 |
That’s a quite a list. Now all we have to do is wait and see what the next round of Pearl 2 rumors will bring. With the mention of Wi-Fi on this BlackBerry, I’m thinking the Pearl 2 – like the original – could make its way to T-Mobile first; as part of the carrier’s upcoming HotSpot @Home service, which is supposed to go nationwide sometime this summer.
Since T-Mobile HotSpot @Home is based on Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology, it can seamlessly switch calls between a Wi-Fi and cellular connection, depending on which is available and most cost effective at a particular moment. So a user can be on a cellular-call, using the minutes from their mobile plan, but when they walk into their home or in range of a T-Mobile hotspot, the call is automatically moved over to Wi-Fi without interruption, saving those minutes and possibly improving reception.
Sounds perfect for a Wi-Fi-enabled BlackBerry, doesn’t it?
T-Mobile HotSpot @Home, in trials in Seattle, costs $20 a month on top of your regular cell phone plan. It delivers unlimited voice over Wi-Fi calls from T-Mobile’s more than 8,000 hotspots and your home through a Wi-Fi access point connected to your broadband Internet service. You pay $5 more per month for each additional family member.
SmartPhoneToday Staff contributed to this story.
