ie8 fix
madison

The Mobile Gadgeteer

Matthew Miller & Joel Evans
Home / News & Blogs / The Mobile Gadgeteer

AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home

By | March 25, 2010, 11:18am PDT

Summary: If you want better 3G coverage for your home or office, AT&T is now offering a 3G MicroCell. The catch? You have to pay for it.

Special Report: CTIA Wireless

Yesterday we mentioned AT&T’s claims for offering the fastest 3G in Rhode Island. Well, if your AT&T coverage in Rhode Island or anywhere else is not up to par in your home or business, AT&T is now offering a solution in the form of a 3G MicroCell. If you’re not familiar with a MicroCell, the device acts like a mini cell tower and connects to AT&T’s network via your broadband internet service. The end result is improved signal performance for both data and voice.

According to AT&T, their version of the MicroCell works for up to 5000 square feet, performs seamless call hand-over, and can support up to four voice or data users at once.

The MicroCell is expected to be available next month for $150 in select areas. AT&T plans to let it connect to 10 approved phone lines and for an additional $20 a month, users can get unlimited voice minutes when in the home and a $100 mail-in-rebate for the device.

I’ve been using a Spotwave signal booster in my house since 2007 and it definitely made a substantial difference. These days, though, the need for a 3G compatible one is there since there’s no guarantee that it’s going to work in my town. Given that, $150 is a small price to pay, as long as there’s no monthly fee attached.

While I don’t have an immediate issue paying to improve my coverage, I have to wonder why AT&T can’t subsidize it even further, since the end result means that I’ll be using even more minutes and probably generating more revenue for the company. It’s a small price for the company to pay, especially when the alternative is either losing me as a customer or them having to pay to build more cell sites.

At any rate, most people will probably end up spending the $150 since they’ll just want the best coverage they can get. If it’s just $150 to get it, it’s a small price to pay as a consumer.

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “The Mobile Gadgeteer”

Topics

AT&T Corp., 3G MicroCell, 3G, Cellular Phones, Wireless And Mobility, Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Joel Evans

With more than a decade of mobile, Internet and wireless experience, Joel specializes in taking existing brands and technologies into the mobile and wireless space.

Disclosure

Joel Evans

Joel is a serial entrepreneur with his most recent business, CronkSoftware (cronksoftware.com), focusing on consulting and building games and applications for mobile devices. Joel has consulted for Microsoft’s Windows Mobile division and advises other companies on how to incorporate mobile into their existing brands and products. Joel purchases many of his devices and others are sent for review on a 30-day loaner basis and then returned to the supplier. If any devices are provided as “keeper” Joel will clearly disclose this in his reviews.

Biography

Joel Evans

With more than a decade of mobile, Internet and wireless experience, Joel specializes in taking existing brands, technologies and services into the mobile and wireless space. Joel is currently serving as the Managing Director of Cronk Software, Inc., a company he founded to offer full-service, end-to-end mobile strategy, design and development services.

Joel is the former founder and "Chief Geek" of Geek.com, a website praised by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and others as one of world's best sources of information for technology professionals and enthusiasts.

Joel also serves as a technology expert for a number of well-known publications and regularly advises corporations, analysts, journalists and bloggers on what the future of technology will bring. He brings decades of relationships with leading game publishers, online communities and publishers, along with both hardware and software product management and delivery expertise. Joel can be found online as "JoelGeek" and you can follow him on Twitter @JoelGeek.

26
Comments
Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Just In

1 Bar on 3G SUx
professorbob09 5th Jul
Why am I NOT surprised!!! Just upgraded to data, with added phone and two new HTC Inspire phones, to find we only have one bar service and need to talk from our front porch. Previous non-smart phones worked OK inside the house. Call to NO CUSTOMER SERVICES was first told by CS supervisor that YES we will authorize a microcell Free of charge as you are in a very sporatic area. Just need to come by one of our company stores and pickup your unit.
When I asked to verify inventory the CS rep could not get anyone to answer the store phone. Seems there are store policies against answering any phone when customers are present. After 6 hours of back and fourth, a CS supervisor was able to speak with management in Toccoa Ga store to verify inventory and arrange a pickup. Next AM arrive to fine all management in a meeting in ATL. Calls to management get no help as they say they have on authorization from Corporate.
Now after four more hours with CS am told from another rep that they do no have authority to OK a microcell, and do not know who has that authority.
Logic would indicate that keeping in excess of $5,000 account would be worth the free microcell. Have they not learned it is cheaper to keep a customer than to attract a new one.
We will be closing our service and returning the phone and go to a prepay phone unless this is resolves soon. I am thoroughly amazed that the inability of a communications company to communicate with their customers.
View in thread
0 Votes
+ -
You *have* to be kidding..
sillyg 25th Mar 2010
ATT expects their customers to buy a mini-tower
coupled with the customer's *own* internet
access just so the service the customer is
already paying ATT for doesn't suck? Not to
mention the service up sell.

