AT&T Set to Roll Out Nationwide 3G MicroCell Availability Beginning Next Month

[w0by]

Wow, thanks AT&T!

GEE Wiz,

Thank you AT&T for having shotty service, allowing me to buy your expensive router to use it, connect it to my DSL that I already pay you for and allow me to pay you a monthly fee, even though I already pay you for my minutes.

 

[cyberddot]

ATT on the Oregon Coast

Living in an area where more cell phone towers wouldn't actually add much to the rugged, rural appeal of living here in the first place, I'm glad to read that ATT is working on this type of solution. The Oregon coast is far too rugged to expect better coverage without an obscene amount of construction. I'll play Mr. Obvious and point out that building more cell towers probably sounds like the simple solution, unless the prime location for the cell tower is in your backyard.

However, I think the cost to the customer-in-need should be much closer to FREE, since this is an effort to keep customers happy without having to spend money procuring real estate and building towers. Subsidy or bust!

 

[ChrisNM]

Thanks

My thanks to everyone.

My initial reaction was why is ATT coming out with this crap when they should be addressing their network coverage.

But having read all the comments, I understand it much better now.

Still not sure if I am going to get one, but at least I can make an informed decision.

Thanks!

 

[WolfJLupus]

Apparently it is confusing for you. Regardless of whether US telcos are decades behind (which I believe they are) when you pay for service, you are not paying for better future service, you are paying for the service you have already received. The motivation for a telco to provide better service is to get more costumers, NOT because they signed a contract with their costumer wherein they promise to use the fees to create a better product.

Your idea is nice, but its far from the reality of any business where you pay a monthly fee for a service. I can't off the top of my head think of an industry where this is the expectations. But I can think of dozens upon dozens of examples where what you pay for is what you get, and no more (see every one of my monthly bills).

I don't complain because my gym doesn't add new equipment fast enough. When I signed up for my gym I checked everything out, and made a business decision. I decided that what they were providing was worth the price, and if they provided more in the future, awesome.

I completely disagree...

As things change, new ways of doing things, new technology emerges, as other advances are made then too that business has to change, adapt, grow and/or innovate to survive and keep their revenue streams. Even better for said companies is when they lead the way and STAY on top by dominating the industry by continually looking forward ( Apple? ).

Yes, we as consumers expect our companies to continue to offer us more and to grow with the future. Otherwise, they are doomed to inevitable failure. I expect my cell phone company, computer company, internet provider, etc to continue to offer me something new not just stagnate and go “it's good enough, why change?”.

If the same service suddenly costed more, OR if the same priced service suddenly lost functionality, I would understand the complaint. However neither of those scenarios applies to AT&T offering the Microcell.

The basis for your theory is that every costumer that they don't provide this free (yet expensive to provide) device to is a lost costumer. In my opinion this basis is extremely flawed. Costumers don't leave because a company provides a new service, and keeps the current service the exact same.

I'm saying it should be provided ( cheap or free ) to ensure better service ( which doesn't cost more when you compare the cost of upgrading cell sites thus paying for itself and more ) and for more incentive to stay with their current provider.

I'm hoping over time these devices will be common and their cost greatly reduced because it just simply makes sense.

If you read the comments some people have threatened to leave AT&T due to this, though I wouldn't think that would be a good enough reason, but maybe it was the straw that broke the camels back. I personally would love to use VZ over AT&T because they have better coverage overall in the areas I've been to.

They should, and this device helps them do that. We both agree about this it seems, we just don't agree on whether the costumer should have to pay for better service, or if it is somehow an inherent right.
However what you are paying for is NOT "better future service" or "100% coverage", and any costumer who thinks that is a fool.

No, you can't expect 100% coverage because nothing in life is 100%. I think the whole “rights” angle is simply semantics and is missing the point. The point being is people pay a fairly hefty price for cell coverage and they expect it to work in most situations.

As a person in a technical field with general understandings of communication infrastructure, I agree 100%. But just because some other country provides the people different color water on demand, with temperature control down to the half degree and for less money, doesn't mean I suddenly have the right to demand the same thing from my own water provider for free. At least IMHO.

Part of the reason these companies don't progress is actually because we simply put up with it. As consumers it's our job to tell companies what we want, don't want and demand.

