Finally had a good experience with AT&T

[vistadude]

I recently moved to a place that has low At&t coverage, so I decided to get a microcell. For about 3 weeks it works with poor range and disconnects a few times a day. Finally the last few days, same old issue but on top of that, when it connects, I can call over 3g but not use data. So I decided to exchange for a new microcell.

I came home last night, and reactived it. Curiously I could not activate it with internet explorer, it kept sending me back to the AT&T homepage, so I tried opera instead. It activated and I got a text message a few minutes later. I could make calls, but still no 3G data. So I decided to do a power cycle, but after hours, it could never establish an internet connection. I tried multiple powercycles and reregistering it but nothing. I called At&t today and they transferred me to their business laptop department. The guy there says it was never registered with my phone and address, even though I had registered. I figure I was now in business services rather than consumer services, so maybe it's different. He registers me and about 20 minutes later, my microcell is working again! I also can use 3G data again. I'm pretty sure this microcell will disconnect like the old one, but I'm surprised the At&t guy didn't go through a big list of useless procedures like they usually do.

 

[scaredpoet]

I also can use 3G data again.

Just curious, but, since you're posting here I'm going to assume you're using an iPhone and thus have to ask... why are you using 3G data over the microcell?

3G voice I can clearly understand, but since you've evidently got broadband, why not just use the Wifi? Since it's going through your internet connection anyway, it just seems redundant. And although this probably doesn't matter if you have the unlimited data plan, using 3G data over the microcell counts against your data usage (which is stupid, if you ask me, but it is what it is...) while using that same data connection through WiFi will not. And based on Apple's specs and personal experience, using WiFi instead of 3G for data extends battery life anyway.

 

[vistadude]

I have an iphone 3G, which has been cursed by the new OS 4. In the OS 3 or 2, if you left wifi on, it would automatically shut off after a few minutes of inactivity and not destroy battery life. Now the wifi modem stays on all the time, even when it's not being used, and the battery life is really bad.

Since I have a computer on or in sleep mode most of the time I'm home, I don't use the data for much other than using apps/web apps that are faster on my iphone then using my computer, like weather, gmail, stocks, etc, and it's takes 3 times longer if i have to constantly go into settings and turn wifi on or off. And even when the wifi is persistently on, things like push notifications often get delayed - I use a lot of texts over data, so I need data to be working all the time.