I've had a month or so to let this post by Andy Abramson ruminate in my head. The cliff notes version of Andy's post is that T-Mobile in the US is poised to do a major VoIP play. They've already begun down this path with the T-Mobile @Home service. It appears they will take it to another level with this new device that just recently passed the FCC.

Clearly, T-Mobile USA in a position of weakness, being the smallest of the 4 major carriers. In a sense, this gives them a license to try some things that the larger, more established carriers don't feel the need to try. Perhaps some of those things will lead to more customers for T-Mobile. Or, if they play their cards right, open themselves up to whole new market.

Just think if T-Mobile sold their @Home service standalone in areas where they don't offer cellular service. They would have to lower the price point substantially to be competitive with the likes of Vonage, but they offer additional value Vonage does not: a truly global, mobile phone. IP-based minutes could be free. Cellular minutes (i.e. ones that aren't traversing IP) could be billed at a nominal rate. SMS? It'd work over IP or cellular.

The only flaw I see what T-Mobile strategy, at least as it's being executed right now, is the technology they've chosen for the @Home service: UMA. The big problem with UMA is the need for special handsets. Part of that is because that was the best solution offered at the time T-Mobile started down this path.

Femtocells seem to be a bit better in the sense that they don't require special handsets to operate. That being said, there are a number of potential issues with Femtocells that will need to be worked out for Femtocells to be successful.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments.