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AT&T 3G MicroCell Site Goes Live, Monthly Fees to Be Up to $19.99?
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This is very encouraging. I'm thinking of upgrading to the unlimited minutes plan at $20 per month and then I can get rid of my land-line to save $50 per month. Net-Net is that I save $30 per month.....or sort of like getting my iPhone Data PLan for free.
It is about 50 feet, but the garage and the room above it are separate structures from the house. It has always been trouble signal-wise. The farthest point I can get inside (same structure) is about 70 feet and the signal is strong. I can get it in all rooms upstairs full strength as well.
My 802.11g router from AT&T (came with the u-verse package) has a little better coverage ... at least it works in the bonus room above the garage.
-Benster
AT&T just wants to continue to justify their higher rates by offering yet another device that users have to figure out just to maintain a minimal quality of service.
I'll stick to my $52/month T-Mobile EDGE 1000 minute/unlimited data plan thank you...
100% coverage over an area is impossible because of terrain, government licensing, building permits, etc. Some people are going to be unfortunate and get stuck in such an area. This is certainly a better alternative over having no service.
Ooops. Sorry about that.
Why the heck have they put the unity menus on the microcell page http://att.com/3gmicrocell/
No this is not correct
I want to straighten some facts out about the microcell.
1. It makes you your own personal cell tower. You have to link the phone you want to use to it so people around you cannot use it as their cell tower only people you allow to.
2. you do not have to get the 20 dollar unlimited plan, you can just buy the micro-cell link your phone to it and use your wireless minutes you already have. If you want unlimited calling inside your home then you can add the 20.00 a month to your plan and get unlimited calling using the microcell that does not go against your other minutes.
So the cases said here are not the truth and I think it is a great idea for ATT to do this, and it sounds like it will be 150.00 with a 100.00 mail in rebate, sounds like a great deal to me. I have so many rollover minutes that buying this for 50.00 and getting to use my rollover minutes seems like a good thing to me.
I want to straighten some facts out about the microcell.
1. It makes you your own personal cell tower. You have to link the phone you want to use to it so people around you cannot use it as their cell tower only people you allow to.
2. you do not have to get the 20 dollar unlimited plan, you can just buy the micro-cell link your phone to it and use your wireless minutes you already have. If you want unlimited calling inside your home then you can add the 20.00 a month to your plan and get unlimited calling using the microcell that does not go against your other minutes.
So the cases said here are not the truth and I think it is a great idea for ATT to do this, and it sounds like it will be 150.00 with a 100.00 mail in rebate, sounds like a great deal to me. I have so many rollover minutes that buying this for 50.00 and getting to use my rollover minutes seems like a good thing to me.
This is the best thing ATT has done in the past year, and yet people are bitching. The general public can be incredibly stupid sometimes.
This is really cool....
...all you AT&T haters at the beginning of this post should do your homework.
Start here...
http://www.wireless.att.com:80/learn/why/3gmicrocell/
I can start a call from my home....take it with my on the road and it is unlimited.....does not count towards my calling plan.
...all you AT&T haters at the beginning of this post should do your homework.
Start here...
http://www.wireless.att.com:80/learn/why/3gmicrocell/
I can start a call from my home....take it with my on the road and it is unlimited.....does not count towards my calling plan.
Glad to Hear Folks Are Balking at the Price
$150 to help ATT fix their network shortcomings is in fact, quite a price for consumers to pick up.
With 4 ATT phones in my home, would I pay $20 for unlimited calls from all of the phones I authorize to use the microcell? Or is that on a per phone basis?
I would argue that at $20 per month, the device should be free given they are using my broadband connection to hop onto their net. How about the option to buy over a year at $10-15 per month.
$150 to help ATT fix their network shortcomings is in fact, quite a price for consumers to pick up.
With 4 ATT phones in my home, would I pay $20 for unlimited calls from all of the phones I authorize to use the microcell? Or is that on a per phone basis?
I would argue that at $20 per month, the device should be free given they are using my broadband connection to hop onto their net. How about the option to buy over a year at $10-15 per month.
No wireless carrier can get 100% coverage....
...but with this device, they can ensure excellent coverage at home. Many of us live in areas with natural barriers (hills, valleys, trees) and man made barriers (cement walls, steel beams, tinted windows)....and to get another local cell tower installed takes an act from God (local government permits, leasing of the land, construction, the NIMBY rule (Not In My BackYard)). This is really great news.....and if you plan it right, it can save you money (get rid of your land line!).
If you don't like the $20 per month, get it for $0 per month by using your existing wireless plan.
...but with this device, they can ensure excellent coverage at home. Many of us live in areas with natural barriers (hills, valleys, trees) and man made barriers (cement walls, steel beams, tinted windows)....and to get another local cell tower installed takes an act from God (local government permits, leasing of the land, construction, the NIMBY rule (Not In My BackYard)). This is really great news.....and if you plan it right, it can save you money (get rid of your land line!).
If you don't like the $20 per month, get it for $0 per month by using your existing wireless plan.
For the cost of a phone? Sign me up!
So, this looks to break down as:
Spend $150 dollars.
A. Just use my phone(s) as normal, and have increased coverage wherever I want to place this thing.
-- OR --
B. Go the "unlimited" minutes route (and the $150 device decreases to $50).
1. $20 a month if you do not have AT&T home phone or internet.
