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How I just scored a free AT&T Microcell, and how you (probably) can too

Shockwave78 said:
why would you get this when you could just pay the $36 for skype for the year and have the same thing?
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I'm not sure you understand how the Microcell works. It allows people to get signal indoors using a broadband connection, while keeping your same phone number along with all features (voicemail, MMS, SMS, etc..) Skype requires a different number.

Plus, you say Skype is $36 a year, we are talking about getting this unit for FREE.
 
adster said:
I'm not sure you understand how the Microcell works. It allows people to get signal indoors using a broadband connection, while keeping your same phone number along with all features (voicemail, MMS, SMS, etc..) Skype requires a different number.

Plus, you say Skype is $36 a year, we are talking about getting this unit for FREE.
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ya i know all that...plus your free unit cost you $20 a month afterwards
 
Shockwave78 said:
most excellent my master ;)
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Haha apologies, I was in a rush when replying so I was a little short :D

But its not a bad deal if you can get one for free/reduced price. The $150 they was is absurd for helping fix THEIR problem.
 
Ok finally got the M-cell.

I passed by an ATT store on the way to the mall and figured let me see if they have any. They actually had them in stock so i told the sales rep my story regarding no signal in my house. They called customer service for me and long story short the store or customer service couldn't give me a free M-cell. But the CSR was able to tally up all the dropped calls I had in the past eight months (since I moved to my new house with no service). $160 credit on my bill. Nice!

I think it helped that we called them right from the ATT store (so they know we are serious). I also have a ton of different notes in my account from calls to ATT about no signal issues.
 
Syk said:
Well I just called and no dice. My CSR was super nice and helpful but the manager she had me talk to must have been on her period.
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Or, maybe she just was tired of getting calls from people expecting to be comped a product that they normally charge for? If these tips are going around on the message boards, then a lot of people are probably trying it. Assuming she was being hormonal is a bit sexist.
 
Who says I'm not sexist;)

Still if you're a manager you can take a tone with a person that sounds concerned yet still state you're able to help, rather than snobbish and some other stuff...
 
i called att and the rep said if i go buy one in an att store i get an automatic $100 off, she didnt know anything about getting them for free :confused:
 
DjPiLL said:
Ok finally got the M-cell.

I passed by an ATT store on the way to the mall and figured let me see if they have any. They actually had them in stock so i told the sales rep my story regarding no signal in my house. They called customer service for me and long story short the store or customer service couldn't give me a free M-cell. But the CSR was able to tally up all the dropped calls I had in the past eight months (since I moved to my new house with no service). $160 credit on my bill. Nice!

I think it helped that we called them right from the ATT store (so they know we are serious). I also have a ton of different notes in my account from calls to ATT about no signal issues.
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Are you on an ip4? If so, please update on how it's working with the microcell. I read somewhere (I think on tuaw) that the ip4 and microcell weren't playing nice. That bit of info along with the fact that microcells are not available anywhere around me until the 15th may suggest an upgrade of some sort.
 
Called today and they told me no dice on a free microcell. They said there is a $100 mail in rebate but they absolutely refused to credit me the $49.95 difference. I tried with three different CSR's and two different managers with no luck. One manager told me that AT&T doesnt guarantee service inside your house so the Microcell is a new service and he wasnt going to cover the difference because my monthly bill doesnt cover service inside my house. :confused: I'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow.
 
I didn't even get offered the $100 MIR

Well good luck with it
 
Found out the $100 rebate is only if you buy the Microcell and sign up for the unlimited voice plan. What a crock of *****. You have to pay $150 to receive signal you already pay a monthly fee for? That is ridiculous.
 
Anyone ha issues getting the Mcell to register?
The 3G light stays blinking. I have de and re-activated it numerous times and it has yet to activate.
It has all the other proper status lights and is near a window. I called once but of course AT&T was no help.
 
Mike330R said:
Anyone ha issues getting the Mcell to register?
The 3G light stays blinking. I have de and re-activated it numerous times and it has yet to activate.
It has all the other proper status lights and is near a window. I called once but of course AT&T was no help.
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Who is your ISP? I was having the exact same type of problem but a short visit to the verizon forums helped me get it up and running. Problem was my actiontec router needed to be reset and a few settings had to be tweaked.

I must say the microcell is a disappointment. Five bars when I am in the same room, down to three in the next room, and one or none when I am two rooms away or about 30 feet and separated by three or four walls. If I didn't get the $200 credit towards my bill I would be taking it back.
 
