AT&T 3G MicroCell Site Goes Live, Monthly Fees to Be Up to $19.99?

[co.ag.2005]

I've had every iteration of the iPhone from original launch day to 3GS. Which is to say - I feel qualified to comment on AT&T's service - which is completely unacceptable/unusable in Denver, CO (especially considering their current rates).

It's weird, every month I uphold my end of the bargain: I send in my family plan payment, in full & on time. Yet AT&T is not upholding their end of the deal. I'd say about 25% of the time, 3G is completely unusable. I know dozens of iPhone users here that don't even turn ON their 3G, yet continue paying for the "feature."

So for AT&T to offer his MicroCell service at additional chargess only underscores their detachment from reality and/or complete and utter disregard for their customer base.
The fact they want to charge me for 3G that doesn't work AND now want to charge me to expand their network is laughable.

Here's a couple of things that could happen that would help my relationship with AT&T.
•*reduce my monthly bill by the fees I currently pay for a service (3G) that does not work.
• continue charging me for 3G but allow me to access their MicroCell service for free. That way, at least when I am home I can use 3G (which currently, I can't - and that's with an AT&T cell tower within line of sight of my house!).

It's too bad... the iPhone is hands down the best hand held device on the market. I wish the service provider could match.
I'm not sure what the solution is... will opening it up to other carriers help? I don't think it could hurt.

Where are you in Denver? I have fantastic 3G service pretty much everywhere I go in Denver (sure, it can drop down to EDGE when you enter a hilly portion of town, terrain blockages do plague mountain areas on any cell network). Also, I live in Evergreen and ATT just installed a 3G tower by my house.

 

[aristobrat]

Err... how about using the home's WIFI and doing voice over IP when in range of the home network? You know, like the rest of the world...

How about not every AT&T 3G phone has WiFi?

The only thing that will change my tune is if AT&T can show that the 20 dollars a month simply covers the expense of connecting my phone to the another's via the AT&T system.

So essentially, you've made your mind up that this service is a rip-off, but yet you admit you have no idea how it works. Interesting...

 

[cababah]

AT&T could afford to bleed it's customers and treat them like s**t a year or so but with talks about the iPhone (only reason EVER to be with AT&T) going to other carriers, you would think they would have wised up and started playing square.

I don't think there is any other device out there that is so polarized with love/hate as the iPhone. We love the phone hardware but HATE the service provider that shortchanges it.

I am curious to know what AT&T will do (if anything) to keep current customers or entice them to go with their service once the iPhone goes to another carrier.

IDIOTS!!!! Treating customers like crap karma will come back to get them soon and I want some popcorn and a soda to watch them squirm when it happens.

 

[bdkennedy1]

http://gizmodo.com/5364161/3g-microcells-att-wants-you-to-pay-extra-to-fix-their-own-failures

 

[lostngone]

I tell you what AT&T.

I am feeling generous today. I will buy the hardware and even install at no charge to you so that people around me can use this hardware and my broadband connection to improve YOUR service.
However I want a 20 dollar monthly credit for this service.

 

[Stately]

Hahaaaa lol, people actually seem surprised by AT&ts bad behavior. Everytime I read a post like this, I thank God I left my iPhone behind. Even though I miss the phone, I don't miss at&swindle.

 

[greenpaz]

"...if you're too stupid to see the benefits of this technology, than you're an idiot IMO."

But you're too stupid to understand what this argument is about. The problem isn't that the technology doesn't have a benefit. The problem is that the benefit it provides (good cellular service) is something AT&T should already be providing. Seriously, have the people applauding AT&T completely lost the plot?

 

[clayj]

I tell you what AT&T.

I am feeling generous today. I will buy the hardware and even install at no charge to you so that people around me can use this hardware and my broadband connection to improve YOUR service.
However I want a 20 dollar monthly credit for this service.

Yet another person who didn't read all the FAQs.

The MicroCell does NOTHING for your neighbors' 3G service, UNLESS you authorize their phone numbers to be able to use the device. It's intended to improve the 3G service in YOUR home or office.

 

[GregorBehr]

So.... for $20, I can get unlimited usage on my Family Plan. I'm slightly indifferent about that, since we never hit our limit and end up with Rollover Minutes.

