Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

The AT&T 3G MicroCell Owner's Thread

jacksonian said:
That sounds like a great idea, maybe you should talk to all the cell phone companies about it.
Click to expand...

:p
I'm not trying to knock anyone down here. If you own a microcell and it works for you then that's great, chalk it up to a nessicary evil. It's AT&T I have a problem with, but hey it's thier game and we all gotta play. I wouldn't be surprised though that after a few years go by AT&T changes thier policy on microcells or the FCC gets involved. They have been getting more and more active lately even on issues they themsleves are not sure they have authorty over.
 
I can't believe how long it is taking them to get the bugs worked out on this thing so they can roll it out nationally. What a cluster-$*%#!!
 
TurdFerguson said:
:p
I'm not trying to knock anyone down here. If you own a microcell and it works for you then that's great, chalk it up to a nessicary evil. It's AT&T I have a problem with, but hey it's thier game and we all gotta play. I wouldn't be surprised though that after a few years go by AT&T changes thier policy on microcells or the FCC gets involved. They have been getting more and more active lately even on issues they themsleves are not sure they have authorty over.
Click to expand...
Well, I can't get a Verizon signal in my house either, so if I was on Verizon I'd have to purchase a Microcell (or whatever they call theirs) also. So I don't see much reason to single out AT&T on this one.
 
redman042 said:
I can't believe how long it is taking them to get the bugs worked out on this thing so they can roll it out nationally. What a cluster-$*%#!!
Click to expand...
Seems a little odd to me too. Other than the system not pulling the other #'s I had approved it was a snap. Took 2 minutes to plug it in (that counts leaving the router off for 1 minute) and almost exactly 90 minutes later I got a text on the iPhone that it was up and working.
 
jacksonian said:
Well, I can't get a Verizon signal in my house either, so if I was on Verizon I'd have to purchase a Microcell (or whatever they call theirs) also. So I don't see much reason to single out AT&T on this one.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what verizon charges for thier microcell but if they charge per month or take my minutes, then I would be upset also. Luckly I get five bars in my house so I don't need one of these but if I did I would be writing to the BBB and FCC.
 
TurdFerguson said:
I'm not sure what verizon charges for thier microcell but if they charge per month or take my minutes, then I would be upset also. Luckly I get five bars in my house so I don't need one of these but if I did I would be writing to the BBB and FCC.
Click to expand...
They charge $249.99 AND they take your minutes. So maybe you should stop bashing AT&T so hard. Maybe?
 
I'll bash verizon too, they are no better. I am an AT&T customer and this whole thread is about AT&T. That being said, I've never had a problem with AT&T. I've been with AT&T since 2003, I've had the iPhone for about 2 years and I think I've had only one dropped call. I'm just saying with microcell they are charging for a service that they are not providing. The call are going through your ISP that you are paying for, not through AT&T's network. So it seems very unfair for them to charge you.
 
TurdFerguson said:
I'm just saying with microcell they are charging for a service that they are not providing. The call are going through your ISP that you are paying for, not through AT&T's network. So it seems very unfair for them to charge you.
Click to expand...
Again, I don't necessarily disagree with what you're saying. However, no cell signal can penetrate my home, so it's not really a service I expect any cell company to be able to provide. It's not costing me anything extra on my cable bill to run it through my cable modem.

The one thing I will agree with you on is that it's a rip off for them to charge an extra fee for the minutes not to come off your plan.
 
Microcell - 3 months later

I've had a microcell now since November and rode through a number of bumps over the first 45 days.

Over the last 30 days, I have only had 1 issue of a call dropping and have about 1,400 minutes used via microcell.

I did not expect this, but what I find I like most about the microcell, is the "unlimited plan for $20". I have been using my cell for all my work from home business calls and get just as good a call quality as my VOIP gets.

AT&T sent out a survey and asked if I were interested in some new features including "Home call forwarding on microcell connection". With the unlimited minutes, that is pretty much their old "fast forward" functionality which I really enjoyed.

