Unless you've been in one of a few key test markets, you've been pretty much out of luck boosting your AT&T signal in the comfortable confines of your home since the
3G MicroCell first launched -- until now. Starting in the middle of next month in a deployment that spans "several" months, customers across the country should expect to see MicroCells pop up in their local regions. The device itself will run a one-time fee of $149.99 before a $100 mail-in rebate (when purchased with a "3G MicroCell calling plan," though we don't yet know what that constitutes). Separately, there'll be a $19.99 plan bolt-on that offers unlimited calling when connected to the device -- and anyone tacking on a new U-verse or DSL line of 1.5Mbps or higher will get another $50 rebate. It's not the end of AT&T's spectrum or backhaul concerns, we're sure, but it's a start.
Update: We've just clarified -- the $19.99 bolt-on is the only one that's relevant for the $100 rebate; there are no other dedicated MicroCell calling plans, so that should make it a little easier to bring down the net cost of the unit since you don't have to change into another base plan.
posted March 24th 2010 3:13PM
pffft, should be free on contract....
@logicbombde
Screw that, whilst this is a great idea, AT&T should be paying us to expand their network.
@logicbombde
Looks like comment system ate my last comment:
Per ATT release:
"Minutes used through the MicroCell affect only the account of the phone making the call – there is no requirement to purchase separate service for the 3G MicroCell."
The 19.99 is if you don't want to use your plan minutes on the MicroCell.
@rederikus i bet near by phone will roam off your connection for a better signal so yes they should be paying 850 penetrates building so I'm sure your sharing without knowing you are very clever at&t
@Atlantian i did'nr mean roam i meant leach
@logicbombde Just pay the $150 and don't get a plan. Will you really be using this that much that you will go over your monthly minute alotment and actually need unlimited minutes?
@logicbombde - It can be had for free!
@Atlantian
It doesn't work like that. Only handsets that have been registered with the microcell can access it. I'm not sure if that is done through a build in web portal like your average router, or if that's done through your AT&T account page, but I'm pretty sure the limit is 5 handsets per microcell, so unless your neighbors are using one of those 5, they are SOL.
@NikAmi some might be able to save more than $20 going to a cheaper minute plan if most of their calls are within range of it (aka from home)
@Cash9007 I wrote a paper on these a few months ago, and while some carriers tried to gloss over this fact, it appears that users can register their phones to be given priority over other, unregistered, phones, but typically femtocells will allow a handful of devices to connect to it at any given time.
@logicbombde
ATT Says: "Unlimited minutes-of-crappy-call-quality = $69.99 Unlimited 3G-but-really-1G Data = $30 Unlimited text=$20; But wait, we'll pocket that money instead of investing it in infrastructure so, get comcast = $49.99, buy a 3g microcell $150, and pay us $20 to use your phone over comcast's network. well even give you $100! ZOMG! now you haz werking 3G and UNLIMITED calls, we're the man!!!"
d(0_o)b ... Your wallet says: "$50 + $189.99/mo!?!? ZOMG I GOT PWNT "
My Sprint Airave from 2008 says hello. Too bad its only 1x :-(
@yankees368 Yeah, that's exactly the problem with the Sprint and Verizon solutions - they're last years garbage. AT&T took their time with this one to get it right, and early indications are that they've gotten it very very right.
@Jf First off, Sprint's airave has been out for *2* years, nationwide. While it only boosts 1x coverage, it sure is better than AT&T's solution of until now, nothing. Verizon released their version of the airave over a year after Sprint, also 1x only. Still, a full year ahead of AT&T.
We saw an EVDO model at CES, so we can expect that soon.
To me, this is still a loss for AT&T overall.
@yankees368
To me, you're wrong.
Fake.
Never mind the cost of it, but I think it's really pathetic how long its taken AT&T to get this thing rolled out.
@RyanTV
They have been working on it forever, too! My AT&T Tilt from 2007 had registry entries containing "AT&T MicroCell"
So are they planning on fixing the constant call drops when using them before then? How about having a call not fail the first time you try to dial?