2. $10 a month if you have either AT&T home phone or internet.
3. $0 a month if you have both an AT&T home phone and internet.
So, since I have AT&T U-verse with both phone and internet -- I would pay $50 for the device (after a rebate), and I would now have unlimited minutes at home and 5 bar coverage always in my basement (or wherever I want)?
I really fail to see how this is an awful thing. I do not "have" to pay anything, except the $150 one time price to improve coverage exactly where "I" might want to improve it. They even WANT you to use them as your internet provider (if possible and available) -- and if so, they will reduce the cost?
So, this looks to break down as:
Spend $150 dollars.
A. Just use my phone(s) as normal, and have increased coverage wherever I want to place this thing.
-- OR --
B. Go the "unlimited" minutes route (and the $150 device decreases to $50).
1. $20 a month if you do not have AT&T home phone or internet.
2. $10 a month if you have either AT&T home phone or internet.
3. $0 a month if you have both an AT&T home phone and internet.
So, since I have AT&T U-verse with both phone and internet -- I would pay $50 for the device (after a rebate), and I would now have unlimited minutes at home and 5 bar coverage always in my basement (or wherever I want)?
I really fail to see how this is an awful thing. I do not "have" to pay anything, except the $150 one time price to improve coverage exactly where "I" might want to improve it. They even WANT you to use them as your internet provider (if possible and available) -- and if so, they will reduce the cost?
AT&T says you must have DSL or Cable to use it. I have Clear WiMAX as my home Internet & VoIP Phone service provider, which goes through 4G towers. Would this work with the MicroCell?
I'm confused exactly what the MicroCell requires besides an Internet connection to work. I have a 6MB connection, so that wouldn't be an issue.
I'm confused exactly what the MicroCell requires besides an Internet connection to work. I have a 6MB connection, so that wouldn't be an issue.
Yeah, as long as your latency isn't anything crazy, you'd think it'd work fine for you.
They really said just cable and DSL? No FiOS mention? Weird!
What a great deal for AT&T!
When I first saw this I was like that's exactly what I need! I've been complaining to AT&T for months now about my horrible service in my house (which has gotten progressively worse, even on my iPhone 3GS). Then, 30 seconds later I saw that AT&T is charging up to $20.00 per month for the service (plus the device). So, let me get this straight, we pay for a device which extends AT&T's network at our expense, pay an additional monthly fee, and finally get the service we're paying for in the first place. In the meantime, AT&T is getting more of my money, an expanded network and therefore a wider pool of customers to draw from, and a reduced strain on their cellular 3G network. Let's not forget, if you are using this device, you are using your OWN internet connection and avoiding AT&T's towers all together providing more capacity for them. Since these VOIP calls cost next to nothing for a company like AT&T, we end up paying more money for a service that most likely saves AT&T big money on cost of calls.
When I first saw this I was like that's exactly what I need! I've been complaining to AT&T for months now about my horrible service in my house (which has gotten progressively worse, even on my iPhone 3GS). Then, 30 seconds later I saw that AT&T is charging up to $20.00 per month for the service (plus the device). So, let me get this straight, we pay for a device which extends AT&T's network at our expense, pay an additional monthly fee, and finally get the service we're paying for in the first place. In the meantime, AT&T is getting more of my money, an expanded network and therefore a wider pool of customers to draw from, and a reduced strain on their cellular 3G network. Let's not forget, if you are using this device, you are using your OWN internet connection and avoiding AT&T's towers all together providing more capacity for them. Since these VOIP calls cost next to nothing for a company like AT&T, we end up paying more money for a service that most likely saves AT&T big money on cost of calls.
So essentially we are paying even more money to expand a network/coverage that should already exist? This is the dumbest invention I have ever seen.
Please if you can not be smart enough to read the FAQ do not bother flaming.
It has been pointed out time and time again the $20 a month charge is ONLY if you want unlimited minutes while on it. Other wise you buy the device for a $150 and use your plan minutes on it.
There is no monthly fee if you go with route 2.
I really fail to see how this is an awful thing. I do not "have" to pay anything, except the $150 one time price to improve coverage exactly where "I" might want to improve it. They even WANT you to use them as your internet provider (if possible and available) -- and if so, they will reduce the cost?
Here's what you're forgetting, we shouldn't HAVE to pay additional for a service that we are already paying for. I pay $200 per month for my two iPhones and two normal lines, which I already think is quite expensive. I live right next to a large university (2 blocks away) which has nearly 10,000 students in a city which has nearly 500,000 people. We have 3G coverage in the entire city but for some reason my service has gotten progressively worse around the whole area.
I'm sure the reason is because AT&T keeps increasing their subscribers (iPhone users) in the area but not their network. The told me that they have no plans to increase the network in the near future and that I should turn my phone on EDGE to get better performance. Now, I can't even make or receive a call in most parts of my house, the reception is TERRIBLE.
Now, why should I have to pay more money for something that I am already paying for??? I don't care if it costs me .99¢ for the device, it uses my internet connection and is an advantage for AT&T. Should I feel bad for AT&T because they have too many new subscribers in my area, NO!
Think about it this way, it's like if you went and bought a new hybrid car that was advertised to get 40 MPG but only really got 20 MPG. Then, the dealership offers a upgrade kit that gets an additional 20 MPG for only $150. You shouldn't have to pay additional for something you should already get for free!