I just wish they'd drop the $20 per month for unlimited.

-Benster
 
Benster said:
I've had a microcell now since November and rode through a number of bumps over the first 45 days.

Over the last 30 days, I have only had 1 issue of a call dropping and have about 1,400 minutes used via microcell.

I did not expect this, but what I find I like most about the microcell, is the "unlimited plan for $20". I have been using my cell for all my work from home business calls and get just as good a call quality as my VOIP gets.

AT&T sent out a survey and asked if I were interested in some new features including "Home call forwarding on microcell connection". With the unlimited minutes, that is pretty much their old "fast forward" functionality which I really enjoyed.

I just wish they'd drop the $20 per month for unlimited.

-Benster
Click to expand...

Would or does the A-List and Unity plans help you at all? Since they came out with the A-List, I added 2 of the conference call numbers I have to use often. That and adding the Unity plan pretty much keeps me from using very many of my monthly minutes.
 
Benster said:
I've had a microcell now since November and rode through a number of bumps over the first 45 days.

Over the last 30 days, I have only had 1 issue of a call dropping and have about 1,400 minutes used via microcell.

I did not expect this, but what I find I like most about the microcell, is the "unlimited plan for $20". I have been using my cell for all my work from home business calls and get just as good a call quality as my VOIP gets.

AT&T sent out a survey and asked if I were interested in some new features including "Home call forwarding on microcell connection". With the unlimited minutes, that is pretty much their old "fast forward" functionality which I really enjoyed.

I just wish they'd drop the $20 per month for unlimited.

-Benster
Click to expand...

Pretty much my experience as well. Got it on Day 1 when it was available in Raleigh. First few weeks were OK to awful in terms of call drops, quality, etc. Ever since the beginning of the year the product has been rock solid. Call quality has been excellent. Only 1 drop that I can think of. I agree, they need to ditch the $20 fee for unlimited.
 
They need to offer a customer retention program where they offer the Microcell for free to people whose homes sit in known coverage gaps. My mom's home is one of those. The entire area surrounding her is blanketed in excellent 3G coverage, but she and about 10 other homes on her street are in a hole. Has to do with hills and so forth. She gets a really crappy signal until she goes down the street and around the corner. Then it's stellar.

They already upgraded the surrounding area to 850 mhz but it didn't help her.

This hole shows up on their coverage map as well. It's this one little hole in a sea of blue.
 
Just picked up a MicroCell today. I paid about $160 but I qualified for the $100 mail-in rebate because I opted for the $20/ month unlimited calls while using MicroCell.

I will admit that this device is not for everyone but for me, it is a Godsend. I love my iPhone but I struggled to get a single bar at my house, where I run my company. I was able to find a "sweet spot" but it meant that I had to lean my phone against a window and talk on speakerphone because God forbid I actually pick it up! This would make the single bar I was lucky to have disappear and the call would drop.

Now, with MicroCell, I have 5 bars and the voice quality is crystal clear. Simply amazing!

I will say this in defense of AT&T. I live in San Diego and the vast majority of time I use my phone (outside of my home), I have no problems whatsoever. I simply happened to purchase a home smack in the middle of a dead-zone and as frustrating as it was, I didn't expect them to erect a tower just for me.

Props to AT&T for this new technology.
 
redman042 said:
They need to offer a customer retention program where they offer the Microcell for free to people whose homes sit in known coverage gaps. My mom's home is one of those. The entire area surrounding her is blanketed in excellent 3G coverage, but she and about 10 other homes on her street are in a hole. Has to do with hills and so forth. She gets a really crappy signal until she goes down the street and around the corner. Then it's stellar.

They already upgraded the surrounding area to 850 mhz but it didn't help her.

This hole shows up on their coverage map as well. It's this one little hole in a sea of blue.
Click to expand...
You have described my scenario *exactly*. Fifty yards up the road; no problem. Fifty yards down the road; no problem. For whatever reason, the hills around my home blocked cell tower transmission.

