Can anyone explain a femtocell?

[Jerry1]

I got an email from Sprint to send me a femtocell (Casa Pebble) to use for free. I’m wondering if anyone understands these enough to help me understand what this would do for me given that I already use my WiFi when I’m home.

The unit plugs into your router (or uses WiFi) and is supposed to improve your LTE signal so you get better data speed and quality. However, it just doesn’t make sense to me why the would even offer this. I don’t get a good signal at home so I have my phone set to use WiFi when I’m home. So it seems like the only benefit of the is to help Sprint improve their signal in this area. But even then, I don’t see how this would help much given it’s limited range of 5000 sq ft per their web site.

One thing their site did say is that it would allow me to get video and texts while talking on the phone. That may be helpful, but I don’t even think I’ve ever tried to do that since I don’t recall that ever being an issue.

Am I missing something?

 

[OldShooter]

Can anyone explain a femtocell?

Sure. It is a device that allows them to sell you data that you can otherwise get for free via your WiFi/Internet connection.

Operating instructions: Make sure the power cord is not plugged in.

 

[LOL!]

We have a microcell in the house that our cell phones "see" as a cell phone tower. The microcell is connected to the internet.

Advantages: The local cell phone tower is behind a water tower, so our house is in the water tower shadow and we get no cell signal in the house from it, so microcell is required.

Disadvantages: No or poor cell service at home if the internet goes out.

Our microcell ONLY accepts connections from the cell numbers that we give it, so no neighbors or passersby can use our microcell.

As for your cell phones using WiFi, you would have to set them so that they do "WiFi calling" as well. With our microcell, they just do normal calling. We can have the phone WiFi turned off saving phone battery and still get calls and text messages.

If someone is driving home and talking on their cell phone, instead of dropping the call when they pull into the driveway, the phone switches to the nearby cell point which is our microcell. And vice versa: If someone in the car is talking on their cell phone as we drive away, the call seamlessly switches to the nearby cell tower when the car gets out of the water tower shadow.

 

[SteveNU]

I had one from Verizon but it was taken out by a lightning strike and I didn't replace it.

If you have WiFi calling capabilities it's really redundant.

 

[RunningBum]

Not all phones can do wifi calling. Mine couldn't, because it was an unlocked phone, and AT&T doesn't let most of those use wifi calling. I just upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy S20 that does allow it. I miss a lot of calls because of weak cell service and home, and none at my GF's.

 

[sengsational]

Back in the "old days", before voice calls seamlessly went over wifi, one of those things made sense. Now, I, like you, have a hard time seeing the benefit.



The motivation might be for the cellar company to offer better service to people near your house (I bet this cell 'tower' is open to anyone, so you purchase the bandwidth, then the cellar company sells it to some other customers). What a racket, if true.

 

[Jerry1]

Thanks. You've all pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. Yes, my phone does allow calls over wifi and yes, the cell would be open to any Sprint customer in the area. My general thought is that they want it for them more than I want it for me. But I guess there are instances where it might be useful. Appreciate the confirmation.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

I am a Verizon customer. Live in the mountains. No towers so coverage was iffy. This was before wifi calling, at least our phones did not have this capability, so I bought a Verizon Network Range Extender for $300. Years later, our phones do wifi calling so I am thinking it is redundant.