Every time a thread about these microcells come up, everyone says "It's using my bandwidth that I pay for, why should it use my minutes?" but everyone forgets that the call still goes into your provider's network and it still costs them money to route it. That's why you still have to pay. Unless everyone in a small area gets a microcell and significantly reduces the load on a given tower, then you're really not doing your carrier any favors.
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AT&T Trialling Free 3G MicroCell Offers
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Every time a thread about these microcells come up, everyone says "It's using my bandwidth that I pay for, why should it use my minutes?" but everyone forgets that the call still goes into your provider's network and it still costs them money to route it. That's why you still have to pay. Unless everyone in a small area gets a microcell and significantly reduces the load on a given tower, then you're really not doing your carrier any favors.
I'd love to have a microcell at my house. Hopefully I come home one day and there's a box waiting for me.
typo
"Speculation has suggested that customers being signaled out by AT&T for the offer are high-value customers with substantial monthly contracts that are nearing expiration. The MicroCell offer could then be considered an enticement to convince those customers to re-commit to AT&T for a new contract term."
you mean singled out
"Speculation has suggested that customers being signaled out by AT&T for the offer are high-value customers with substantial monthly contracts that are nearing expiration. The MicroCell offer could then be considered an enticement to convince those customers to re-commit to AT&T for a new contract term."
you mean singled out
I'd do it for $50
Just have to convince the wife. Could replace our landline, if her international calls have enough quality.
Need to give em a call.
I'm no ATT fan, but for $50 a microcell sounds very tempting.
Just have to convince the wife. Could replace our landline, if her international calls have enough quality.
Need to give em a call.
I'm no ATT fan, but for $50 a microcell sounds very tempting.
I have been fortunate enough to recieve this offer Saturday in the mail. I say fortunate because I had been thinking of purchasing, but instead got offered it free. I must say, I do not know what I did to qualify for this offer. I got the iPhone 3GS the day it came out. I only have 450 min with the lowest texts and even went down to the 2GB data per month plan. I have not, and will not be purchasing the iPhone 4. I guess I found it funny because when I immediatly ran my arrand over to the AT&T store, they had never seen nor heard of the offer, but were able to legitimize it. I got really lucky too, because I got the last avialable MicroCell. Even as they were checking me out, a gentleman came in asking to purchase one. The employee at AT&T even said that just in the previous week, some of the more valued customers had gotten $50.00 rebates, but never paid for in full.
Anyway, this worked out really great for me, becuase I didn't want to add an additional $20.00 per month to my plan. By getting this rebate, it allowed be to get the device for free, and just use the minutes on my phone bill.
For those who are unfamiliar with the AT&T 3G MicroCell, it basically looks like a wireless router. In fact, it connects into a wireless router or your computer. It gives a customer 5 bars of service inside the home. I needed it because the signal in my local area is not powerful enough to penetrate my house. It allows me to make and recieve calls, get my location via GPS, and send texts. Really the only down fall is that I cannot come from outside to inside the house and transfer the call to the MicroCell to work, but I can start a call inside the house, leave, and everything transfers smoothly.
All in all, I like it and find it weird being able to make phone calls from here in my basement where I am typing this!
Also, While this might not be the proper place, I must say that since this is my first post I have been following the blogs here at macrumors for 2 years now. To anyone who keeps this site running and filled with content I find that it is a great place to converse, find information, and while simple is aesthetically pleasing!
Anyway, this worked out really great for me, becuase I didn't want to add an additional $20.00 per month to my plan. By getting this rebate, it allowed be to get the device for free, and just use the minutes on my phone bill.
For those who are unfamiliar with the AT&T 3G MicroCell, it basically looks like a wireless router. In fact, it connects into a wireless router or your computer. It gives a customer 5 bars of service inside the home. I needed it because the signal in my local area is not powerful enough to penetrate my house. It allows me to make and recieve calls, get my location via GPS, and send texts. Really the only down fall is that I cannot come from outside to inside the house and transfer the call to the MicroCell to work, but I can start a call inside the house, leave, and everything transfers smoothly.
All in all, I like it and find it weird being able to make phone calls from here in my basement where I am typing this!
Also, While this might not be the proper place, I must say that since this is my first post I have been following the blogs here at macrumors for 2 years now. To anyone who keeps this site running and filled with content I find that it is a great place to converse, find information, and while simple is aesthetically pleasing!
MicroCell more "micro" with iOS4
I'm a little surprised to have not read more about this issue, but having had a M-Cell since they were available in Denver; I had no issues. However, when the iOS4 "upgrade" became available and I installed on my 3GS, the M-Cell became a liability, dropping almost every call, and having the voice signal "skip" repeatedly. A couple of weeks later, when I got 2 new iPhone 4's; I figured all would be better. Wrong! A call to AT&T garnered me an exchange for a new M-Cell, but I still have the same problems. AT&T's user forum shows I'm not alone.
I guess I'd be a little less upset if my M-Cell was free.
I'm a little surprised to have not read more about this issue, but having had a M-Cell since they were available in Denver; I had no issues. However, when the iOS4 "upgrade" became available and I installed on my 3GS, the M-Cell became a liability, dropping almost every call, and having the voice signal "skip" repeatedly. A couple of weeks later, when I got 2 new iPhone 4's; I figured all would be better. Wrong! A call to AT&T garnered me an exchange for a new M-Cell, but I still have the same problems. AT&T's user forum shows I'm not alone.
I guess I'd be a little less upset if my M-Cell was free.
It for people who have spotty coverage at home or for people who have signal issues inside their house. Or have issues in lets say their office. Take my dad for example. He has great signal just out side his office but in the building zero service due to all the steel in the building. There is no way around that issue with out UMA or a microcell.