Shockwave78 said:
why would you get this when you could just pay the $36 for skype for the year and have the same thing?
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Except that the Skype for iPhone app blows.. It doesn't even support push. How am I to answer a call if I don't have the app open?

BTW, I just scored a free Microcell. My house goes from 4 bars to none all of the time. I was going to blow $300 on a repeater like the one below:

YX510-Kit.jpg


But heck, I'll post back on if the free microcell helps. Hope it will because going outside to make a call all the time blows.
 
I called yesterday and I was able to get one at no charge. At first the CSR was a bit hesitant to offer anything. She looked at my info and she said the best she can offer me is a mail in rebate and that's only if I subscribe to the monthly plan. She said it worked against me that I don't have a history of complaining.

I was pretty much honest with her...I don't get a signal inside my house, can't make/receive calls. I explained to her that I'm still within the 30 day period and that I can return my IP4 and void my 2 year extension. I would keep the IP4 if I can get the microcell, if not I would switch to Sprint/Verizon and get an Evo, Droid X, etc.

With a lil bit of magic from the CSR and being put on hold about 5 times, I got my free microcell. No lies, no manipulation, just all honesty.

Instead of crediting my account they're just shipping me one. They were afraid that I would still return the phone after getting a credit so they're shipping me one directly.
 
Wow I tried a call in the microcell last night and it wasn't a nice experience. I am on an IP4. Call was very lagged. Parts broke up. Then it eventually call failed.

I'll probably look into this further later in the week or over the weekend. I got it for free so i am not immediately sweating it.

If other ip4 users are having problems, then maybe an update is in order.
 
When I'm in my basement working I go from 1 to 2 bars to no service. I just forward my iphone to my Magic Jack and then I get all my cell calls. $20 bucks a year and it sounds great. :cool:
 
rannddeee said:
I called yesterday and I was able to get one at no charge. At first the CSR was a bit hesitant to offer anything. She looked at my info and she said the best she can offer me is a mail in rebate and that's only if I subscribe to the monthly plan. She said it worked against me that I don't have a history of complaining.

I was pretty much honest with her...I don't get a signal inside my house, can't make/receive calls. I explained to her that I'm still within the 30 day period and that I can return my IP4 and void my 2 year extension. I would keep the IP4 if I can get the microcell, if not I would switch to Sprint/Verizon and get an Evo, Droid X, etc.

With a lil bit of magic from the CSR and being put on hold about 5 times, I got my free microcell. No lies, no manipulation, just all honesty.

Instead of crediting my account they're just shipping me one. They were afraid that I would still return the phone after getting a credit so they're shipping me one directly.
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Yea, right...:rolleyes:
 
^^^^ I was able to get a free MicroCell and I didn't have to lie about anything.


Sparky9292 said:
Except that the Skype for iPhone app blows.. It doesn't even support push. How am I to answer a call if I don't have the app open?
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With iOS4, you can now have Skype running in the background. When someone calls you or messages you, it rings, even if you don't have the app open on your screen.
 
Mike330R said:
I am on cox.
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That's a bit personal, isn't it? ;)

If I'm reading correctly, the people who are getting turned down are trying to score one over the phone with Customer Care? And people who have successfully got one are getting them at the retail stores. At least, that's how I got mine.

If anything, call to bitch at Customer Care so it gets noted. When you head to a store and they pull up your number, the issue will be noted in your account, and the store managers have better pull, especially when they know they're retaining a customer.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
That's a bit personal, isn't it? ;)

If I'm reading correctly, the people who are getting turned down are trying to score one over the phone with Customer Care? And people who have successfully got one are getting them at the retail stores. At least, that's how I got mine.

If anything, call to bitch at Customer Care so it gets noted. When you head to a store and they pull up your number, the issue will be noted in your account, and the store managers have better pull, especially when they know they're retaining a customer.
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I was offered mine by a Customer Relations rep over the phone. I called in specifically to get one for free.
 
Surely said:
^^^^ I was able to get a free MicroCell and I didn't have to lie about anything.
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I was pointing out the fact that the poster said he didn't have to do any manipulation when he clearly did so. And if he had no intentions of returning the iPhone 4 if he didn't get a MicroCell (which, based on the fact that he was already using an iPhone 3G, is likely the case), then he most certainly lied.
 
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