While we've no clue how widespread AT&T's generosity is, or how you might get one, it appears that the company's "most valuable customers" are now receiving free range-boosting
femtocells. Today, loyal reader Jason got a old-fashioned paper letter in the mail, offering his iPhone-wielding family a
3G MicroCell with no strings attached. Driving down to the local AT&T store, he got the product, but the dumbfounded reps offered no explanation why. Though his calls do frequently drop at home, Jason says he wasn't terribly vocal about the issue and only pays around $180 per month for his family plan -- the only thing that might possibly qualify him, in his opinion, is that his contract was set to expire. We've reached out to AT&T for more information; in the meanwhile, see Jason's letter after the break.
[Thanks, Jason]
Update: We're being told that AT&T is currently in the process of trialling different ways of offering the MicroCell, which is why a handful of customers have received this letter. We suspect you're
always going to get positive reactions when you're offering something for free... but maybe we're crazy.
posted July 10th 2010 8:56PM
From what I've heard, they're in talks with Cisco to release an updated version. The first revision has a lot of bugs. Maybe getting rid of stock, and securing high value customers?
@sefs Add that this guy was paying them almost $200 a month and could potentially leave in a matter of weeks and I think you have something.
@sefs
I don't know, I got a letter, heading out in a few minutes. Problem is, I've already got a MicroCell. Had it for a little over a month now. Mine's worked great, and it's useful. I just need a better place to put it in my house, where it's not so noticeable!
But I like the MicroCell, who knows what I'll do with a 2nd. Oh, and I got my first for only $50! :) So, yeah this is a pretty good deal.
@sefs
I bought one of these and couldn't make a single call without it being dropped, literally. I took it back, got a replacement. Same problem. We have 25 up/25 down internet, so it wasn't our connection speed. The 3G microcell was just really buggy. I wouldn't mind a free one if they worked. Our family plan bill is $500/month. Where's the love AT&T?
This weekend I complained about my service and said if something wasnt done I was leaving for sprint they gave me a 150$ credit on the bill and it comes with 100$ mail in rebate which i can use for service or keep and use it just as a signal booster without the free calling. Not a bad deal the thing was easy enough to set up and has decent power less then I had expected it works thru the hole house on my bb 9700 5 bars but other family members with lower end phones seem to have less luck
@sefs
They were also very gracious to me. When I dropped them on June 4th my ETF was only $125. Thanks AT&T!
They actually do have very accurate maps of their coverage. Its just a matter of profiling with a good computer algorithm.
Coverage(bad) + expensivePlans(yes) + planWillEndSoon(Yes) = Shiny new Microcell
@GMoney $500 a month? are you insane?
@sefs
I got one for free too. It's absolutely amazing. Strange thing is I keep getting an overlap on my DVR from a camera in my living room. But I don't have a camera in my living room, just the microcell...
@GMoney
what the fuck are you paying 500 a month for?
how many people are you paying for?
even if thats for like 10 people, you should be demanded one huge discount for that much money.
@sefs
How do I get one of the current ones?
I don't care nor really believe that it's buggy. Engadgets preview showed that it was a decent working device. I would like to have one in my apartment.
@BrookLynnsFinest - www.att.com/3gmicrocell
@GMoney $500.00 per month family plan???
YUR Crazy...
@cycomachead How is paying $50 for something AT&T designed to try and fix their terrible coverage, a good deal? AT&T have been giving these things out free all along.
@Coach George
lol.. thats one huge family.
@cycomachead
50 dollars? Good deal? I have Verizon and don't need such a thing to begin with.
@GMoney
I don't think it's even possible to pay 500$ a month. The unlimited family plans are way less than that. Whats up?
@BrianH
8 Phones. 6 iPhones. It's a whole lotta data plans.
$100 x2 for the minutes (Can only have 5 phones share minutes)
$30 x5 for the data plans.
$50 for a corporate data plan.
$30 (I think) x2 for texting.
Taxes and fees put it right around $500.
So throw me a bone AT&T. Get me a microcell that actually works.
@GMoney 8 phones for $500? I was about to say, "Don't you know we're in a recession?" Then I realized, that's only $62 per phone, and you're getting unlimited minutes for all phones, unlimited texting for all phones, and 6 of those phones have unlimited data.
Genius! Thank you for stimulating the economy. Now, can you add me to your family plan, pleeeeease? :-D
@bernardino Add me to that plan as well lol
femtocell sounds like a transgender term. its lol funny.
It's a trap.
@sefs Quakertown, Pennsylvania? He shouldn't have any problems. He's in the middle of nowhere but not incredibly far from Philly which is where i live, and i have NEVER had a problem with AT&T ever. Then again, no trains run out to Quakertown, so yeah, he isn't anywhere important so i can see why he'd need a microcell. I thought this whole iPhone 4 issue only affected people in NY and CA, both of which are not important states. Philly matters, and it's a great city. AT&T works perfect in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, and I know plenty of folks who have never had issues. Even with this new iPhone 4, it's just BS. Maybe you people with iPhone 4 issues should relocate to PA. Unlike trashy California, Pennsylvania has a lot more to offer.
@(Unverified) yeah it does.
@GMoney
Somebody get GMoney a microcell.
Dang. I hope those aren't all your kids. j/k. lol. I have a couple. They are ass kickers. j/k I love em. j/k they're a pain in the ass
Wow, me and my wife pay 180 bucks for two iphone 3gs and we have to share 700 minutes a month between us. Our contract doesn't expire until next august though but we definitely plan on leaving att because of the high prices
OMG ur life revolves around iPhone :-)
@sefs
Hmmmmm..... Somethings tells me Apple may have a hand in giving some of these ppl with "cant touch this" syndrome on their iP4s one of these microcells + this software 'fix' to shut them up. Even if this guy above doesnt have an iP4 yet, they prolly mentioned they should give them out to whoever as a cover up... make everyone "Happy". Is Apple trying everything to "fix" this issue outside of actually... FIXING the issue, i.e. antenna? Who knows, we shall see in the very near future. I'm still very, very skeptical about those fruit guys right now....smh.
