[Asterisk-Users] Cellsocket Report Card (GSM/PCS to FXS gateway)

[Jeff Noxon]

I recently purchased a Cellsocket, which is a cradle that holds some
older Nokia GSM/PCS phones and converts them to an FXS interface.  My
test phone is a Nokia 5190 on the T-Mobile GSM network.

After going through the ordeal of unlocking the phone (T-Mobile provided
unlock codes that didn't work), I finally got it up and running.

The good:

- Disconnect supervision works
- Outstanding sound quality
- The cellsocket's antenna works much better than the one in the phone
- Support for external antennas/amplifiers
- The cellsocket keeps the phone charged

The bad & ugly:

- Dialtone provided by the cellsocket doesn't match US spec.  Fortunately
  this does not matter.

- The cellsocket runs the phone on BATTERY (!!) while off-hook.  This is
  supposedly a design decision to prevent interference.  If anyone hacks
  around this crazy limitation I'd love to know.

- After sending DTMF to the cellsocket, you hear the cellsocket send DTMF
  (?) to the phone, after Asterisk has already bridged the call.  This
  could cause problems for alarm systems.

Overall:

I like it.

Regards,

Jeff