Optus releases femtocell mobile 3G 'base station'
- 28 July, 2011 15:59
- Comments
The Optus 3G Home Zone femtocell router
Optus has released a portable 3G “hot spot” based on femtocell technology that can be used by its mobile service customers to get full coverage in areas without a regular base station nearby.
The Optus 3G Home Zone connects to a regular fixed line broadband service – which doesn’t have to be from Optus – and connects regular GSM mobile phones to make voice calls over the IP network.
Unlimited standard national calls to landlines and mobiles are being offered from $5 a month per mobile handset.
Optus’ managing director of consumer marketing, Michael Smith, said the reach of the modem is a 30-metre radius and up to four devices can be connected to it simultaneously.
“The number of devices connected to the Home Zone really depends on the speed of the internet connection, but the modem supports 12 devices,” Smith said.
The device was piloted in April by “a couple of hundred” people in Sydney and Brisbane, but this launch making it available in all major cities and regional centres.
Smith said this technology is the biggest challenge to the home phone in more than 100 years and can compete with monopoly fixed-line voice services.
Mobile handsets are activated through a Web interface on the device, much the same way as a DSL router is configured. Optus does not guarantee any quality of service with the voice calls and it can be installed over any network, but it is possible the carrier will look at offering a service level in the future.
Mobile data is charged at the same rate as the subscriber’s existing plan. Smith said the amount of data the voice services take up when using the device is about 1GB per month based on average use.
Optus mobile customers on plans of $59 per month or more will be able to purchase the Optus 3G Home Zone service for $5 per month over 24 months. The service is $15 per month for customers on mobile plans of $49 per month.
The devices will be available through Optus retailers from July 31.
Follow Rodney Gedda on Twitter: @rodneygedda
Follow TechWorld Australia on Twitter: @Techworld_AU
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email CIO
- Follow CIO on twitter
-
Apple aims iPads at High Schools
-
Face Time - Interview with John Brennan and Robert DiStefano
-
Google Jumps Into Social Bookmarks Game
-
NBN build gaining momentum daily: Quigley
-
Face Time - Interview with John Brennan and Robert DiStefano
-
Look both ways - Protecting your data with content inspection
Today’s threat environment is as dynamic as the business world in which we operate. As the communications channels we use continue to proliferate and evolve, so too have the vulnerabilities. Finding the right balance between ensuring the security of sensitive data, enabling the free flow of information and making full use of the latest web-based technologies can be a challenge. Deep content inspection is a vital layer in any unified information security strategy, helping organisations to take control over their information assets while proactively protecting against malware and data leakage. Read on. -
Justifying Business Intelligence Applications
This white paper explores the decision criteria used in a build vs. buy scenario when considering the Oracle BI Applications. The major benefits of the BI Applications will be discussed in the framework of an overall buy vs. build argument. -
Revolutionizing Enterprise Storage Infrastructure with Enterprise Flash Technology
Businesses increasingly rely on datacenters to provide access to services, applications, and data. As demand rises and applications grow in complexity, datacenter infrastructure must provide tremendous capacity and rapid access to information in order to keep pace with business priorities. Read on.
Get exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis. 
Comments
Post new comment