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YouMail Review

I’ve been testing the YouMail voicemail service as a replacement to the standard, boring mailbox that comes standard with all mobile phone plans. So far, I am impressed. It’s another service like Gmail, which is unbelievably good and free.

The most compelling features are the sms and email notification options. YouMail will text message you info about the caller, their carrier, and location even if they do not leave message. The option to receive voicemails as email attachments is great for archival and review. I have an unlimited data plan on my BlackBerry, which allows me to retrieve new voicemails without wasting my peak minutes.

I’ve also converted my home phone to YouMail. YouMail supports service for multiple phones to the same voicemail box. Having multiple voicemails is an annoying problem that should not exist, and I hate being asked the question, “What’s the best number to reach you?” This is a stupid 1980s problem that I no longer have. My home phone rolls-over to my mobile phone, so I have a single voicemail box, and I don’t have to give my mobile number to businesses.

Finally, YouMail also supports customized greetings based on caller-id and the ability to block specified numbers from leaving a message. Options also exist to prevent numbers with blocked and unavailable caller-id from leaving a message, and the system can differentiate between blocked and unavailable CID.

This service works perfectly and is completely free with T-Mobile. T-Mobile allows for configuration of unconditional call forwarding directly from the handset.

T-Mobile’s @Home Landline service

T-Mobile’s new @Home landline service looks nice at first glance, but there’s a problem. Why does it include an expensive wireless router? The router carries a $49 purchase price, and the hidden cost of the device is subsidized in a 2 year service agreement. No thanks.

It’s aggravating that voice companies package everything inside their own custom wireless router. They obviously do this to avoid support issues with the masses, and at the same time, offer no alternative to those who have invested in more sophisticated gear and know how to support it themselves. If I was interested in the service, I’m sure I could make it work behind another vendor’s NAT gateway, but where’s the less expensive alternative which does not bundle wireless and routing services?

I’m a T-Mobile customer, and I use their UMA @ Home service on my Blackberry, but a contract agreement and an expensive device which bundles redundant features that I don’t need make this unattractive to me. Why would I want to use this when other VoIP providers are happy to sell me only the hardware I need with no contract agreement?  Why do I care about unlimited US calls when I can add that same feature to my mobile phone for the same price with no contract extension?  Is the look and feel of an analog home phone really that addictive?