Verizon iPhone Ad Targets AT&T Reception, AT&T Giving Out Free Microcells to Some Cu

[keno127]

"Free" Microcell offer is a sham

Forgive me, I haven't read all of the replies.

I went to ATT with my 'free' MicroCell e-mail. I copied the whole e-mail below. Note that it says nothing about a $20/ month MicroCell service fee.

The store said that one needs this agreement to receive the 'free' MicroCell.

I'm furious. 30 min in the store (while they tried to explain that the e-mail was just written wrong + 15 minutes on the like with 611 while they gave me auto-responder type answers.
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att.com | My Account | Shop | Contact AT&T

Dear xxxxx,

You deserve to get the most out of your voice and data services - wherever you are. And with the new AT&T 3G MicroCell™ you'll get a quality signal with up to
5-bar coverage right in your home!

To get your 3G MicroCell™, please print and bring this email to an AT&T store.
Or simply show this email on your smartphone or mobile device.

Visit us today and receive an
AT&T 3G MicroCell™ at no charge.
As our way of saying "thank you" for your continued loyalty, we would like to offer you an AT&T 3G MicroCell™ at no charge.* This special offer is only available for valued cutomers like you - so come in today and say hello to improved wireless coverage in your home.

Qualified Account Number: xxxxxxxxxxxx 82 WALL STREET
NEW YORK, NY, 10119


*Retail price is regularly $199.99. Free MicroCell requires a 12-month equipment agreement. Agreement states that you will either return the device to AT&T or purchase it at a prorated cost if you terminate your wireless service within 12 months. MicroCell agreement is separate from the contract(s) relating to your wireless service and will not impact upgrade eligibility or wireless contract end date. See below for details.



The AT&T 3G MicroCell™ improves your wireless coverage at home. Here's how:

Enhanced coverage indoors - Now get improved voice and data coverage at home, up to 40 feet away from the 3G MicroCell with your 3G handset.
Easy plug-and-play set up - Simply connect your 3G MicroCell to your DSL or cable modem Internet connection and activate it online.
Ideal for families - Supports up to four voice and data users at the same time.

To get your FREE 3G MicroCell™, either print and bring this email to your local AT&T retail location, or simply show this email on your smartphone or mobile device.

This email was sent to: xxxxx@me.com.

You have received this email because you are a wireless customer of AT&T. If you have any questions about how AT&T collects, uses and protects your personal information as a wireless customer, please visit our Privacy Policy at wireless.att.com/privacy. If you no longer wish to receive future advertising emails from AT&T, please click here to unsubscribe.

This is an AT&T promotional email.

Retail price of MicroCell is regularly $199.99. Limit one free 3G MicroCell per residential account (individual or family plan). Free MicroCell offer requires a new 12-month equipment agreement at checkout. This agreement is separate from the contract(s) relating to your wireless service and will not impact your upgrade eligibility or wireless contract end date. Customers who terminate wireless service within this 12-month period may satisfy the equipment agreement by returning the MicroCell to an AT&T retail store or purchasing the equipment at a prorated cost. The equipment cost is $199.99 and this fee will be reduced by $16.67 for each full month completed toward the minimum term (12 months). Free 3G MicroCell offer is non-transferrable and may only be redeemed by a subscriber on the qualified account referenced on mailer during the period January 20, 2011 - February 28, 2011. Cannot be combined with promotions or discounts other than those described here. Quantity is limited. Offer available while supplies last.

MicroCell operation requires an AT&T 3G wireless device and internet access service of at least 1.5 Mbps downstream/256 kbps upstream. Not intended for sale or use in homes or areas with strong wireless signal strength. Strong wireless signal strength may adversely affect MicroCell performance. For use with AT&T wireless devices only, not compatible with other wireless systems. Usage generated by 3G MicroCell counts toward your wireless data usage plan limit and may be subject to applicable charges from your ISP. The maximum coverage of the AT&T 3G MicroCell is approximately 40 feet. Actual coverage will be limited by the density of obstructions. Calls will transfer to a cell tower if you leave the MicroCell coverage area, but calls may drop if you return to the MicroCell coverage area. For a full list of terms and conditions, please visit att.com/3gmicrocell.

©2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

 

[srxtr]

*Retail price is regularly $199.99. Free MicroCell requires a 12-month equipment agreement. Agreement states that you will either return the device to AT&T or purchase it at a prorated cost if you terminate your wireless service within 12 months. MicroCell agreement is separate from the contract(s) relating to your wireless service and will not impact upgrade eligibility or wireless contract end date. See below for details.