But if I sign up for the $20 a month gig, I get the rebate, so the cost of the hardware drops to $50 (minus taxes I'm sure).

But since I already have a land line (which gets used on the fax machine), and AT&T DSL and obviously cell service, the $20 fee gets waived.

Now I'm wondering, does this mean I still get that unlimited usage AND the rebate? If so, then I'm only out of pocket $50 bucks to improve the poor service in my house.

If this works out the way I hope (I'm sure there will be a loop hole preventing it), I'll certainly drop the $50 get get what I already pay AT&T to do in the first place... WORK in a major metropolitan area.

 

[NoExpectations]

"...if you're too stupid to see the benefits of this technology, than you're an idiot IMO."

But you're too stupid to understand what this argument is about. The problem isn't that the technology doesn't have a benefit. The problem is that the benefit it provides (good cellular service) is something AT&T should already be providing. Seriously, have the people applauding AT&T completely lost the plot?

I think that all Wireless Carriers have the same problem.....Physics. You can not send a radio signal thru a metal/concrete structure or other barriers (thick walls, tinted windows, etc). This is one way to get around it. The other option is to install cell towers every 500 feet in your neighborhood. Do you really want that....do you really want to pay for that?

This service is FREE if you want your existing minutes. Reread the article.

 

[aristobrat]

So basically the consumer is paying [AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon] even more money for [AT&T's, Sprint's, T-Mobile's, Verizon's] incompetent network. Boy what a business plan. Not only that, they are piggybacking off of YOUR internet connection that you also have to pay for.

Since AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon all offer these devices (which wouldn't be required if their networks weren't "incompetent"), I updated your quote for you.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

I am so torn about this device. I live in the Raleigh area and we have TERRIBLE coverage in our whole house. The rest of the neighborhood, is bad, but our house is worse... 1 bar is the best we get, and it goes in and out constantly. So now to fix the problem of terrible coverage, I have to pay AT&T an extra $20/month, on top of the $200 plus per month I'm already paying them for my wireless bill. But I'm torn, because the device would probably fix my coverage problems. So it would seem that AT&T would have an incentive to create coverage problems so that you'd pay them more.

They are kind enough to lower the price if you use AT&T for your broadband connection. Great... they don't offer the service in my area! But that makes even less sense. They are funneling their traffic through the infrastructure of your broadband provider, so they should actually give you a discount for not having to use their own infrastructure! I can see where this is going too... you pay AT&T $20/month to add this device. Then in a few months Time Warner decides I'm using too much bandwidth and tacks on additional fees to cover AT&T mooching off of their pipes.

As much as I HATE government intervention, with the grueling 2 year contracts the carriers have, the consumer really doesn't have a way to fight this effectively. I either continue to put up with crappy service, or I pay them extra to fix it. Any "voting with your wallet" type of thing here would take 2 years to implement and I'd likely find myself in a similar boat with the next carrier. Never mind the fact that I can't use my device with the other carriers because of another monopolistic policy. This whole wireless market is getting more and more wacky in the US and it is not consumer oriented at all at this point.

I am with you on this. my hopes are that this isn't done yet. this is the beta pricing.

but i am hoping this will finally roll out nationwide soon. my coverage is horrible also, coverage in my neighborhood stinks. at this point it is just about making my coverage usable in the house and guest house.

But do any of us want to spend an extra $20 a month? hell no. but i think if you buy one of these microcells and dont have to pay any plan... it would be great to use your existing minutes. which i believe is an option.

 

[JGuez]

Most of you who are complaining sound pretty dumb. You're mad that AT&T has poor service in your area. Who the hell told you to sign up with them? They're trying to extend their coverage to you, and when they do you still bitch. Jeeze. Either drop them or just deal with it. If however you signed up with AT&T and their map shows you have good coverage in your area, call and complain and get some months for free. I guarantee you will get your wish if you demand and make your point to them properly.

AT&T is definitely the most expensive but clearly they're smart if they convinced you to sign up with them and they have bad service in your area....

 

[twoodcc]

i will not be paying for this.