I would agree that loyal customers like myself (and your mom) should probably be given these devices for free. That said, I don't feel bad about spending $60 on a device that gets the job done. Not sure about your mom but AT&T offered to release me from my contract but I didn't want to give up my iPhone.

...but maybe that's just me.
 
goobot said:
why would i need this? i can just use my house phone and wifi
Click to expand...
As I'm sure others have mentioned, this device is not for everybody. For people like me who have ditched their landline and struggle with cell phone reception at home, it is great.
 
skinnylegs said:
Just picked up a MicroCell today. I paid about $160 but I qualified for the $100 mail-in rebate because I opted for the $20/ month unlimited calls while using MicroCell.

I will admit that this device is not for everyone but for me, it is a Godsend. I love my iPhone but I struggled to get a single bar at my house, where I run my company. I was able to find a "sweet spot" but it meant that I had to lean my phone against a window and talk on speakerphone because God forbid I actually pick it up! This would make the single bar I was lucky to have disappear and the call would drop.

Now, with MicroCell, I have 5 bars and the voice quality is crystal clear. Simply amazing!

I will say this in defense of AT&T. I live in San Diego and the vast majority of time I use my phone (outside of my home), I have no problems whatsoever. I simply happened to purchase a home smack in the middle of a dead-zone and as frustrating as it was, I didn't expect them to erect a tower just for me.

Props to AT&T for this new technology.
Click to expand...


This is out in San Diego?? When you check to see if it's available in your area, do you see its offered?
 
just change my mind.

i read that you can bring it anywhere.

so if i bring it on a trip and have bad coverage i can plug into a free wired hotel internet and bang coverage.

also if i go to a country that doesnt have att now i do;)
 
goobot said:
just change my mind.

i read that you can bring it anywhere.

so if i bring it on a trip and have bad coverage i can plug into a free wired hotel internet and bang coverage.

also if i go to a country that doesnt have att now i do;)
Click to expand...

You need to read better - it only works in locations where ATT allows it based on GPS.
 
For those who have had a Microcell for a few months now - has the dropped call issue gotten resolved? I was reading on the ATT Support forum yesterday and a few people who have them are still experiencing dropped calls.

So maybe the bugs are still not completely worked out and thus we still do not have a national rollout??
 
I've had my MicroCell since Friday of last week and have used it extensively. I have had a number of dropped calls but the alternative is 0-1 bars so I'm not *really* complaining. That said, it would be nice if this issue was resolved.
 
Apple Expert said:
This is out in San Diego?? When you check to see if it's available in your area, do you see its offered?
Click to expand...
Somehow I missed your post earlier.....

Yeah. I live in Lakeside, which if you're familiar with San Diego, is at the eastern-most perimeter of the city. When I entered my zip code to see if it was available in my area it said it wasn't. However, I called the Santee AT&T store and they said it was. MicroCells will work anywhere within San Diego.
 
skinnylegs said:
I've had my MicroCell since Friday of last week and have used it extensively. I have had a number of dropped calls but the alternative is 0-1 bars so I'm not *really* complaining. That said, it would be nice if this issue was resolved.
Click to expand...

Yes, better than the alternative, but not good enough for what I want. I get a good signal - but it can come-and-go and consequently, I drop a call here and there. So this is only "cool" technology if it makes my connection rock solid. Thanks.
 
A shout-out to all you incredibly patient and committed early adapters. You payed $150 for amazingly incomplete technology, and are trouble-shooting it as well on behalf of multi-billion dollar companies, and yet nothing on the news about any of you going postal. Astounding!

They could pay me $150 a month and I might try it out.

Thanks to you, I will save lots of money! I won't buy another iPhone and and its parasitic AT&T contract until they come to their senses.

BTW, I have only myself to blame for keeping the original 2G iPhone. Little reception and yet I didn't return it. A big monthly payment for services I couldn't even access. Not too smart.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back