@Ty
You and your wife are doing something wrong. A 2100 minute family plan is 109.99/month for the first two lines. Factor in two $30 data plans and you're paying $170/month for 2100 shared minutes (not 700) with rollover and with the A-list feature.
Heck, you can even go to the 1400 minute plan for $89.99 plus the data packages plus "family messaging unlimited" ($30/month) to bring your grand total to the $180 your currently paying...with A-list.
Why the hell are you paying $180 for just 700 minutes? Change your plan. AT&T will not extend your contract for this.
@sefs Well can someone please scan this baby. I want a free microcell.
@sefs That would truly suck considering I just purchased one. I haven't noticed any problems.
@sefs Except that the guy wasn't a high value customer. $180/month just doesn't cut it with AT&T. I pay $163/month and don't get any of the early upgrade perks higher paying customers get. Back when I was paying $115 for a single line, I got early upgrades. Now that I'm paying $163 for two lines (in other words, less then $100 per month per line), I get no perks.
If this was going out to "high value" customers, it would be for people paying greater than $100 per month per line on the account.
@sefs I would be interested in hearing more about an updated version. I have almost pulled the trigger on a Microcell several times but keep holding off. If a new one is right around the corner, I'd definitely be willing to wait a few more months.
@BrianH to the guy who said he pays $500
In my family of six we also pay $500 plus whatever overage charges end up on the bill each month...we all have iphones.
@sefs
I got mine without a letter, Just went into an AT&T corp store, gave them my addy and bingo. I guess it also depends on the market where AT&T knows there service SUX.
@KPzze can someone tell me how to upload a pic? I want to upload a copy of my receipt
they are offering this to customers that have had good payment history and are in good standing with them. As long as Jason hasn't had any non-pay disconnects or payment arrangements every made he should be good to go. They are also using their map tool and revenue tracker for data users to cross-reference and scrub off any users with phenomenal coverage in order to offer these devices. also, word of mouth is the best advertisement so why not give out a couple thousand? I have one and they are great! you don't even have to live in an area with signal as long as you have high-speed internet it CREATES the signal.
Anyone who ever badmouthed AT&T is automatically disqualified!!!
@Son Goku sorry but getting other networks to do what yours is lacking doesnt equal awesomeness. Its just lazy.
@Son Goku Well I guess that explains why only one person got it for free.
@HyndeSyte2020
"By activating your new 3g Microcell, you hereby agree to extend* your 2 year agreement with the standard ETF of $375."
*extend = current contract + 2 years + 1 month regulatory fee + 2 months e911 fee + 5 months waste disposal fee
@HyndeSyte2020:
The problem with justifying the MicroCell as creating signal where AT&T is lacking is that it only works in the confines of your house. Leave your house and you once again have no signal, or in some cases, are back to an Edge only signal.
If I wanted a phone that would only work in my house, I would save myself hundreds of dollars a year and just get a landline phone. Remember what those are?
The other problem is that you are still paying just as much for your cell phone service, yet not using the network you are paying for. True, leave your house and you are using the network, but shouldn't you be able to use it wherever you are? On top of that, you are paying for the internet connection to run it and the MicroCell itself (unless you are like this guy and get one free). Not to mention the data plan you are mandated to have for your smartphone that isn't being used when on a MicroCell.
Now, my buddy just moved into a new place where he cannot get a signal indoors. Walk outside and once again full signal. A MicroCell in this instance would make perfect since, as I don't blame AT&T for not being able to work inside his building since it's the building itself blocking the signal. Beyond that, I just can't justify it.
@Testies Testies 12 3
That would be a brilliant strategy to get people to renew their contract and stop them from getting a new phone for "free".
They build in 20-30$ in subsidies to your bills each month, so they would generate like $3000 from you "re-signing" up with them for your "free gift".
@HyndeSyte2020
If word of mouth is the best advertising, then it is also the way to loose the most cusomers quickest...
Seeing that everyone is now annoyed that they pay so much money every month and have been loyal customers for years and don't get anything, AT&Ts popularity is bound to dip even lower.
I live in New Zeland. 4 million people. 98% coverage. 'Facetime' calling been here for 4 years (ever since 3G was launched), works on all 3G areas, same cost as standard call.
We don't have any of these microcell things and neither should AT&T.
All people should be covered or reception should be made for FREE to all those people.
Another possibility is to just unlock all the iPhones (like in NZ) and have Verizon release a sim card.
@daba Hey, another Kiwi! True, but data rates are also comparitivley expensive, we haven't a decent smartphone beyond Apples, and have you ever seen a normal person use video calling? The reason FaceTime is such a big deal is because all you have to do is press one big button. Most people who have phones capable of video calling, probably dont even know it, and don't know if anyone else can either. It may be a feature, but it's as easy to use as a DOS box.
@daba "I live in New Zeland. 4 million people. 98% coverage."
I'm guessing it's not too difficult to have 98% coverage when the place being covered is only the size of the state of Colorado.
@redfish I was going to make a similar reference. As much as I whine about the coverage here in the US compared to my native England, I do realise the size of the land mass is wildly different.
@HyndeSyte2020 I just called AT&T to ask about this, and the CSR said "Absolutely not. This is a hoax."
Its probably just a bribe to get someone to say on contract.
@PressPlay
That's a nice bribe either way!