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AT&T Set to Roll Out Nationwide 3G MicroCell Availability Beginning Next Month
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So you can make calls and send SMS/MMS from inside your house without worrying about whether you have a signal or not...
It's not really meant for data.
if you have a bad signal and you can buy the 20 dollar plan and maybe save money if you downgrade minutes on your plan.
Speak for yourself. I don't have the reception issues that some others have. At my home I always have a radio signal strength between -70 and -85. Anything over -100 and it can get spotty for some radios.
Every major wireless carrier sells "microcells" to improve their in-building coverage:
Verizon does.
Sprint does.
T-Mobile does.
and now AT&T does.
So using your logic, EVERY carrier is basically admitting that their service is garbage, and if you want good service, then, well, you're just going to have to pay more.
Really? what a bunch of BS. Heres an idea AT&T... FIX YOUR NETWORK! instead of eveloping this device they could have fixed their network with the costs. LOL
Ah OK I see that in the literature now.
(My work proxy blocks a lot of the material)So friends that are over can't use it to increase their coverage while they are in your house unless you "add" them (which you won't do because it would either cut into your "max devices" count, or just be too big of a hassle).
I dunno, the idea of getting 5 bars on a phone at home would be brilliant for me, but the pricing structure just seems flawed. The device has expense, I can see that, but if I'm ATT I'm giving it free to new customers with less than 2 bar coverage in their home - and I'm making it impulse-buy affordable $50 for everyone else.
I for one can hardly wait to get my hands on one of these. There is a small portion of my house where I cannot make or receive calls, purely due to construction (full bars in other parts of the house and outside). Unfortunately, it is the area of the house that I spend the most time.
It is unrealistic for AT&T to add another tower just to clear a dead spot in my house.
It is unrealistic for AT&T to add another tower just to clear a dead spot in my house.
I tend to agree with the negative comments as this seems like a double billng structure - we're already paying for the cellular and local wifi service.
And currently I'm experiencing horrible speeds in downtown San Francisco. I came from Raleigh nc where speeds are much faster. Granted I'm sure it's a network congestion ratio of users issue more than anything (freaking everyone has iPhone here - even the garbage truck drivers lol)
I'd like to try this but I'm already topped out financially for this phone - don't they know the economy is crap for many of us right now?
And currently I'm experiencing horrible speeds in downtown San Francisco. I came from Raleigh nc where speeds are much faster. Granted I'm sure it's a network congestion ratio of users issue more than anything (freaking everyone has iPhone here - even the garbage truck drivers lol)
I'd like to try this but I'm already topped out financially for this phone - don't they know the economy is crap for many of us right now?
What!? AT&T is going to force me to buy this and then they'll automatically charge my credit card every month? This is terrible! I can understand all the negative posts now!
Oh, wait. That's not true? Well then never mind.
Oh, wait. That's not true? Well then never mind.
Just so I'm clear ...
I'm supposed to pay $150 up front for a device that will let me use my ATT mobile phone _at all_ and will use my cable internet service to augment their network? And for the privilege of easing their network congestion and letting me use my phone at home, they want me to pay an additional $20/month?
umm ... no? /boggle
I'm supposed to pay $150 up front for a device that will let me use my ATT mobile phone _at all_ and will use my cable internet service to augment their network? And for the privilege of easing their network congestion and letting me use my phone at home, they want me to pay an additional $20/month?
umm ... no? /boggle
I Should probably read this closer, but this just sounds like an additional cost to create what should be a baseline of quality service.
If I have to, I have to... It may be my problem.
Well, this is not the worst thing that could happen. Nothing happening to improve problems at my house, MY house, would be worse.
The house has a metal foil thermal shield installed under the roofing, intersecting power lines over the back yard, metal frame thermal windows all around, and, many wire runs that pass over the kitchen and dining room in the attic in a "spider web" fashion... Long story short, even good signals have a hard time passing through metal barriers and active electrical fields.
So, given that nobody could work around some of this from the outside, at least having the option to buy a device/service to fix it from the inside is way better than nothing. I'll probably go for it and be happy that I did.
Some of the same problems at work, by the way; some weak and dead spots in the building depending on what's overhead and behind the walls. And, again, this could fix a lot of that - our problem - and be worth it.
Well, this is not the worst thing that could happen. Nothing happening to improve problems at my house, MY house, would be worse.
The house has a metal foil thermal shield installed under the roofing, intersecting power lines over the back yard, metal frame thermal windows all around, and, many wire runs that pass over the kitchen and dining room in the attic in a "spider web" fashion... Long story short, even good signals have a hard time passing through metal barriers and active electrical fields.
So, given that nobody could work around some of this from the outside, at least having the option to buy a device/service to fix it from the inside is way better than nothing. I'll probably go for it and be happy that I did.
Some of the same problems at work, by the way; some weak and dead spots in the building depending on what's overhead and behind the walls. And, again, this could fix a lot of that - our problem - and be worth it.
Awesome idea, charge ME money every month to make up for their network short comings. Thats a spit in the face. There should be *NO* monthly charge.
I am ok with paying a few bucks for the device, but no way in hell am I going to pay a monthly fee. They are totally out of their gords on this one.
I am ok with paying a few bucks for the device, but no way in hell am I going to pay a monthly fee. They are totally out of their gords on this one.
About time but...
I'm glad it's finally going to roll out. This should have happened a long long long time ago.
The only real issue I have is that it's $150 when it should be like $50's if not free since we're extending their coverage for them. I would be willing to pay $100 none the less, but $150, I don't know.
I'm glad it's finally going to roll out. This should have happened a long long long time ago.
The only real issue I have is that it's $150 when it should be like $50's if not free since we're extending their coverage for them. I would be willing to pay $100 none the less, but $150, I don't know.
Wow nice reaction from people. I agree it should be $50 max for the router, but after that it's no big deal..you don't have to get the additional plan. There are always going to be coverage holes for all carriers. The great verizon switches to 1x about 5 times along my route(work to home) and I get no service sometimes.
My 3gs gets very good coverage other than in my office and the microcell might just fit the bill.
My 3gs gets very good coverage other than in my office and the microcell might just fit the bill.
You do *not* have to pay an additional $20/month. Read the article...it's right there in black and white:
Just like every other carrier?
Verizon's is called Network Extender, and the device is $249.99.
No fee to use your plan minutes, and there is no option to add unlimited minutes while at home using it.
Sprint's is called AIRAVE, and the device is $99.99
There is a mandatory $4.99/month fee just to use your plan minutes, and there is a $20/mo option to add unlimited minutes while at home using it.
T-Mobile's is called @HOME, and the device doesn't cost anything, because there isn't one. It uses your existing WiFi network (which means only phones with WiFi can use it)
Couldn't find much pricing info on their website, so not sure how they work it.
AT&T's is called Microcell, and the device is $149.99
No fee to use your plan minutes, and there is a $20/mo option to add unlimited minutes at home.
So where exactly is the problem with AT&T's offering???
Even with a femtocell, the call still has to hit the AT&T network at some point and that still costs them money.
You're paying $20 bucks a month for the privilege of having unlimited calls while on the femtocell. If you do not want unlimited calls, there is no monthly charge for the femtocell.
Do you people read before commenting?
Agreed. Although the $20 unlimited calling is very Vonage-like and could allow you to dump your land-line entirely.
Can you configure your phone to "prefer" the microcell over some other tower that's in range when you're home? Or would that simply happen automatically since it would have the strongest signal?