I'm guessing this is the part that makes the free MicroCell not free.

"Get a MicroCell for FREE if you pay a monthly fee for it! Oh, and you have to return the MicroCell after 12 months or buy it at a prorated cost.

But come in and get your FREE MicroCell!"

I'm losing faith in AT&T...

 

[maccompaq]

I'm guessing this is the part that makes the free MicroCell not free.

"Get a MicroCell for FREE if you pay a monthly fee for it! Oh, and you have to return the MicroCell after 12 months or buy it at a prorated cost.

But come in and get your FREE MicroCell!"

I'm losing faith in AT&T...

If I read it right, the only way you pay for the microcell is if you terminate your wireless service within that 12 month period. And then it is a pro-rated cost.

Am I interpreting this correctly?

 

[NKT]

If I read it right, the only way you pay for the microcell is if you terminate your wireless service within that 12 month period. And then it is a pro-rated cost.

Am I interpreting this correctly?

Yes.

 

[srxtr]

It depends on where you are.

Why can't the media get this straight?

Verizon has more coverage. Of course it's going to get better reception overall.

 

[srxtr]

If I read it right, the only way you pay for the microcell is if you terminate your wireless service within that 12 month period. And then it is a pro-rated cost.

Am I interpreting this correctly?

Sorry, I must have misunderstood.

Carry on.

 

[fswmacguy]

Somewhat off topic:

That commercial was super. Does anyone happen to know the name of the advertising agency Verizon used for this?

 

[keno127]

I read it the same as you guys...BUT

The e-mail references 'free' with regards to the equipment agreement (option to return if you cancel your contract and such) but fails to mention that there is a mandatory $20/ month service for the unlimited calling feature that comes w/ the device. If you don't agree to pay the $20/month (or already have unlimited calling), they won't give you the MicroCell. Go to your local AT&T and prepare to get aggravated!

 

[keno127]

I'm guessing this is the part that makes the free MicroCell not free.

"Get a MicroCell for FREE if you pay a monthly fee for it! Oh, and you have to return the MicroCell after 12 months or buy it at a prorated cost.

But come in and get your FREE MicroCell!"

I'm losing faith in AT&T...

No, it's another part that's NOT mentioned in the e-mail. $20/ month service fee for the device!

 

[maccompaq]

To make sure you have coverage everywhere, carry an iPhone with AT&T and Verizon.

 

[srxtr]

Sounds like your grasping for straws as well. The faster 3G speeds does matter with loading webpages, you're not sitting there draining battery looking at a progress bar.

The only thing Verizon has over ATT is their signal strength.

The only thing? You mean the most important thing.

 

[abhimat.gautam]

Not the target audience for this, but I have to admit that Verizon is making pretty epic commercials for the iPhone.

 

[wake6830]

I just called AT&T a few weeks ago to ask if they could give me a microcell.

I told them I have had a multi-line account with them for several years, and do not get reception in my apartment in Downtown LA (no calls or text for a couple hours, then will move phone slightly and receive a deluge of texts and voicemails but no missed calls - despite the display showing full reception the entire time).

I told them obviously I could not stay with a provider where I don't receive calls when I'm at home, and that I would switch to another provider if they could not resolve the issue.

They said they couldn't do anything but recommend that I pay full price and the monthly fee for a microcell.

No thanks.

 

[nsayer]

I'm guessing this is the part that makes the free MicroCell not free.

So, I don't know what the terms are of their various free promotions (that they've been doing since Summer of last year), but the more or less standard offer for the Microcell has always (until late January) been

$149.99 to buy it, no fees or obligation beyond that. The phone uses minutes just like it does on the macro network.

OR

$149.99 to buy it, but you get a $100 Visa gift card in return for signing up for the $19.99/mo unlimited Microcell calling plan and keeping it until they send you the gift card (by which time you've probably given them 3 months in service, or $60), after which time you can freely cancel it if you choose.

Now, I believe, they've raised the price to $199.99 (stunning chutzpah, that), but so far as I am aware, the rest of the terms remain the same.

Since last summer, they've been using free Microcells selectively as a customer placation tool. What terms those offers come with, I don't know.

But I want to reiterate, there are no monthly fees associated with the Microcell of any sort unless you choose to opt-in to the unlimited calling feature, which is $19.99/mo (and that's per account, not per phone. $20 for the whole family).

 

[keno127]

nsayer...great. Now let's just find a way for the idiots at the 82 Wall Street, NY store and the Customer Service reps at 611 to agree with our interpretation.