 

[macswitcha2]

AT%T must think I'm stupid!

 

[steamed.hams]

"How little regard for your customers do you have to have to offer a product that fixes your own product for an additional fee every month? "

^ Adam/Gizmodo really hit the nail on the head.

 

[aristobrat]

But you're too stupid to understand what this argument is about. The problem isn't that the technology doesn't have a benefit. The problem is that the benefit it provides (good cellular service) is something AT&T should already be providing. Seriously, have the people applauding AT&T completely lost the plot?

For someone calling a person stupid, you're coming across as short-sighted. No carrier (including the all-mightly Verizon, with "The Network") provides (good cellular service) everywhere. Which is probably why Verizon sells a device that does exactly the same thing that this AT&T MicroCell does.

You act like because of this device, AT&T's stopped dumping $10's of BILLIONS of dollars a year into expanding their network.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Oh if you don't get 3g service at your house we can SELL YOU THIS! For a low monthly fee you fill receive service as YOU expect it. Otherwise we can't guarantee that your phone will work well.. at all..

Can Verizon finally get the Iphone.. Seriously.

When and if they make an iPhone that isn't GSM/UTMS then maybe. But that would then be a US only product. CDMA is not common outside the US.

 

[h4ck]

thank you for pointing that out. voice over IP traffic is negligible.

Voice traffic bandwidth requirements are real, real low. I am a network engineer and when we size the WAN for concurrent calls, we allow for about 12-16kbs per call. This service will have no impact whatsoever on your current ISP connection.

 

[QCassidy352]

No, you don't not have to pay $20 per month. ONLY if you want to and no, other people cannot latch on to your service.
READ PEOPLE READ!

But... but... it's more fun to rant angrily and trash AT&T blindly! C'mon, everyone else is doing it!

 

[Stately]

Other carriers have REAL unlimited plans for a reasonable $50 a month, just in case anyone is finally coming to their senses about AT&T. Sometimes we need to choose quality and efficience over luxury and while the iPhone is actually superior to other smartphones, it has become extremely crippled by it's carrier. The quality of it has been tarnished and smothered with the burden of finance for every feature that is already offered by the phone itself. At&t has caused this to become just another luxury item.*

 

[DotCom2]

Now I know why we have such a crappy, uneducated & uninformed discussion on health care. People just want to scream, get pissed off and shout at someone - anyone. No one seems to know how to debate anymore. Here's a "crazy" concept. How about READING the damn information first?

MY GAWD!
Do I second that or what!
Right on Buddy!

 

[aristobrat]

"How little regard for your customers do you have to have to offer a product that fixes your own product for an additional fee every month? "

^ Adam/Gizmodo really hit the nail on the head.

Adam/Gizmodo missed the nail entirely.

Straight from AT&T's website, there is no required monthly fee.

http://www.wireless.att.com/answer-...yncharset=UTF-8&solutionId=KB95627&isSrch=Yes

Do I need to subscribe to an AT&T Unlimited MicroCell Calling feature?

Question:
Do I need to subscribe to an AT&T Unlimited MicroCell Calling feature?
Answer:
While highly recommended for maximum benefit, a subscription to AT&T Unlimited MicroCell Calling is not required. Your normal wireless from AT&T minute plan rates will apply.

 

[GQB]

As much as I HATE government intervention, with the grueling 2 year contracts the carriers have, the consumer really doesn't have a way to fight this effectively.

Yeah... that 'government intervention' thing is really evil until you need it to step up and help protect you from rapacious corporations, huh?

Funny how libertarians hate government, except when protects them.

 

[NoExpectations]

I don't think there is any other device out there that is so polarized with love/hate as the iPhone. We love the phone hardware but HATE the service provider that shortchanges it.

I think that part of this perception problem stems from the fact that we pay Apple a real low, one time price for the iPhone (thanks to AT&T's ridiculously high subsidy) and we end up paying AT&T each month for the service which has to include the subsidy that was given to Apple. We don't think about that each month because the check goes to AT&T.....but behind the scenes, much of that money we send them already went to Apple. Apple ends up being the HERO and AT&T the VILLAIN. Very smart PR campaign from Apple.