Blah, I'll just leave mine unplugged.
Why would I pay them to use my existing internet service to augment their network for which I pay for already?
@southern78
You might not and neither will I. But a sucker is born every second.
@Bandit390
Call me a sucker....I get 0 to 1 bar in my basement so it's either pay for this or keep leaving my phone on the railing at the top of the stairs.
@southern78 For a lot of users the wasted bandwidth could be a good boost to a signal in your local apartment complex. Remember not all users are constantly online like us. People buy bundled services with unlimited caps and use 10-20GB a month. Fiber is a dangerous thing, hence the discount for uverse. The technically have provided these users enough bandwidth that they could effortlessly broadcast a signal and provide a home/landline phone experience. It doesn't seem all bad to me. Obviously if your on a 3 Mbps line your not going to be jumping at the opportunity for sharing precious bandwidth, but I don't think they are marketing to such people.
@RLBurkes
am I missing something? AT&T provides the hardware which in term uses ISP lines to transmit data and off-load their own network. so are we paying AT&T a 19.99 /month if we already have to pay $150 (before rebate)??
@GN1
For the same reason you pay $30 amonth for data and and still pay $199 for a $99 phone.... It's called a Mail-In-Rebate.
I really hope you don't work for a company that is in business to make money, because you are oblivious to business 101
@Kurto2021 Or Change to verizon
@Hydra
I really like my iPhone but my wife LOVES hers so there is no chance of getting that approved.
Does that $19.99/month calling count for anyone using it?
Can more than one person use it at a time?
I still don't know why there would be a fee anyway.
Perhaps AT&T will allow us to pay for their new satellites too.
@Meekermoloko
If you are an AT&T customer, you are paying for "those new satellites".
@ytilanigiroon
Well, I meant pay for a new satellite all by myself.
Though apparently the $20/month is optional for unlimited calling, so $150 for the unit is not too bad to have full bars inside your house (if it actually works). I get service right outside the house, but it doesn't break through the walls very well.
I also learned that up to 10 lines can be setup to use it, and 4 can use it simultaneously, so that's good too. But still, isn't 4G just around the corner for AT&T? Wouldn't this thing be obsolete in like 2 or 3 years?
Go grab one. We've been running one in our office for a few months here in NC and love the damn thing. $150 is well worth the money, especially if you have more than 1 3G handset
@jonbruce34
And this is better than connecting to the WiFi because.....
@Ken J
because you can make phone calls.
@jonbruce34
Never mind the other response/question - that's a "duh". How's the voice quality and are there call drop/failure improvements with the Microcell?
@bonesb I get almost daily drops on my MC, and I'm told I sound like "Darth Vader in a can" (but only when I'm using the MC)... and this was after I was forced to go up a speed tier with the broadband. I really wish someone would explain why this can't be handled by a VOIP app on AT&T's end. Why do I need this box?
@Jase
He was referring to UMA. On T-Mobile, you CAN make calls over WIFI as long as you have UMA. You can also send SMS/MMS, connect to BB's server, and anything else you'd want to do with a cellular signal. Benefit is no extra box and easier customer setup, but you need a WIFI enabled device and separate internet service.
How can they charge you for this is you're already paying for minutes? I mean you'd think they would be handing these out like candy to all comers if it means less people bitching about poor AT&T service.
After seeing Sprint's announcement of their 4G, anything with the phrase "3G" makes me feel to say a huge "Meh."
@iDamien You may, but I sure don't.