And the article author thinks this is a fair
deal? How much did ATT pay you for that slant?

Seriously, this is beyond ridiculous.
0 Votes
+ -
Just incredible...
Fark 25th Mar 2010
AT&T is the cell provider. I now have to augment their crappy cell coverage with my money?

I guess you get what you pay for.
0 Votes
+ -
Um...All US Carriers Have These
AstroCreep 26th Mar 2010
Dude, everyone has them, Verizon included (and theirs STILL uses your minutes.

It's called a Femtocell. They're merely used to boost the reception in deadzones in/on your property. Not unlike a wifi extender.
0 Votes
+ -
Re:You *have* to be kidding..
shadowcat_2 27th Mar 2010
Hey.. AT&T "acquired" my service firm (Cingular), after THAT, Customer Service & a few other bits deteriorated. That they want you 2 pay MORE, 4 service you're supposed 2 be getting/paying 4 ALREADY; just shows the greed of the firm sad
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
dziner004 25th Mar 2010
Man they sure are workin hard to keep their existing wireless customers pissed off
0 Votes
+ -
Verizon's is even more expensive
nothingness 25th Mar 2010
Google Verizon's version, it is over two hundred bucks, so 150 is not unreasonable at all....
0 Votes
+ -
Your initial premise is wrong...
Fark 25th Mar 2010
Charging ANYTHING for the service you've already paid for is nuts. AT&T is nuts for doing it and Verizon is too.
0 Votes
+ -
Have to agree
Lerianis10 25th Mar 2010
I am not paying ONE EXTRA CENT for this tower.... either it's free if you can PROVE that the service in your area stinks on ice, or Verizon/AT&T is going to allow me to CANCEL my cell phone coverage, with no 'early termination fee' at all.
0 Votes
+ -
just one caveat....
nothingness 25th Mar 2010
I agree we shouldn't pay for adequate reception, adequate mobile reception should be a given considering how much we all pay for our cellular plans. Unfortunately, that is not reality as there are many who don't have good reception at home. So these devices are for those who have absolutely horrible mobile reception only.
0 Votes
+ -
It depends.
GuidingLight Updated - 25th Mar 2010
Devices like the ones that are mentioned in the article are designed, and used primarily for, business locations (I.E. inside warehouses, et cetera).

i have no issue with it for that reason, if knowing full well that outside the structure, or in a home, reception is fine.

I do have an issue with having AT&T recondmending I purchase one to aquire reception in my house.

There is a vast difference between a wooden house verses a steel and concreate structure.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
medezark@... 25th Mar 2010
Also, what reimbursement will they give me when one of my neighbors or a passing vehicle, or someone else "taps" into my microcell?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
allargon 25th Mar 2010
Don't most modern 3G phones (iPhone, Bold 9700, Nexus One) have Wifi? If so, this is pretty silly for anyone with a broadband connection (who usually also has a Wifi connection). I think Sprint (who actually charges a monthly fee on top of their 3G tower), AT&T, Verizon, etc. know this. However, they know there's one born every minute. So, they offer this anyway.
0 Votes
+ -
Can't make calls over WiFi.
LYU370 25th Mar 2010
.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
allargon 25th Mar 2010
You can with a Voice over IP app. Moreover, this is
about 3G not 2G (all you need for voice), right?
0 Votes
+ -
What is AT&T selling, and what are they stealing?
les48 25th Mar 2010
Pay AT&T to access your own broadband?

Pay AT&T for cellular access when cellular network is
not being used?

We need to unlock the wifi functionality built into
phones so they can be used on whichever network is
available (cellular or wifi), then pay each network
only for bandwidth actually used.

FCC should not permit AT&T's parasitic arrangement. No
real product provided; therefore, no payment permitted.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
Andras@... 25th Mar 2010
Suggest to stop complaining, take a look at the facts and figure out what to do.
Facts:
1. most expensive part of operation is the back-haul (traffic from the Base Station to the Central Office), which usually going through leased lines.
2. second most expensive is the customer care calls, average cost is $25/call. 3 calls in a month and ATT is loosing money on you.
3. The femtocell is using your broadband and it is 100% free for ATT. Big cost savings!
4. Due to the increased data traffic ATT does not have enough capacity (SF and NY are disaster and you cannot by iPhones in those cities from ATT).
5. Femto cell gives a major relieve to ATT since they can slow down (or catch up) with the network extension.
6. When you bought your service and checked the coverage you could see a nice green "field" over/around your house. You went home and there is no coverage. Bummer.

What can you do?
1. By a repeater, climb on your roof, attach the antenna and improve your coverage "somewhat" as long as you have a direct site to a tower, and it is not raining). You are out of $300. > $150 sounds good compared with $300.
2. I am not suggesting, but what would you do if you would run a business and your customer calls you every week and complaining about his/her coverage (at @25 each call)? You as a business owner know that for $150 you can stop those annoying calls, and you make money since you can use the customer resources for your service.

