FAX & Alarm Support for T-Mobile @Home

February 19, 2009 at 4:46 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 18 Comments
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Good news for @Home users that desire to send or receive the occasional facsimile (FAX): support for incoming and outgoing FAX is coming in YE2009 (from my friends at T-Mobile). This feature has been delayed (original target: 2Q2009) as it requires an upgrade of T-Mobile’s cellar network (scheduled for 4Q2009). Note: This is the current target delivery date, so the actual deployment may vary. I presume that this will be available for existing and new users as a firmware update to the Linksys routers (e.g., the Linksys WRT54G-TM).

Personally, I will disconnect out my last, remaining wireline service when this feature is available. I already use @Home service for my Home Office, but have held off on using it for my residential service due to my need to occasionally send or receive a FAX. When that box is checked, I’ll have completely cut the cord from my wireline service, and I will be saving over $1,000 per year (versus my previous Qwest charges for voice, long distance, and features).

It is with some remorse that I celebrate cutting the cord, since I was hired by AT&T and spent my early years, as an engineer, designing and enhancing the AT&T Bell System wireline network. Great work, but progress is relentless, and the future is mobile … and IP.

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  1. […] FAX transmission @Home’s VoIP service does not support transmission of FAX (although other VoIP services, such as Vonage, do support FAX). Only occasionally do I need to send a FAX, so this is a minor inconvenience. If one really needed FAX service, then they could sign up for an inexpensive Internet FAX service <http://www.faxcompare.com/&gt;. Alternatively, if you or a friend are still connected to wireline phone service, you can move your FAX machine and connect it there. Distinctive ringing will allow the FAX machine to share the line with regular voice traffic, so that the FAX machine only intrudes and answers calls that are dialed to that specific, “distinctive” number. UPDATE: FAX Support (for incoming/outgoing facsimile transmissions) is coming in Summer 2009, so this will no longer be a feature you may miss. Read more on this upcoming feature here. […]

    Pingback by T-Mobile @Home: Things you’ll Like and Dislike « I’m Cellular— February 26, 2009 #

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    • Have you tried web fax services? I’ve heard it’s easy and affordable if you use it.

      However, as what I’ve read in your post it’s more on connecting your phone line. I don’t know how to dot it that’s I like to keep on track with your post.

      Comment by internet based fax— August 3, 2010 #

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  4. Why not forward your “fax” number from T-mobile@home to an electronic fax machine. I believe when you forward numbers, it does not pass through your router. Therefore, the fax may work. I haven’t tried, but this is just a thought.

    Comment by Alec— August 2, 2009 #

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  5. > Is the fax/alarm support feature still on target for 4Q2009?
    > I just switched our main line over two months ago,
    > have had nothing but terrific use. Best thing I ever did.

    Yep, I am in the same boat: I’ll remove my last, remaining wireline as soon as this feature is available. Appears that the feature is still on target, and that we should get FAX support soon.

    Comment by Steve— August 8, 2009 #

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  6. Q: Has this happened yet?
    A: “Not yet, but soon.” I’m waiting on it–I can disconnect my last, remaining wireline as soon as this feature is available.

    Comment by Mike Caprio— October 25, 2009 #

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  7. Are there any updates about the faxing capability? I just tried it, it didn’t work. I called T-Mo, they didn’t know and transferred me to Linksys support for the HiPort router. They said the router does not currently support it, but there may be (or not) a firmware update coming later that enables it.

    Any information is appreciated, Martin

    Robert responds: “Not yet, but soon”
    It’s not the router, alone; T-Mobile needs to enable the feature in their network. Best Case: The feature will hopefully be introduced just before Thanksgiving. Worst Case: The feature may be introduced in early 2010 if the network changes are not made before Thanksgiving, since Mobile Operators “lock down” their networks from Thanksgiving through Christmas. In any case, it’s coming, but no firm date has been given.

    Comment by Martin— October 29, 2009 #

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  8. I screwed becuse I did not know about this and now locked into a contact so hope it soon as I have to retun the router by monday but there no way I can till tue as I workieng from 5am to 11 pm the next twow days

    Comment by david— December 4, 2009 #

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  9. As of this posting there is no Firmware update to this router, Model WRTU54G-TM. As of this posting, my Firmware version is v1.00.21, and that’s all that’s available at the Cisco site.

    Forget T-Mobile, and keep an eye on WRTU54G-TM at the Cisco site. I wouldn’t hold my breath though; I’d bank on it being “lip service” only from T-Mobile (“lip service” is the way of Sales people in any T-Comm company – I know, as an insider).

    BTW – you can see the firmware version installed on yours when you log in to the router’s Admin console (see the ducumentation).

    Comment by Reconciler— April 7, 2010 #

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  10. Linksys had for a while a firmware, v1.00.24 (WRTU54G-TM_v1.00.24.bin), which had FAX capability for the WRTU54G-TM. The Firmware had the ability to enable/disable FAX under the “STATUS” page of the GUI. I have this firmware on my @home Router and it works great for outgoing. I have had minor success with incoming. They have since remove this firmware from their web site. See T-Mobile@Home Forum for further discussion.

    Editor: I confirm that this version of the firmware is no longer available. When I go to the T-Mobile site for firmware updates (http://www.t-mobile.com/routerupgrade/), the latest available version is v1.00.21 for the T-Mobile-specific WRTU54G-TM router. Although this firmware update was apparently available for some time, with a thread discussing its merits, it is no longer available.

    Comment by Everton— June 26, 2010 #

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    • Everton-
      Do you know where I can find Wrtu54g-tm_v1.00.24.bin?
      Thanks!

      Comment by jimmypants— August 9, 2012 #

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      • Linksys website, I presume. Look up the model number (specific to Mobile use), go to Support, and look for firmware upgrade info.

        Comment by imcellular— August 11, 2012 #

      • Everton-
        No go, I’m afraid – Linksys is now Cisco, and current firmware v1.00.25 is the only offering through them…
        Thanks for responding!

        Comment by jimmypants— August 11, 2012 #

      • Ever try the Wayback machine? You can use it to find the state of a webpage in the past. In this case, you might look two years ago to find this particular download

        Comment by imcellular— August 11, 2012 #

      • So sorry. Have you tried contacting Support?

        Comment by imcellular— August 11, 2012 #

      • Neat idea, but it only got me as far as the main page, where I had to enter the account number, and it sort of froze (not sure why)…
        Thanks anyhow!

        Comment by jimhoffmann— August 11, 2012 #

  11. With the help of this services it’s much easier and faster to send/receive fax documents. That’s exactly helpful to any business establishments.
    Nowadays, there are actually plenty choices to choose from but security, scalability and reliability is really important things to consider.

    Comment by email fax services— August 3, 2010 #

    Reply

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