I have a friend that inside their home they have really crummy service but out side it is great. It is because of a metal liner on their roof that there is no cell service. They use Verizon Fermacell to solve the problem in the house.
Another one is for in the basement of peoples home. That general has zero service and microcell can solve that probelm.
They charge you extra to use your own internet connection.
i'm supposed to think ATT is generous for finding a new way to steal from me?
so i have the privilege of buying a device that lets me pay att more for allowing them to shirk off part of their terrible network... using the connection i already pay them for.
oh, but i can use MY OWN MINUTES... of which i am not using them really at all... over the internet... and pay for it.
anyone who thinks this is a good deal is as moronical as ATT.
i'm supposed to think ATT is generous for finding a new way to steal from me?
so i have the privilege of buying a device that lets me pay att more for allowing them to shirk off part of their terrible network... using the connection i already pay them for.
oh, but i can use MY OWN MINUTES... of which i am not using them really at all... over the internet... and pay for it.
anyone who thinks this is a good deal is as moronical as ATT.
Problematic
We have one of those. Have since they day they became available in our area (back in mid-April). It hasn't worked acceptably since day one. We've even swapped it out with a replacement. Still no good.
Symptoms include:
1. about a third to a half second of added latency. Just enough that you find yourself tripping over the calling party.
2. About one call in 3-4 has periods where the calling party sounds like they're speaking in tongues. After a few seconds of this it will either magically stop or the call will get dropped.
3. About half the time attempting to place a call fails immediately with "Call failed" and you have to redial.
Now, lest anyone think they can lay any of these problems on our broadband connection, I can assure you that other than taking it over to Layer 42 and plugging it into a backbone port, there is no better combination of latency, bandwidth, jitter and lack-of-firewall (the microcell has a PUBLICLY ROUTABLE STATIC IP for christ's sake!) that could be had. Despite that, it is an annoying source of despair.
UPDATE!
And now my wife is reporting that symptom number FOUR is that calls just go straight to voicemail under circumstances where there is no reasonable reason for them not to make the phone ring.
We have one of those. Have since they day they became available in our area (back in mid-April). It hasn't worked acceptably since day one. We've even swapped it out with a replacement. Still no good.
Symptoms include:
1. about a third to a half second of added latency. Just enough that you find yourself tripping over the calling party.
2. About one call in 3-4 has periods where the calling party sounds like they're speaking in tongues. After a few seconds of this it will either magically stop or the call will get dropped.
3. About half the time attempting to place a call fails immediately with "Call failed" and you have to redial.
Now, lest anyone think they can lay any of these problems on our broadband connection, I can assure you that other than taking it over to Layer 42 and plugging it into a backbone port, there is no better combination of latency, bandwidth, jitter and lack-of-firewall (the microcell has a PUBLICLY ROUTABLE STATIC IP for christ's sake!) that could be had. Despite that, it is an annoying source of despair.
UPDATE!
And now my wife is reporting that symptom number FOUR is that calls just go straight to voicemail under circumstances where there is no reasonable reason for them not to make the phone ring.
Yeah the skipping thing seems to be an issue with iOS 4. Can't tell if it is caused by the phone or the femtocell but I get it as well.
I have noticed if I have a case on the phone it doesn't skip anymore. So I am wondering if this is another symptom of the antenna thing everybody is talking about.
I have noticed if I have a case on the phone it doesn't skip anymore. So I am wondering if this is another symptom of the antenna thing everybody is talking about.
Have any of you that received the free microcell reported bad coverage or something via the "Mark the spot" app? I wonder if maybe that is a factor in their decisions of recipients.
You set what phone numbers that are allowed to access the Microcell. So your neighbors are out of luck.
Kind of works
But there are issues, and it appears iOS4 may have problems with the MicroCell. Check out the AT&T forum before buying.
http://forums.wireless.att.com/t5/AT-T-3G-MicroCell/bd-p/3gmicrocell
But there are issues, and it appears iOS4 may have problems with the MicroCell. Check out the AT&T forum before buying.
http://forums.wireless.att.com/t5/AT-T-3G-MicroCell/bd-p/3gmicrocell
What happens if you have multiple (AT&T) phones? Can you use one of these or do you need one for each phone? I'm asking because it says "can use the customer's minutes", so...which customer?
Is it a form letter, or does it have your specific info on it??
I just bought one a few weeks back for $150. I would like to get a $100 rebate or for free and will pursue returning the current one if I can get a better deal.
I just bought one a few weeks back for $150. I would like to get a $100 rebate or for free and will pursue returning the current one if I can get a better deal.
Holy crap, how many times does this have to be explained?
IF YOU MAKE A CALL ON A MICROCELL, IT STILL COSTS AT&T MONEY, SO THEY STILL CHARGE YOU. The call still goes into AT&T's network, it still uses their bandwidth, it still goes through their routers and switches, and they still have to pay to get the call to you and to the person you're calling.
And I suppose you'll complain about Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile who also offer similar devices and charge you to use it?
You can allow access for up to 10 individual phone numbers (you can edit the list) of which 4 can be connected simultaneously.
My issue with the 3gMicrocell is that I have had it for a week now and it wont reactivate. I had it working once, not it wont start working again.
To me the biggest flaw with the microcell is that if you use data on over the microcell it will come out of the 200mb or 2gb bucket for iPhone users (if you don't have the unlimited data). It's using my own internet, why do I have to go through the additional hassle of turning wifi on when the microcell is already using my Internet connection.
Wow, that's a huge problem. Sounds like something they could fix with software, though (like don't switch if you're already on a call).