 

[goobot]

They can either give me the device for free or I am cancelling my service. I just moved and the reception is piss poor in my house. My building is standard wood construction, no metal or concrete, so I don't want to hear about that building materials argument. My room mate has Verizon and has excellent 3G coverage (or whatever the heck Verizon calls their high speed network)..

My phone goes from 3G to EDGE... 4 bars down to 1... back to 4... It's crazy. I have dropped calls, some people call me and my phone never rings, and then I get the voice mail 10 minutes later, delayed texts, you name it. I'm not paying $110 a month for this garbage, and then having to pay an extra $150 for a device they should be giving to their customers for free since it is their lack of network quality that is causing the issues.

thats cause too many people are overloading their network. the reason Verizon works cause no one uses their crappy network

 

[adwolfe12]

I defiantly don't like the idea and price, but I am probably going to have to bite the bullet and get one since I am stuck in a no service zone.
Alex

 

[ryanide]

Maybe if it was free...

Let me see...
$149 for the microcell
$130 extra hardware fee for my iPad

$19.99/month for microcell
$29.95/month for iPad 3G data
$30/month for iPhone data
$20/month for texting
$39.99/month for 450 minutes of cell
plus $20/month for taxes

on top of $50/month for Cable Internet

ummm... tell me why this is a good deal?

I think I will go with Wi-Fi iPad and a new Verizon Cell phone.
Bye bye iPhone and AT&T!!

 

[_Refurbished_]

#1 - Microcell enables people with crappy in-home service (myself) to have 5 bar service without a monthly fee. What's so bad about that? I'm relieved.
#2 - ATT gives you a rebate for the hardware. I've read the hardware may be free after rebate. Completely unconfirmed, though.
#3 - If you have fast internet and can spare 1.5 mbit for phone calls, you won't notice a difference in browsing speed, only download speed. And even then, it's not that much bandwidth.


People keep reading $20/ month and automatically begin bitching about ATT. There is no monthly fee to utilize Microcell. There are many things to bash ATT on, and this is not one of them. I don't see why so many people cannot understand how the service works. It's been talked about MANY times on these forums. As crappy as ATT's service may be, this is a GOOD band aid.

Oh, and Verizon / Sprint / T-Mobile all have this technology already. This is not an "ATT Only" technology to fix their network. ATT is slow to the race, not ahead of the curve.

This thread houses the most uninformed opinions on an topic that i've ever seen.

 

[true777]

I actually like it. I live in a valley with difficult geography that will never have perfect coverage, and I wouldn't mind paying $149 to get the perfect coverage inside my home that I've never had.

Nobody has to use this service, so for those who don't like it, just don't buy it, rather than complaining about it.

 

[aristobrat]

I agree. Why are I paying ATT's already too expensive monthly rate? This "guaranteed" connection sounds like admission of guilt. They have finally admitted their service is not guaranteed. I smell Class Action law suit.

Have you ever read any of the wireless contracts that you've signed in the last two decades?

No carrier has ever guaranteed their service (at the contract-you-sign level), AFAIK. Verizon and Sprint are kind of cute about it, while T-Mobile and AT&T just flat out say it.

AT&T

There are gaps in service within the service areas shown on coverage maps, which, by their nature, are only approximations of actual coverage. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE YOU UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE OR COVERAGE.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...erviceAgreement&q_termsName=Service+Agreement

T-Mobile

Coverage maps only approximate our anticipated wireless coverage area outdoors; actual Service area, coverage and quality may vary and change without notice depending on a variety of factors including network capacity, terrain and weather. You agree we are not liable for problems relating to Service availability or quality.

http://www.t-mobile.com/Templates/P...&PAsset=Ftr_Ftr_TermsAndConditions&print=true

Verizon

Wireless devices use radio transmissions, so unfortunately you can't get Service if your device isn't in range of a transmission signal. And please be aware that even within your Coverage Area, many things can affect the availability and quality of your Service, including network capacity, your device, terrain, buildings, foliage and weather.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/...GREEMENT&jspName=footer/customerAgreement.jsp

