Vodafone has just relaunched their “Access Gateway” product as “Vodafone Sure Signal”… but what is it?
Well, it’s something called a Femtocell.
No clearer? Thought not. It’s actually a little box that you plug into your broadband router, and what it does is clever. For those living in a valley, basement, mine shaft, or miles from a mobile phone cell tower, a Femtocell acts as your own mobile phone base station, allowing you to make and receive calls on your mobile, as well as surf the mobile web. It works by using your Broadband connection to relay 3G connectivity to Vodafone, ending the reliance on a radio signal from a local mast.
As well as rebranding the service, Vodafone Sure Signal now has an attractive price point. A one-off £50 for the box if you spend £25 a month with Voda, otherwise a one-off £120 a month. Or you can opt for a less attractive £5 month contract.
Vodafone is the only UK provider offering a Femtocell at the moment, meaning that Voda may be able to grab a slice of the miles-from-anywhere market before the other net ops catch up.
Here’s a short video clip showing how Femtocells work:
More details: vodafone.co.uk/suresignal
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