Comments on: And the Winner Is … http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209 The Mouth of OpenNMS Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: tarus http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1692 tarus Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:37 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1692 I live out in the woods (you know, "boy you gotta purty mouth" country) and I'm lucky to get DSL, much less having alternatives for broadband, so I can't speak for AT&T's broadband service. I got the plan that makes all calls routed through the microcell free (it's $20/month) so it seems pretty affordable (I just don't make long distance calls from the landline anymore so it's a wash). Voice quality is okay - it's a bit laggy at times - but not noticeably better or worse than normal calls on the phone. I have had the microcell go inactive a couple of times for about 20-30 minutes, which is annoying. It might be due to downloading software updates. I should buy a manageable switch and then I could measure the bandwidth it uses on that port (the device itself doesn't support anything but ICMP). When I got the system it kept showing my location as someplace near Charlotte, NC, but recently that seems to have been corrected. I live out in the woods (you know, “boy you gotta purty mouth” country) and I’m lucky to get DSL, much less having alternatives for broadband, so I can’t speak for AT&T’s broadband service.

I got the plan that makes all calls routed through the microcell free (it’s $20/month) so it seems pretty affordable (I just don’t make long distance calls from the landline anymore so it’s a wash).

Voice quality is okay – it’s a bit laggy at times – but not noticeably better or worse than normal calls on the phone. I have had the microcell go inactive a couple of times for about 20-30 minutes, which is annoying.

It might be due to downloading software updates. I should buy a manageable switch and then I could measure the bandwidth it uses on that port (the device itself doesn’t support anything but ICMP). When I got the system it kept showing my location as someplace near Charlotte, NC, but recently that seems to have been corrected.

]]> By: claimid.com/cote/ http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1691 claimid.com/cote/ Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:42:43 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1691 I'd love to hear an update on how the Microcell works as far as QoS and cost. Tragically, it's not available in my area, otherwise it'd seem like a good alternative to the land-line I have. Did you look into broadband from AT&T? I saw some ad recently where they'll charge you a $20-40 flat rate (can't remember the cost) without having to bundle voice and cable. Ideally, I'd like to get just Internet to my house, but most of the providers require you to bundle in voice and cable to get a low price - otherwise getting just internet tends to cost the same as bundling them all together. I’d love to hear an update on how the Microcell works as far as QoS and cost. Tragically, it’s not available in my area, otherwise it’d seem like a good alternative to the land-line I have. Did you look into broadband from AT&T? I saw some ad recently where they’ll charge you a $20-40 flat rate (can’t remember the cost) without having to bundle voice and cable. Ideally, I’d like to get just Internet to my house, but most of the providers require you to bundle in voice and cable to get a low price – otherwise getting just internet tends to cost the same as bundling them all together.

]]> By: hmallett http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1683 hmallett Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:54:53 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1683 I live in an area with poor mobile (cell) coverage. Sadly the femtocell concept doesn't seem to have hit the UK yet. I live in an area with poor mobile (cell) coverage. Sadly the femtocell concept doesn’t seem to have hit the UK yet.

]]> By: jportzer http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1680 jportzer Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:05:05 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1680 I had heard of these microcells before but hadn't heard of anyone I know actually using them - interesting. My father needs cell phone coverage in his lab at work but the building and location means it's always spotty. It would be interesting to see if this will work for him (given that some of their lab equipment could cause interference). As for iPhone apps, this is a must-have: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=315908878&mt=8&uo=6 Cheers! I had heard of these microcells before but hadn’t heard of anyone I know actually using them – interesting. My father needs cell phone coverage in his lab at work but the building and location means it’s always spotty. It would be interesting to see if this will work for him (given that some of their lab equipment could cause interference).

As for iPhone apps, this is a must-have:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=315908878&mt=8&uo=6

Cheers!