Perhaps you already have an unlimited voice plan? The conversation they ahd with me went like this: Since you have the 700 min family plan, it will be an extra $20 per month to use/receive the 'Free' MicroCell.

Either way... I read some of the comments and it doesn't sound so great. I'm over it, just angry about wasting the time and the poor customer service.

Everyone switch to Verizon so AT&T cell and data will work again?

 

[nsayer]

You don't know what you are talking about. The GPS in the iPhone does NOT rely on cell towers. I have Navigon's GPS app and I can be anywhere whether there is service or not and it works flawlessly. Now if use an app that downloads maps on the fly, then it will stop working when you lose signal, but that has nothing to do with the GPS chip. the GPS chip is a true GPS in every sense of the word. The only time that cell tower triangulation would come into play would be when you were out of satellite range.

Not quite. The iPhone uses assisted GPS. The phone's location services uses cell tower triangulation to maintain a rough fix and time of day information (and probably the GPS almanac as well), which allows the otherwise quite limited GPS receiver to obtain a fix without doing all of the steps normally required of a standalone GPS receiver.

If you power the phone up someplace where there is no service, the GPS either will never lock or will take an extraordinary amount of time to do so (not sure which). This is entirely separate from the issue of whether or not your GPS-aware application downloads map data or caches it locally.

 

[nsayer]

nsayer...great. Now let's just find a way for the idiots at the 82 Wall Street, NY store and the Customer Service reps at 611 to agree with our interpretation.

This is always a challenge with AT&T. The right hand never knows what the left is doing.

Perhaps you already have an unlimited voice plan?

Nope. We're on the 550 minute family plan

The conversation they ahd with me went like this: Since you have the 700 min family plan, it will be an extra $20 per month to use/receive the 'Free' MicroCell.

The terms of the free offers may differ from what I described, which are the standard terms.

Either way... I read some of the comments and it doesn't sound so great.

If you mean that the Microcell doesn't sound so great, I can certainly confirm that. It's better now than it was, but it has never had anything approaching satisfactory performance.

 

[abbstrack]

Mark the spot

you guys might say otherwise..but it works. just not in the conventional way it's designed to work. Essentially it should work by you marking areas where coverage is low, and at&t taking note and improving coverage in those areas over time. That hasnt happened..my neighborhood continues to suck, and I continue to not be able to use my cell phone at home.

However, at&t does keep track of your mark the spot submissions, and I use it EVERY time i have slow or no data, or drop a call. So it is a good way to build up good documentation that you are not getting acceptable service, especially if alot of your submissions come from home. I do think that played a part in me getting shipped a free microcell (with no monthly charge or contract terms)

Furthermore, i would say documentation is key for most things, so instead of just whining, I would also encourage everyone to use MTS as frequently as possibly. If at&t is deluged with mark the spot submissions, something will have to come from that at some point, be it improvement, or class action lawsuits that will force their hand.

 

[mdntblu]

My father-in-law has to have a Verizon Femtocell in his house for his Verizon to even work. I get full AT&T 3G at his house. hahaha. Makes me laugh.

 

[Matty-p]

Your data/call still has to go across the AT&T network with the microcell.



Android isn't going anywhere. It still thrives in Europe where the iPhone is available on virtually every carrier. Some people simply don't like the iPhone.

some.............. most over here in the uk really.

 

[CFreymarc]

I'm pretty sure they aren't looking to turn you on. Actually I'm positive about that. I'm sure they're not looking to get within 2,000 feet of you.

Agree! I have never wanted to compromise freedom for safety. That is what you get when you use Verizon. Sure good connections but you can't shake it hard or you upset the proletariat.

Fortune favors the brave.

 

[Jordan.hatch]

I need help with my touch and Netflix whenever I go to Netflix i pick a show press play and it says loading then goes back to the menu it sucks I have cox high speed Internet and I wireless N router. I don't know why it is not working I'm frustrated out of mh mind a can't sleep I joined the forum just for this and I couldn't figure out how to post a thread! Please help. I'm in much néed of it

 

[Falcon87456]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I got a free Microcell MONTHS ago.

 

[j-a-x]

I got my letter for a free microcell today! I was just about to call and ask for one too! Thanks AT&T!

 

[gehrbox]

Nope, I'm correct. The GPS chip in the iPhone is not enough by itself to let the iPhone function as a GPS device. It relies upon cell tower support; read, it pulls off your data plan. The only way around this is to buy one of those attachments that TomTom sells with a standalone GPS chip in

That's odd because I have used the gps in my iPhone4 many times when i had absolutely no cell signal at all. Navigon worked like a champ with no cell tower assist.