AT&T Home Phone Connect

[Wireless Junkie]

Nothing is nearly as good a a landline for E911.... Nothing, especially anything that goes over the cell networks. I like to know address will show up when I call 911 if I can't speak.

[country6925]

Got one of these things up and running at home, and so far I like it. 7 digit dialing (even though it says to use 10) works just fine, and voice quality seems to be good. The two oddities I've noticed so far:

1. When dialing only 7 digits, there's a several second delay between the last digit dialed and the phone on the other end ringing. My guess is that it's looking for 10 digits, and when only using 7 it has to truncate the number before sending it through.

2. When we first picked this thing up, I tried using it with an old touch-tone cord phone I had lying around, but for some reason, it won't dial. I get a dial tone, but when you press a button, the dial tone keeps going as if you didn't dial. The phone worked on my landline, and the cordless phone works fine on the 'Wireless Home Phone Service' (the official name for it), so I'm not sure what the issue is.

So far, I'm happy.

[ItnStln]

Are you able to use this for faxing and the security system? If so, this really is a good idea. Also, how does the Home Phone Connect get a signal? Is it plugged into a router or something, or is there an intetnal antenna like cell phones?

[gunterm]

Are you able to use this for faxing and the security system? If so, this really is a good idea. Also, how does the Home Phone Connect get a signal? Is it plugged into a router or something, or is there an intetnal antenna like cell phones?

I really doubt it, none of the other carriers offering the same service do. Packet data and fax is embedded into VZWs network still, but the crap hardware they sell doesn't use it.

These services are basically junk, if you already have a phone with that carrier, then just use it. Otherwise get some cheap pay per minute VoIP service.

[Sam73065]

Nothing is nearly as good a a landline for E911.... Nothing, especially anything that goes over the cell networks. I like to know address will show up when I call 911 if I can't speak.

I'm not going to pay $40 for a phone line that I won't use, just on the off chance I'll need to dial 911.

[Squid7085]

I'm not going to pay $40 for a phone line that I won't use, just on the off chance I'll need to dial 911.

As far as I know, at least locally for me, AT&T is required to keep your "copper" line active for 911 calls. When my dad dropped his home phone we kept a corded phone hooked up. It still received a dial tone but couldn't make any phone calls. We were told 911 would work, but we never needed to use it. It was a nice piece of mind, it was corded so it worked no matter what, sometimes you can't replace the old reliable phone on the wall. Our Cable company even has/had a "Emergency" plan that was something like $4.99 that gave you a dial tone and the ability to make calls, but you were charged per min.

[country6925]

Are you able to use this for faxing and the security system? If so, this really is a good idea. Also, how does the Home Phone Connect get a signal? Is it plugged into a router or something, or is there an intetnal antenna like cell phones?

No, it won't work with a home security or fax system. It gets a signal through the cell system and adapts it to work with a landline type phone, no router required.

[country6925]

Here is a link to the AT&T support page for it...http://www.att.com/esupport/article....id=EzY_zxzQEgW

[ItnStln]

No, it won't work with a home security or fax system. It gets a signal through the cell system and adapts it to work with a landline type phone, no router required.

That's what I was thinking...thanks!

[GSMinCT]

Nothing is nearly as good a a landline for E911.... Nothing, especially anything that goes over the cell networks. I like to know address will show up when I call 911 if I can't speak.

Unless your local area has GPS. GPS is more accurate than a landline, as a landline is accurate to about 600 feet (probably the building, but you never know), GPS is accurate to about 10 feet.

1. When dialing only 7 digits, there's a several second delay between the last digit dialed and the phone on the other end ringing. My guess is that it's looking for 10 digits, and when only using 7 it has to truncate the number before sending it through.

2. When we first picked this thing up, I tried using it with an old touch-tone cord phone I had lying around, but for some reason, it won't dial. I get a dial tone, but when you press a button, the dial tone keeps going as if you didn't dial. The phone worked on my landline, and the cordless phone works fine on the 'Wireless Home Phone Service' (the official name for it), so I'm not sure what the issue is.

