Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the future of mobile carriers and the ability to provide the broadband necessary to supply billions of users. Everyone who has had the opportunity to experience the 3G network has also probably experienced a slow connection. If you travel a lot you will notice that from one city to the next connectivity varies despite being in a designated 3G zone. There are a number people who experience the same problem at their own homes. It seems that a solution has been provided for the later problem by way of Femtocells. What are Femtocells?
Femtocells are small, lower-power radio transmission stations that provide a 3G network connection to your phone. It works by hooking into your home broadband network. AT&T has begun selling a version called the MicroCell in the United States and in the U.K. Vodafone can also provide the same service. The idea is that smart phone users will solve their own connectivity problems by setting up femtocells in their homes; the good news is that you don’t need to own one to reap the benefits. If you have dropped calls often and slow network speeds on your smart phone you are really going to like this. If someone that lives close to you has femtocells, they will be freeing up a communication channel on the nearest cell phone tower which will increase you connectivity potential. The more homes that have these, the better it is for everyone.
So if we are helping the mobile carriers provide better service by setting these up, shouldn’t mobile carriers provide these devices free of charge. It seems like more femtocells equates to cell phone carriers saving money; it make sense then that we do, too. It’s a nice dream though. If MicroCells are available in your area, you will be able to get one for $150. Jump on board! Femtocells will certainly change smart phone capability forever.