http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Screw that, whilst this is a great idea, AT&T should be paying us to expand their network.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 4:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 4:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 5:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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. ]]>Mar 24th 2010 6:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
@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. ]]>Mar 24th 2010 11:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/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 "]]>Mar 25th 2010 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 9:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/We saw an EVDO model at CES, so we can expect that soon.

To me, this is still a loss for AT&T overall.]]>Mar 24th 2010 10:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/To me, you're wrong. ]]>Mar 25th 2010 12:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/They have been working on it forever, too! My AT&T Tilt from 2007 had registry entries containing "AT&T MicroCell"]]>Mar 24th 2010 5:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
Blah, I'll just leave mine unplugged.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
You might not and neither will I. But a sucker is born every second.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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. ]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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)??]]>Mar 24th 2010 4:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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]]>Mar 24th 2010 5:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 6:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
I really like my iPhone but my wife LOVES hers so there is no chance of getting that approved.]]>Mar 24th 2010 6:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/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.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
If you are an AT&T customer, you are paying for "those new satellites".]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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?]]>Mar 24th 2010 4:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
And this is better than connecting to the WiFi because.....]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/because you can make phone calls.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/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?]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 7:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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.]]>Mar 25th 2010 10:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 4:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 4:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 4:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
@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.]]>Mar 25th 2010 5:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/The friggin thing is so unreliable you can't believe. Half of the time it's down flashing all of it's lights. ]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/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. ]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/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.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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.]]>Mar 24th 2010 4:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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.

]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/
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.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/atandt-3g-microcell-starting-nationwide-roll-out-in-mid-apri/Mar 24th 2010 3:48PM