Tech News: Verizon Wireless Hub

Posted by Michelle Petit-Sumrall as Technology

Verizon Wireless's home phone, the 'Hub'. Image Copyright 2009 Verizon Wireless. All Rights Reserved.

The absolute hottest thing I’ve seen in a long time (and I realize I’m late to report it, not being the “Tech Expo” type), something that anyone can understand, has just hit the shelves.

I also think it’s the coolest thing since the Wii.

It’s called “the Hub” (or, more specifically, the “Verizon Wireless Hub“), and although I don’t expect it to show up in every household any time soon, if ever (at $199 with a $50.00 mail-in rebate, it’s not easy for most to purchase), I do expect it to inspire other wireless (and maybe even broadband and satellite companies) to follow suit at some point in the near future.

With it’s touch screen technology, the Hub combines a regular phone (running on VOIP, Voice Over Internet Protocol, rather than copper-wire landlines) with a weather station, SMS (text-messaging) technology, email, calendar, photo sharing, even video downloads with Verizon’s powerful cellular network and technology offerings.

From access to directories to whatever you like, which you can then send to your Verizon cell phone, to internet access to your Hub’s settings from elsewhere (presumably including your Verizon PDA) to a heck of a lot more, the Hub is something I wouldn’t mind having.

If I had Verizon cellular service.

You see, although the Vz Hub itself is a phenomenal tool to manage your life, offering access to a multitude of services, the fact remains that it’s biggest redeeming quality is the ability to connect to your cell phone. I’m betting you get a better deal on the services it offers if your cell is Verizon-powered. Moreover, their service, although pretty stellar, doesn’t come cheap: $34.99 a month just for the Hub service, plus a minimum of $39.99/mo for an individual plan, or $69.99/mo for a family plan (2 phones or more), with a 2 year contract that will cost extra bucks to terminate early. All of which doesn’t include a host of other fees, from taxes to monthly connection fees, for a minimum of $80.00/ mo to use both the hub and your wireless phone.

Bummer man!

Still, the idea is a phenomenal one that may have come in time to launch us into a new era of telecommunications.

Maybe this is what Web 3.0 really means: connecting all your devices, and, through them, connecting to all the members of your family, sharing information, keeping in touch.

Vonage vs. Verizon

In 2006, Verizon sued Vonage (my current home phone provider) over alleged technology patent infringement, a case that was later settled after a lengthy court battle. Vonage’s serviceⁱ is cheaper at $24.99 a month for unlimited local and long distance (including Canada, Puerto Rico, England, France, and a couple of other European countries). You can literally take your phone number with you whenever you travel, simply by taking your Vonage device with you and plugging into an internet connection, anywhere (including your laptop, using the latter’s broadband modem). You can listen to your voice messages from any computer with which you can access your email, meaning, once again, that if you’re traveling with a laptop for instance, your voicemail travels with you. In short, it’s VOIP service for less.

Honestly, other than the “cool” factor of the Vz Hub itself, it’s main redeeming quality is the integration with Verizon Wireless service. Dollar for dollar, since I do not have Verizon Wireless service, I’ll stick to Vonage. Nonetheless, I’m excited to see what the future brings…

1. By the way, if you decide to sign up, do me a favor and tell them I sent you! [↩]

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