Femtocell, 3G Mobile Networks That Can Improve Indoor Coverage

What has nine letters and stands for "indoor cell phone coverage booster"? It's a femtocell, an oddly named device for 3G mobile networks that can improve mobile coverage within four walls without building of a whole lot more cell towers.


You'll need Internet access, though, since the femtocell plugs into your broadband modem. You can use the mobile that you already have: no need to upgrade (just for this reason, at least). The immediate benefit is your ability to use the same phone both home and away, with no spike in costs either way. That's right, it's fixed-mobile convergence. Sounds like a challenge to Wi-Fi phones to me.

Don't expect to see this device on the open market right away. They'll be here in mid-2008, their manufacturers say.


Written by Gina Cavallaro
Published in Mobile Phones