T-Mobile has launched Hotspot@Home for our cousins over the pond. The new service allows subscribers to chat away via their WiFi network when at home, and over the GSM network when out and about, with seamless transition between the two.

 

Today, more people are choosing the simplicity of having just one phone. Americans are increasingly dropping their traditional landline phone service and switching instead to mobile phone use. According to Gartner, over ten percent of respondents to a survey indicated they used their mobile phone as their only phone — a trend that’s even more pronounced among people aged 18-34, where almost 30 percent uses their mobile phone as their only phone.

"We see a clear trend towards mobile phones displacing landline phones especially with younger consumers," said Tole Hart, an analyst at Gartner Group. "The most common barriers to cutting the cord to date have been the reliability of their mobile phone in the home and the cost of buying additional minutes."

T-Mobile HotSpot @Home helps people stay connected by combining Wi-Fi and their voice and data network. While at home customers have unlimited calls over Wi-Fi; while mobile, customers also can get the same benefits at all of the nearly 8,500 T-Mobile HotSpot locations across the country. In addition, unlike VoIP calling, when T-Mobile HotSpot @Home customers leave home or exit a T-Mobile HotSpot, their calls will seamlessly transfer onto T-Mobile’s GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless network, and vice-versa.

Key components of the T-Mobile HotSpot @Home service include new mobile phones designed to seamlessly connect the user to a home Wi-Fi connection or T-Mobile HotSpot. T-Mobile has introduced two HotSpot-enabled phones – the Samsung t409 and the Nokia 6086 retailing for $49.99 with a two-year contract.

T-Mobile also has partnered up with D-Link and Linksys for Wi-Fi routers optimized for the HotSpot @Home service. These select routers are designed for simple set-up and enhanced battery life for the handset, as well as ensuring voice calls are carried with the utmost call quality. These routers also have commonly available data features found on standard routers, and work with customers’ existing broadband connection. Consumers can choose which router to use with the service; each is currently offered at no charge with the service.

If all goes well we can hope to see something like this over here in Blighty soon.