]]> By: tarus http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1679 tarus Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:54:32 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1679 jmlotk: Thanks for the TouchTerm suggestion. I've been looking for a good SSH app. Skype works well - I have it on my Touch with an external microphone. I haven't pulled the trigger on the Kindle yet, but I probably will. Been playing with the eyeTV app - works pretty well so far. jmlotk: Thanks for the TouchTerm suggestion. I’ve been looking for a good SSH app. Skype works well – I have it on my Touch with an external microphone. I haven’t pulled the trigger on the Kindle yet, but I probably will.

Been playing with the eyeTV app – works pretty well so far.

]]> By: jmlotk http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1678 jmlotk Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:24 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1678 Suggestions for must-have iPhone Apps: TouchTerm - nice VT emulating SSH client that's saved me from going to the office or back home more than once during an on-call week, while out and about Kindle Reader - If you like books, you can do the kindle stuff without having to buy the reader H/W Skype - worked pretty nicely at 41000 ft over broadband, so i'm told. Suggestions for must-have iPhone Apps:

TouchTerm – nice VT emulating SSH client that’s saved me from going to the office or back home more than once during an on-call week, while out and about

Kindle Reader – If you like books, you can do the kindle stuff without having to buy the reader H/W

Skype – worked pretty nicely at 41000 ft over broadband, so i’m told.

]]> By: aporter http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1677 aporter Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:59 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1677 I just got back from three weeks in Malaysia. AT&T was kind enough to offer GSM roaming at a low, affordable rate of US$2.00 per minute. Just for comparison, Skype charges US$0.03 per minute for calls to Malaysia. My solution - leave the phone on to detect incoming calls, and then return the call using some other means. I also bought a local pre-paid SIM card to use (in another non-SIM-locked GSM phone) while I was there. Since I returned, I have been playing with Google Voice. I think that will open up a few more possibilities as well. I just got back from three weeks in Malaysia. AT&T was kind enough to offer GSM roaming at a low, affordable rate of US$2.00 per minute.

Just for comparison, Skype charges US$0.03 per minute for calls to Malaysia.

My solution – leave the phone on to detect incoming calls, and then return the call using some other means. I also bought a local pre-paid SIM card to use (in another non-SIM-locked GSM phone) while I was there.

Since I returned, I have been playing with Google Voice. I think that will open up a few more possibilities as well.

]]> By: lovelace http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1676 lovelace Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:51:05 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1676 Very cool! You're the second person on <a href="http://planettrilug.org/" rel="nofollow">Planet TriLUG</a> I've read about that has gotten the AT&T Microcell. The iPhone 3GS is a good phone too. It looks like it combines the features of both the iPod Touch (i.e. Nike+) and the 3G. Now I just wish they'd come out with a 64GB or 128GB version. By the time my contract is up, though (April 2011), they probably will have something like that out. Just remember to be careful trying to use it out of the country! (But, I suspect you're pretty up on that with all the traveling you do...) Very cool! You’re the second person on Planet TriLUG I’ve read about that has gotten the AT&T Microcell. The iPhone 3GS is a good phone too. It looks like it combines the features of both the iPod Touch (i.e. Nike+) and the 3G. Now I just wish they’d come out with a 64GB or 128GB version. By the time my contract is up, though (April 2011), they probably will have something like that out.

Just remember to be careful trying to use it out of the country! (But, I suspect you’re pretty up on that with all the traveling you do…)

]]> By: gvainfo http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209&cpage=1#comment-1675 gvainfo Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:31:21 +0000 http://www.adventuresinoss.com/?p=1209#comment-1675 That's funny. In my area people are filing law suits to get rid of GSM Antennas and you just put one in your living room ;-) nb you can create your own gps signals, they use that technology in container stockage areas to be able to locate containers better than with "normal" gps. That’s funny. In my area people are filing law suits to get rid of GSM Antennas and you just put one in your living room ;-)

nb you can create your own gps signals, they use that technology in container stockage areas to be able to locate containers better than with “normal” gps.

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