[paulker]

Originally Posted by wrexham103.4

has anyone's come today yet?

Still waiting

[DevonBloke]

I'm still waiting too. The guy I spoke to said they are shipping open but there will be a sim update in a couple of weeks that will lock them and you then have to put in the numbers you want it to allow.

[wrexham103.4]

Well i just rang tmobile and lady i spoke to says mine hasn't even been sent out yet! and to call tomorrow for an update

[bluestraw]

Just called Orange business and they say they have no stock to sell, suggested I call EE and buy one directly. Apparently the stock sheet says 'coming soon' - yet I read above that someone on t-mobile has bought one. Any thoughts on the best number to call to cut through this madness?

[paulker]

I just called them up to see if it been sent out. For some reason the order says cancelled even though it wasnt cancelled by the cs agent. Weird. I was told to email the cs agent later on to tell him if it was delivered or not.

I'm not holding my breath tbh.

He said my account has been charged and the box was ordered and they do have stock

[wrexham103.4]

Well i just called to clarify, been told the order is waiting to be picked at the warehouse and there is a backlog, but they are in stock. who knows................................................

[DevonBloke]

Got a few things to do first but I'll ring EE in a minute to see what story I get.

[DevonBloke]

Well just dialled 150 and got "Welcome to EE business" cool!
Same data, same price, same perks (EE Wednesdays) but way better CS. UK based, very nice Scottish lady with a lovely accent and very clued up on everything. Got cut off (need that bloody Femto) and she called right back, checked stock, got put on hold while she enquired about it.
She said they do have stock but there is a problem with the amount of orders (no shit!!). It's like, wake up and smell the coffee EE, there are a lot of people who want one of these things.
She's going to call me back with an update. By the quality of the call, I've no doubt she will

[bluestraw]

Interesting chat this afternoon with Orange CS. After getting pushed around the various companies (including EE telling me that it only works on t-Mobile and EE!), finally someone seemed to take it seriously that I have no worthwhile signal and this box could fix it. His manager has supposedly authorised the sale on the basis of poor signal and I will hear back from the sales team to take the payment tomorrow - I'm in 2 minds whether to believe it, but at least it would be a good starting point for a follow-up call...

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by bluestraw

Interesting chat this afternoon with Orange CS. After getting pushed around the various companies (including EE telling me that it only works on t-Mobile and EE!), finally someone seemed to take it seriously that I have no worthwhile signal and this box could fix it. His manager has supposedly authorised the sale on the basis of poor signal and I will hear back from the sales team to take the payment tomorrow - I'm in 2 minds whether to believe it, but at least it would be a good starting point for a follow-up call...

I have been told by someone (of high integrity) that residential customers will be provided with one if they can prove a bad signal. Hope it works out for you. Keep pestering

[The Lord Lucan]

Didn't think that anyone would get a box today.. Even if at least one of you must have been the first folk to order.. Backlog = We just forwarded them to our crappy logistics company and they only just informed the courier to pick them up. Here's a tracking number for order that you might see delivered on Friday or maybe Monday.

[paulker]

Got a mail back from the cs agent. Box reordered for Thursday delivery.

[Pagemakers]

Originally Posted by DevonBloke

Wrexham got one on Tmobile residential. Had to get put through to Tmobile business to order one but persevered and got one eventually. Orange should be no different.
I had to go through EE business (I'm on EE4G residential) but after about 6 calls, got one eventually.
A lot of the residential CS staff don't even know about it yet.. You have to keep trying till you get someone with a brain and some common sense

As a T-Mobile residential customer, trying to get put through to business is proving really difficult. Any suggestions?

[Pagemakers]

Managed to order directly from T-Mobile residential. £89 and being delivered in 2 days.

Took 2 calls. First guy was a brick wall. 2nd lady was a helpful Geordie

[wrexham103.4]

Originally Posted by Pagemakers

Managed to order directly from T-Mobile residential. £89 and being delivered in 2 days.

Took 2 calls. First guy was a brick wall. 2nd lady was a helpful Geordie

oh good news, was just going to replay and say ring business direct hope mine comes soon

[DevonBloke]

I think they're all on 2 or 3 day delivery.
Right, now to put through that order for Hens teeth

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by Pagemakers

Managed to order directly from T-Mobile residential. £89 and being delivered in 2 days.

Took 2 calls. First guy was a brick wall. 2nd lady was a helpful Geordie

This is what you find. Some CS staff are numpties, some have some common sense. I think I rang about 5 or 6 times.

[Pagemakers]

Reading all the tech blurb and unlike the Voda one this only seems to boost 2G and not 3G.

Guess it doesn't matter too much because the house if covered in wifi.

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by Pagemakers

Reading all the tech blurb and unlike the Voda one this only seems to boost 2G and not 3G.

Guess it doesn't matter too much because the house if covered in wifi.

No you're looking at the wrong one. That's the Office 2G Femto (formerly Nano BTS) that needs to be installed by EE themselves. Very expensive.
This is the 3G Signal box for up to 4 simultaneous users. http://business.ee.co.uk/public-sect...ons/signal-box
They couldn't give out lots of 2G Femtos as these use time division and would be a macro interference nightmare!
3G is easier to integrate into an existing network.
And once again, these are not meant for data use generally.
3G carries voice too and the primary purpose of the signal box is to provide voice and SMS coverage.
Unfortunately a lot of people see "3G" and think "data/Internet".
As you say, the vast majority of routers have wifi and your handset will use wifi, overriding cellular.
This is an important point. Once you have a Femto, make sure your handset's wifi is always on. Otherwise you'll use up all your cellular data allowance when you don't need to. Again, this would be very expensive.
Once the signal box is installed your handset will function just like it does in an area of good indoor macro coverage. Data over wifi and calls over 3G.
Hope this makes sense.

[Pagemakers]

Whooo. Even better.

Why oh why is the EE site so awful and mobile unfriendly. It's impossible to find anything easily on there.

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by Pagemakers

Whooo. Even better.

Why oh why is the EE site so awful and mobile unfriendly. It's impossible to find anything easily on there.

Yeah, tell me about it. It's bloody terrible.
Another important point is its not a "Booster". It doesn't boost an existing 3G signal.
The signal box will produce good 3G indoor coverage even if there is absolutely none at all outside. All you need is at least 1Meg ADSL.
Here's the Booster http://business.ee.co.uk/public-sect...signal-booster
This is a Cel-Fi unit that requires at least a weak 3G signal in a window somewhere. £450 though
Once the signal box is commonplace these will probably no longer be required as a solution.

[Pagemakers]

I have a CEL-FI unit at the moment. Totally unimpressed.

[Batch]

Forgive me if I've missed it, but is there any indication the femto will be available to all sometime in the future (like Voda do) rather than just business. Or had there been no indication either way,

TIA.

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by Batch

Forgive me if I've missed it, but is there any indication the femto will be available to all sometime in the future (like Voda do) rather than just business. Or had there been no indication either way,

TIA.

I suspect they will eventually. They're just being cautious to start with. Vodafone sell out as soon as they get them in. EE were always worried about macro interference.

[Pagemakers]

Originally Posted by Batch

Forgive me if I've missed it, but is there any indication the femto will be available to all sometime in the future (like Voda do) rather than just business. Or had there been no indication either way,

TIA.

The lady from tmobile who sold me mine today said they are now for all customers. I'm not a business customer, I wasn't put through to the business dept when I made my purchase.