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The device, called Vodafone Station, is essentially a switch/router for ADSL2+ service that can be shared via Fixed Ethernet or Wi-Fi across the home. It also has a removable USB key that allows adds 3G (UMTS/HSPA) service to the box.
When turned on, the Station uses the HSPA to connect to the Vodafone network, allows folks to sign up for a DSL connection, and allows seamless switching to Vodafone’s service. The box, which is currently available only in Italy, is eventually going to be released across Vodafone’s footprint…
AT&T, which is soon going to be pushing a 3G version of the iPhone, will be a good candidate for offering similar boxes. Such a device helps them overcome coverage issues, and at the same time takes a load off their wireless backhaul network. More importantly, it makes it easy enough for them to sell a bundled service and take market share away from cable companies. When viewed through that prism you can understand why the honchos at AT&T are always talking about wireless, and why cable companies are ready to spend billions to go wireless.
What he said.
The battle that Vodafone and their peers continue to lose is with VOIP.
In Europe more so than in the States, the DSL-flavor of broadband is often offered at speeds fast enough to get up to IPTV. Here in the U.S., our Telcos are such foot-draggers, every competing technology on the planet has a chance to kill landlines.
Here in Oz, Virgin have a similar system available. Basically its the same kind of box that gives you reasonable DSL speeds, and ‘simulates’ a home phone via virgin’s wireless network. It finally lets people break free of the nasty monopoly we have here, where a single telco (Telstra) owns the whole wired network and charges other telco companies more to use for their users it than it charges their own users.
I am curious. Vodafone is doin’ well last years and this could be interesting!