1. Where do you live? Most places don't have 7 digit dialing on anything, landline or cell.

2. It draws too much power, and that thing probably isn't outputting as much as a POTS plant would.

[GSMinCT]

I'm not going to pay $40 for a phone line that I won't use, just on the off chance I'll need to dial 911.

It's actually like $23, but still, if you don't want a landline, use your cell or Ooma, not this rip-off.

[jim9000]

It looks very similar to Verizon's version, which works extremely well. I personally prefer VoIP because it is more flexible and I have a very affordable carrier, but $20 per month beats cable VoIP or Vonage (except for international calls). It certainly beats a basic landline which costs $23 per month around here with no features (no long distance, no caller ID, etc... just a dialtone).

Since there is a battery backup, you can even stick one in some kind of case or bag along with a corded phone to re-create the bag phone experience, just to mess with people.

Also, this is much easier than VoIP for someone who is not technically inclined. If you have good wireless service, just plug it in and go. Of course, VoIP is easy to almost anyone here, but a lot of people are intimidated by the process for one reason or another.

The biggest drawback is that 911 is GPS based rather than a hard coded address. In many areas, GPS is close enough... it can be an issue in townhomes, condos, or apartments since while the address is known, the unit/apartment is not going to be obvious. This would also be an issue in office buildings but this product is intended for use at home and most businesses use a PBX of some sort connected to POTS, T1, VoIP, etc.

Despite this limitation, I'm not one to panic about 911 calls without POTS service. Remember, a POTS line can go down too... all it takes is some careless digging, a vehicle crash in the wrong area, etc. It can take a long time to fix too, depending on how many wires were cut. It's always good to have two methods for calling if you are worried about this. Ultimately some people are better off keeping a POTS line, and some people are OK with wireless only, multiple wireless carriers, VoIP + Wireless, etc. Most things in life pose risk of some sort. Most people drive (or ride buses, taxis, etc) despite the fact that a lot of people are killed or injured in accidents on the road.

[Wireless Junkie]

Unless your local area has GPS. GPS is more accurate than a landline, as a landline is accurate to about 600 feet (probably the building, but you never know), GPS is accurate to about 10 feet.

GPS on E911 referred to as Phase II Wireless E911 is nowhere near 10ft of accuracy.. Especially indoor's, I think its 95% of calls have to be around 300 meters or so.... So in a neighborhood, or in the majority of communities in the US where PSAP's have no Phase II support, you are totally screwed.

A landline is reliable 100% of the time barring any rare and illegal tandem switch issues which have to get corrected immediately, a landline is tied to a physical address and will immediately show the address where as a cell phone won't.

[Sam73065]

1. Where do you live? Most places don't have 7 digit dialing on anything, landline or cell.

2. It draws too much power, and that thing probably isn't outputting as much as a POTS plant would.

Here in OKC and home in Florida, we have 7 digit dialing. I think the areas where there is mandatory 10 digit dialing are the areas where they have chosen to overlay a second area code on top of an existing area code, as opposed to just "rezoning" the area codes when a new one is needed.

It's actually like $23, but still, if you don't want a landline, use your cell or Ooma, not this rip-off.

If a landline for $23 was an option I'd consider one, however with my local coop, it's $36+ for a landline. Plus if I wish to avail myself of their dsl and/or "cable" tv options, I'm forced to have an unnecessary landline. Probably why I'm no longer a customer with them.

[GSMinCT]

GPS on E911 referred to as Phase II Wireless E911 is nowhere near 10ft of accuracy.. Especially indoor's, I think its 95% of calls have to be around 300 meters or so.... So in a neighborhood, or in the majority of communities in the US where PSAP's have no Phase II support, you are totally screwed.

A landline is reliable 100% of the time barring any rare and illegal tandem switch issues which have to get corrected immediately, a landline is tied to a physical address and will immediately show the address where as a cell phone won't.

If it's transmitting the cell phone's GPS, then it would be almost perfect. Google Maps can tell what side of a small building or what side of a street I'm on, so I don't see why E911 should be any worse.