Further facts:
ATT is testing the femtocell for a long time. Their major issue was the provisioning, since they do not want to go out to your house, they do not want you to call them (remember $25/call), so they had to come up with an easy online provisioning, which finally they did. Here is the kicker.... ATT wanted to roll out the service last November, and charging $10/month for it. Seems to me somebody came to his senses over there.

Let's hope for the best

Skinazi
0 Votes
+ -
Contributr
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
David Chernicoff 26th Mar 2010
One of my homes, due to tower placement and those annoying mountain things, is on the edge of ATT's coverage. If for $150 I can actually get service throughout the house, instead of just on the front deck, it's well worth it.

There are less than 65,000 people in 1200 sq miles so it seems unlikely that any cellular provider would make a serious infrastructure investment in the area. So since my home is outside of the coverage corridor along the 1 major highway that runs across the county, this seems like a very resonable investment.
0 Votes
+ -
Depends on where you live
ibap 26th Mar 2010
Where I live, I'm not really in the boonies, but I'm the second-to-last house on the phone wire, and the LAST house on the cable wire. It's a consequence of how construction proceeded in this area. We are also in a lousy spot for any cell coverage. Verizon works sort of in the dining room but better on the front porch, Alltel in the bedroom, T-mobile not at all, with Sprint kind of working where Verizon and Alltel do. We're currently on Sprint to get solid coverage at daughter's school. Their Airave femtocell (not 3G but I've got Wi-fi for that for the phone that can use it) gives us great coverage throughout the house. I bought it on eBay, brand new, for less than what they charge directly. We never use all of our 1500 minutes anyway, so we don't buy unlimited access through the Airave, but I pay their $5 per month for the base coverage for it. A good solution under the circumstances.
0 Votes
+ -
Does this work where there is no cell reception at all?
weinrich.kevin@... 26th Mar 2010
If we have DSL, but not cell reception at all, will this work? If so, what's the minimum DSL speed required for it to work? Will most any cell phone work with it?
0 Votes
+ -
You must have cell reception for MicroCell to work!
Heimdall222 26th Mar 2010
I had the same question as weinrich.kevin, so I called AT&T.

Per AT&T Customer Service (1-800-331-0500, Freddie Davis), the MicroCell is essentially only a cell signal *booster*, not a signal *provider*.

So, even if you have DSL or cable Internet service, to use the MicroCell you must also have a cell signal. Maybe only very weak signal, but still a signal.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
gdoes 27th Mar 2010
If Apple will be launching the 4G phone this June\July, is AT&T trying to launch OLD stuff at the time when 4G is on the way? Will we get stuck with a device that is going to be useful less than a year?
0 Votes
+ -
Maybe it is a bargain....
Muttz 27th Mar 2010
I read an interesting article the other day about these microtowers. In the
future, they want one in every home. They are going to be used to
communicate with our vehicles for things like intelligent traffic routing.

Nice that AT&T is getting all of you to pay for that infrastructure...
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
mikesquared 27th Mar 2010
Well, hopefully people will buy if they think its worth it and for those that don't they can move to Sprint and buy and Airave, T-Mobile and by At Home and whatever Verizon's femtocell is called.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
mikesquared 27th Mar 2010
It's a deal...buy it. Once they are fully out there, buy one if you have an issue.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: AT&T wants you to pay $150 for a MicroCell to improve 3G in your home
dbmajor@... 26th Apr 2010
Live in Jonesboro, GA with 1 bar in my 4500 sq ft home. Doesn't matter the carrier, no or low signal throughout. Got the Microcell on yesterday and I am absolutely thrilled. You program in the cell numbers that can have access. Easy set up and 5 bars everywhere in my 3 level home. Love it and absolutely worth the price.
0 Votes
+ -
1 Bar on 3G SUx
professorbob09 5th Jul
Why am I NOT surprised!!! Just upgraded to data, with added phone and two new HTC Inspire phones, to find we only have one bar service and need to talk from our front porch. Previous non-smart phones worked OK inside the house. Call to NO CUSTOMER SERVICES was first told by CS supervisor that YES we will authorize a microcell Free of charge as you are in a very sporatic area. Just need to come by one of our company stores and pickup your unit.
When I asked to verify inventory the CS rep could not get anyone to answer the store phone. Seems there are store policies against answering any phone when customers are present. After 6 hours of back and fourth, a CS supervisor was able to speak with management in Toccoa Ga store to verify inventory and arrange a pickup. Next AM arrive to fine all management in a meeting in ATL. Calls to management get no help as they say they have on authorization from Corporate.
Now after four more hours with CS am told from another rep that they do no have authority to OK a microcell, and do not know who has that authority.
Logic would indicate that keeping in excess of $5,000 account would be worth the free microcell. Have they not learned it is cheaper to keep a customer than to attract a new one.
We will be closing our service and returning the phone and go to a prepay phone unless this is resolves soon. I am thoroughly amazed that the inability of a communications company to communicate with their customers.

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

Blog Roll

Blog Archive

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix
ie8 fix