point in a 4G homesignal box. It connects to your home broadband, and can't go faster than your home broadband.
You're better off using WiFi when at home for your phone data, so that you're not using up your data allowance on 3!
I thought the same until I realised that you need to restart the box a couple of days after filling out the online form...
I am not so sure. When I called them, the numbers had obviously not been added as that's what the rep said. When he added them, they worked within a few minutes without needing to reboot the unit.
Ah! In my case I added the number online & nothing happened for weeks! Then I lost signal to the box one night and did a restart and when I eventually turned on the other phone it had full signal!
I don't need my second mobile now and will cancel ASAP. After reading comments online I'm not looking forward to cancelling
They called back today and confirmed that but I was completely honest pointed out I was struggling a little in the kitchen/dining (trued - drops to no signal) but if that was resolved I'd go to 12 month. I was immediately offered one for free, so all sorted, just wait now. They of course pointed out that it remains their property, which is fine
pretty perfect outcome :-) and all for £15/month :-)