Sprint

Our coverage maps provide high level estimates of our coverage areas when using Services outdoors under optimal conditions. Coverage isn’t available everywhere and Service speeds are not guaranteed. Service speeds may depend on the Service purchased. Actual speeds will vary. Estimating wireless coverage, signal strength and Service speed is not an exact science. There are gaps in coverage within our estimated coverage areas that, along with other factors both within and beyond our control (network problems, network or internet congestion, software, signal strength, your Device, structures, buildings, weather, geography, topography, server speeds of the websites you access, etc.), may result in dropped and blocked connections, slower Service speeds, or otherwise impact the quality of Service. Services that rely on location information, such as E911 and GPS navigation, depend on your Device’s ability to acquire satellite signals (typically not available indoors) and network coverage.

https://manage.sprintpcs.com/output/en_US/manage/MyPhoneandPlan/ChangePlans/popLegalTermsPrivacy.htm

 

[Jaro65]

$19.99/month to pay for the privilege to use my Internet connection for phone calls is a really lousy deal. Why would I use that rather than Skype? Thanks, but no thanks.

 

[true777]

Btw -- this would also be great for inside large office buildings, hospitals, research centers, windowless basement offices, etc. I know the doctors at the hospital where I am currently treated need cell phone access (as they move between different hospital rooms/labs/offices all day) and have a lot of frustration with dropped calls to colleagues, etc.

 

[abbstrack]

not that I think everything should be free, but for an at&t customer who lives/works in nyc proper, a place where at&t has admittedly stated is receiving 'substandard' service, there should be some sort of price discount, and i'm not talking about a rebate in exchange for signing up for a price plan. In my neighborhood alone (i'm talking about outside, not inside) there are more spots where i dont get service than where i do, and in my home office in my apt I never have service. basically half my house is off limits, and the other half drops calls frequently.

As a matter of customer service at&t should be attempting to make inroads with those communities that have received subpar service...especially if we are going to have the option of bolting from at&t for another provider soon with our iPhones..a little customer service goes a long way in consumer loyalty.

 

[aristobrat]

$19.99/month to pay for the privilege to use my Internet connection for phone calls is a really lousy deal. Why would I use that rather than Skype? Thanks, but no thanks.

There is no required monthly charge to use it.

Btw -- this would also be great for inside large office buildings, hospitals, research centers, windowless basement offices, etc. I know the doctors at the hospital where I am currently treated need cell phone access (as they move between different hospital rooms/labs/offices all day) and have a lot of frustration with dropped calls to colleagues, etc.

For bigger places like that, all of the carriers have "pico cells". They're a lot more money, but they don't have the "10 registered users max" and "only 4 simultaneous calls" limits that these microcells do.

 

[arkmannj]

Wait, let me see if I'm understanding this (I'm hoping I'm wrong)

They want to charge a fee for people to put phone/data traffic through their home broadband that the people already pay for; and have that traffic not go over the AT&T network ? Shouldn't they be offering to pay those people or reduce their cell costs since that traffic is not having to go over their network ? and alleviates the strain ?

 

[cameronjpu]

I agree. Why are I paying ATT's already too expensive monthly rate? This "guaranteed" connection sounds like admission of guilt. They have finally admitted their service is not guaranteed. I smell Class Action law suit.

Oh I'm sure you're right. Because right there in the Terms of Service, first paragraph, it says "ATT guarantees you will get perfect service everywhere and will never drop a call"

I can't believe no one ever noticed that!

 

[cameronjpu]

This complaint is not specific to AT&T. All cellular carriers tend to behave like worthless parasites.

I was thinking the same thing, except thinking about whining customers!

 

[aristobrat]

Wait, let me see if I'm understanding this (I'm hoping I'm wrong)

They want to charge a fee for people to put phone/data traffic through their home broadband that the people already pay for; and have that traffic not go over the AT&T network ? Shouldn't they be offering to pay those people or reduce their cell costs since that traffic is not having to go over their network ? and alleviates the strain ?

Think it through. The call (a) enters the Internet from via your Internet, and somehow (b) winds up on the phone of the person your calling.

Respectfully, do you think it's just magic that happens between (a) and (b), or might the carriers still have to use a fair bit of their infrastructure to complete the call? All you've done is taken a little load off the closest cell tower. They're still doing the same amount of switching and delivery as they normally do.

 

[mattster16]

Wow you people are stupid. Wow.

If you don't get service in your home then either get the microcell or get new cell service. If at&t doesn't work but Verizon does then get Verizon. I don't care. Cell phone companies even let you out of your contract with no penalty most of the time if you move to a new home and don't get service. I don't get all the whining on here.

