U.S. mobile carrier T-Mobile may still be a number of days away from its annual Un-carrier event, but that hasn’t stopped the company’s enigmatic CEO John Legere from letting the cat out of the bag in relation to one product that will be discussed during T-Mobile’s Un-carrier X announcement – the 4G LTE CellSpot.
Legere took to his own personal Twitter account ahead of the event to announce that his company has upgraded its WiFi CellSpots to serve up true 4G LTE data to consumers who find themselves in a blackspot not covered by the network’s static infrastructure. As part of the social media storm, Legere informed the watching world that the newly updated 4G LTE WiFi CellSpot will transcend the previous product by offering “the complete T-Mobile network experience” to those using the product. The initial announcement tweet then went on to elaborate on the product, stating that it would offer features such as Voice Over LTE (VoLTE), HD voice calling, advanced messaging, and even immediate access to video calling via a connected mobile device.
So, as some of you are probably scratching your heads asking the significance of this announcement, just what is a 4G LTE CellSpot? T-Mobile has previously offered a similar product that was designed to serve up better call coverage in areas where signal was limited. However, this latest iteration of the hardware will transcend those abilities by actually acting as a mobile cell-tower and creating and broadcasting its own LTE network. The accessory simply requires the device to have an active broadband Internet connection, and then it can create its own LTE network that is accessible by up to sixteen devices within 3,000 square feet. T-Mobile has also outlined how the new product differs from the other offerings:
Wi-Fi CellSpot Router: Announced at Un-carrier 7.0 in September 2014, this Internet-connected router provides customers with Wi-Fi coverage for calling and texting beyond the reach of any cellular network;
4G LTE CellSpot Signal Booster: This signal booster amplifies T-Mobile’s 3G, 4G and/or LTE signal throughout a home or business without an Internet connection; and,
4G LTE CellSpot: Announced today, this 4G LTE tower delivers a strong, reliable wireless 4G LTE signal for customers with or without an indoor cellular signal on compatible 3G, 4G and LTE handsets for up to 16 callers at one time anywhere a customer has broadband Internet and T-Mobile wireless spectrum.
The existence of this product is sure to leave a few people perplexed. Mainly because they won’t fully understand why it’s actually needed when T-Mobile have invested so heavily in ensuring that WiFi calls can be made from pretty much every new device that it ships. There is however the fact that older devices aren’t capable of utilizing this feature. There’s also the credibility that comes with being the company responsible for launching the “first-ever 4G LTE mini-tower”, which is something that the issued press release plays on heavily.
Simple Choice customers interested in the new 4G LTE CellSpot will be able to acquire the hardware starting November 4 on the back of a small, refundable $25 deposit.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.