T-Mobile to offer landline services

By Giselle Abramovich

February 22, 2008

T-Mobile’s move is an obvious attempt to attract customers who want both landlines and mobile phones

Wireless carrier T-Mobile USA Inc. now offers landline service in Seattle and Dallas, a move that takes it into dual-line players AT&T Inc. and Verizon’s territory.

The service requires that customers already have a wireless plan and costs an extra $10 a month for unlimited calls. Customers can connect to their home phone from a T-Mobile device, which directs calls over the Internet.

T-Mobile didn’t respond to enquiries at press time.

The development comes soon after T-Mobile joined a price war Feb. 19 with AT&T and Verizon Wireless to offer a nationwide unlimited calling plan for $99.99.

A subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile is the fourth-largest U.S. carrier. Its latest move is an obvious attempt to attract customers who want both landlines and mobile phones.

The service works through a T-Mobile wireless router, also used to connect computers to the Internet. It costs $49.99 and requires a home Internet connection.

T-Mobile is also selling a home phone along with the plan. It costs $59.99 and is cordless.

Customers can switch their existing home phone numbers to T-Mobile's service.