This thing is $150 and there is a hardware rebate. THERE IS NO MONTHLY FEE UNLESS YOU WANT UNLIMITED CALLING OTHERWISE CALLS ON THE MICROCELL JUST USE YOUR REGULAR MINUTES - NO ADDITIONAL MONTHLY FEE.

If you do not think that is worth it, then you can go to another cell company! Simple.

It is not realistic to expect every single room in every single home in the damn country to have perfect service! Way too many variables.

I don't get why anyone thinks they should get this for free. "Waaah waaah I don't get at&t service in my house I deserve a free microcell. I have a RIGHT to cell service."

All the other cell phone companies do the same with their microcell like devices. I have a friend who has the sprint device because she doesn't get service in her room in her apartment.

I bet some of you are the same people who trumpet that the "free-market" and "competition" are the best economic tools. Then you sit there and refuse to use the basic mechanism of the system (taking your money elsewhere-voting with your dollars) and whine and think you should get something for free. Babies.

 

[cameronjpu]

OT

Heh... that's a funny thing to say for someone with THIS in his or her signature!

-as
Marriage Equality - Have you talked about it with your gay friends, your gay colleagues and your gay relatives? Why not?
NOH8

 

[cameronjpu]

They can either give me the device for free or I am cancelling my service. I just moved and the reception is piss poor in my house. My building is standard wood construction, no metal or concrete, so I don't want to hear about that building materials argument. My room mate has Verizon and has excellent 3G coverage (or whatever the heck Verizon calls their high speed network)..

My phone goes from 3G to EDGE... 4 bars down to 1... back to 4... It's crazy. I have dropped calls, some people call me and my phone never rings, and then I get the voice mail 10 minutes later, delayed texts, you name it. I'm not paying $110 a month for this garbage, and then having to pay an extra $150 for a device they should be giving to their customers for free since it is their lack of network quality that is causing the issues.

You did ALMOST the perfect thing!

You said all the right things, with all the right intentions. But you said it ON A MESSAGE BOARD instead of on the phone with ATT. Try that, it's a lot more likely to get you a free device.

 

[mattster16]

Wait, let me see if I'm understanding this (I'm hoping I'm wrong)

They want to charge a fee for people to put phone/data traffic through their home broadband that the people already pay for; and have that traffic not go over the AT&T network ? Shouldn't they be offering to pay those people or reduce their cell costs since that traffic is not having to go over their network ? and alleviates the strain ?

You are partially right, but still wrong. YOU ONLY PAY A FEE IF YOU WANT UNLIMITED CALLING. Otherwise you buy the device and it uses your regular minutes when you make calls, NO ADDITIONAL FEE. This is an alternative to getting a new carrier if you don't happen to receive service in your home, business, etc. (assuming another carrier's signal does reach you).

If you decide to pay the fee because you want unlimited calling, it really is no different than Vonage. Paying for phone service that uses your existing internet...

 

[arkmannj]

Think it through. The call (a) enters the Internet from via your Internet, and somehow (b) winds up on the phone of the person your calling.

Respectfully, do you think it's just magic that happens between (a) and (b), or might the carriers still have to use a fair bit of their infrastructure to complete the call? All you've done is taken a little load off the closest cell tower. They're still doing the same amount of switching and delivery as they normally do.

I understand that there's still work on their part, but I still am having a hard time grasping that they want people to pay a monthly service extra, on top of what they already pay for it. Sure, people should need to buy the actual device. but not a monthly service fee. I happen to live in an area with great coverage so personally I don't care if they charge.

 

[jamesarm97]

I bought two last month. One for home then one for work. My house completely blocked signals unless you go outside. This works great. Now I don't miss text messages for calls for work. I went with the no monthly fees. I still think AT&T should pay us to use them since their coverage sucks.

 

[arkmannj]

You are partially right, but still wrong. YOU ONLY PAY A FEE IF YOU WANT UNLIMITED CALLING. Otherwise you buy the device and it uses your regular minutes when you make calls, NO ADDITIONAL FEE. This is an alternative to getting a new carrier if you don't happen to receive service in your home, business, etc. (assuming another carrier's signal does reach you).

If you decide to pay the fee because you want unlimited calling, it really is no different than Vonage. Paying for phone service that uses your existing internet...

aaah thanks, that makes a lot more sense, and I can understand the logic behind it, thanks again for clearing that up.