Last night I was at my friends house and tethering my iPhone to his computer. Once I got it connected, I ran a speed test. The result was just a little over 3 Mbps. (Which, by the way, is not very far off what expected 4G speeds from Sprint are, around 3-5 Mbps)
To me, 3 Mbps is MORE than enough for now. Granted, that's here, and I know AT&T has problems elsewhere, but as long as I can get 3 Mbps off 3G, I have no burning desire to change carriers to a 4G carrier. Don't get me wrong, I love massive amounts of bandwidth just as much as the next guy, but phones just don't have a need for anything faster yet. Once we get video conferencing and start downloading bigger files on our phones on a regular basis, which may be in the next year or two, then I'll start getting antsy about 4G. What I'm more interested in seeing lower latency on cell phones, but it'll remain to be seen how the carriers handle a load and provide good bandwidth and latency.
@AJerman When you start getting antsy about 4G in a year, you are going to be very happy Sprint starting building a 4G network a year ago.
@AJerman really i get between 5-6 mb on average downstream on t-mobile sprints 4g speed is 10 down average where my phone maxs at is there first foot print when they expand and back-haul it there will be envy until lte
@AJerman improved latency is a feature of 4G
@jaradFromSubway That's true, I never said they shouldn't start building it, I'm just saying, at the moment I'm not too excited about it yet. Part of that lack of excitement does come due to the fact that coverage will be so spotty for a while. I do hope they have a good footprint by the time phones start actually needing 4G.
@Atlantian Well, T-Mobile also pretty quickly went to 7.2 Mbps HSDPA nationwide as they were still in the infancy of rolling out 3G. I'm not sure what AT&T's progress is on that, but I was using an iPhone 3G which only runs at 3.6 Mbps, so actually getting 3 Mbps out of it is pretty damn good. Maybe with a 7.2 Mbps phone I could get more here.
@arthritis Lower latency is part of 4G, yes, however, what I was saying is that it remains to be seen how low that latency actually is once people start using it. When I've watched multiple tests with Sprint's 4G and most people are getting around 4 Mbps with pings of 100-300 ms, it makes me wonder what that's going to be like when there is more than a handful of people connected with 4G. Will the latency rise? 100 ms is decent, 300 ms isn't, and any slower is just as bad as the 500 or so ms I get with 3G.
I had to get the MicroCell, ATT's network in the area is so bad.
The friggin thing is so unreliable you can't believe. Half of the time it's down flashing all of it's lights.
@fisherman
why would you pay AT&T more money because their service is bad in your area? with the money you spent on this microcell you could have paid an early termination fee and got a different provider that does work right. in the end you achieve the same results i suppose, but thats not being a very smart consumer. support the providers that work, not the ones that dont.
@MaltedVomit
My company has a deal to use ATT "services", so no option there. If the choice was mine, I would not select them at all.
@fisherman
well you shouldn't complain to begin with cuz $ is coming out of your company's pocket not yours. truth be told, if i dont have to pay for it i would gladly use it lol, the fact that AT&T is charging monthly on top of a hardware fee is a problem to alot of people.
I find the idea of this device rather interesting.
So YOU as the customer have to pay to improve AT&T's horrible coverage by adding this MicroCell to your (presumably) home network. If you are in the boonies or in some concrete bunker underground, I could see how it makes sense, but their coverage sucks even in well-populated areas.
Way to pass the buck there, AT&T.
Glad they are finally rolling this out nationally. It's been available here in Raleigh, NC, which is kind of funny considering I have a hard time finding a place where I don't have full signal and 3G. Seems like they could have rolled out to some test cities that needed it more first.
blah blah blah why should i improve the network for them...?
you're improving the network for yourself, don't get it twisted.
its $150, you get a $100 MIR if you add the $20 unlimited calling feature. the $20 per month feature gets you unlimited calling while connected to it
there are some places where att can't get 850mhz deployed and in building coverage isn't the greatest, but i can tell you, there are a bunch of people around here that are very excited to have their own private 3g microcell.
up to 10 people can be authorized, 4 active users at once. covers 5000 square feet.
@iluvblue - Um, nice try. By improving the network for yourself and other AT&T users in your home or office - you improve AT&T's network. Less dropped calls & faster connections = happy customers. Most people want that with what they already pay for service and all the add-ons.