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- ileftfark, on 02/06/2009, -2/+23Couldn't they... you know, fix their ***** network? I don't have an iPhone, but I do have an ATT phone capable of 3G. At least that's what it says, I'm still dubious.
- DigitalisAkujin, on 02/07/2009, -3/+16So why would you downgrade to 3G when you can have Wifi? You're still using the same pipe.
- SwabTheDeck, on 02/07/2009, -2/+14To everyone saying that this product is pointless: you're wrong, but you don't have to buy it, so stop crying. Here's why:
Out in the real world, many people have cell phones that don't get coverage in every place that they have to go on a regular basis. As an example, my aunt and uncle live in a rural area of northern California and they both have AT&T phones issued to them by their employers for work. AT&T has absolutely no service at their house, but they still attempt to do regular business using these phones. It would easily be worth a couple hundred bucks to get this box and be able to use their work phones at home. They wouldn't have to hand out several numbers to people they deal with and they wouldn't have to carry around several pieces of hardware in their pockets.
Now, for those of you saying "just use Wi-Fi, you tards!", here's why that doesn't work so well. First of all, very few phones have built-in Wi-Fi. This article was headlined as being about the iPhone, but this product is meant to service any AT&T phone, not just the iPhone. Even if we lived in fantasy land where all phones had Wi-Fi already, there's another problem: software. The VOIP client would have to be ported to every software platform that AT&T has, and there are quite a few (BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm, + all the proprietary pieces of crap on non-"smart" phones). Then, you'd have to deploy this software to all the phones, so you'd have to set it up for all the different software distribution methods that the different phone platforms use. By avoiding the use of Wi-Fi, all the phones will work exactly how they were designed to work: connecting to a cell tower over GSM.
I personally have an iPhone and get my calls dropped a few times a week. My apartment is in an area that gets 1 or 2 reception bars from AT&T. Complaining to them doesn't work. They're not going to erect a million dollar cell tower in my honor to fix this for me and I'm stuck with them as long as I want to have an iPhone and not pay a termination fee (and I'm willing to do neither). So, for a couple hundred bucks, I might be tempted to get this to save me some headaches. - Malik05, on 02/06/2009, -3/+14And ATT will probably charge customers to buy this little product.. You already pay for the service, now u have to pay to actually GET the service to your phone.
- rolf, on 02/07/2009, -4/+13Wait, their service doesn't work - so you have to use your own broadband bandwidth, probably still pay mobile phone and data rates, and buy the device and use your own electricity plus a monthly fee on top?
I can see the usefullness for buildings, but the monthly rate is really over the top. Thanks ATT! - inactive, on 02/06/2009, -1/+8Yup, makes no sense to me. Pay for the equipment up front, then pay a monthly fee, then you have to use your own bandwidth. Its an insane Win/Win for ATT.
This is only a win for people who cant afford to have a micro tower installed, people who live WAY out of range, people who live in the middle of nowhere but have a decent internet connection. - chkdg8, on 02/07/2009, -1/+8You know what this is? I call it Corporate unaccountability. It's the spaghetti theory as in throw a bunch of ***** against the wall and see what sticks. What a shame it is that we have a Telecom as big as AT&T who still cannot get their ***** together and yet have the audacity to charge its customers $20 a month for unlimited text that consumes low bandwidth to begin with. It's a totally unregulated sector that resembles the Wild West.
- bigohofn, on 02/07/2009, -3/+9So the Iphone has wifi.... Why not use the Iphone's wifi to browse the internet really fast. Why use 3g that is slower than wifi in a house? & why pay more? You can always make calls from the iphone in 2g. This is pointless.
- binaryloop, on 02/07/2009, -0/+6You mean I can pay for my own broadband AND pay AT&T for 3G service too?!?! Wow! Sign me up.
- elf25, on 02/07/2009, -0/+5yea but... AT&T is supposed to provide 3G in my area... i'm supposed to pay again for this service?
- sorepheet, on 02/06/2009, -4/+9Hmmm, needs WiFi to work, + it could have a monthly fee?!?! Why not use VOiP options and save some ca$h? Granted you can't receive calls to your # on VOiP in the current App Store offerings... then again why is anyone using a phone that doesn't work in their home?!?! Ideally it is a device you pay ONCE for if having 3G is really what you need around the house (although you obviously already have WiFi for data) A little underwhelming.
- DigitAl56K, on 02/07/2009, -2/+7So now iPhone users are supplementing AT&T infrastructure?
Why the hell do you even pay for a service plan? AT&T should be paying you for this! - NeoTechni, on 02/07/2009, -0/+4Given the iPhone has GPS, couldn't they release a program that runs in the background, detects when 3G is lost, records the GPS coordinate range of the dead zone (from when it's lost till when it's back up again), sends them to ATT,
And then they fix the dead zone?
Gees, knowing them they probably charge you for the joy of fixing THEIR problems - Foot56, on 02/07/2009, -0/+4and they charge you min off your plan /
- spookyttws, on 02/07/2009, -1/+5Wait, I need to buy another device for my iphone to get better reception? Looks like wardriving has moved to my cell coverage.
- rusty0101, on 02/07/2009, -0/+4So, it's "More bars in more place." unless you want 3G?
Ok, if that's what you want to promote.
I'm not being dismissive of the iPhone. It's not my cup of tea, but I know several people with iPhones, who are happy. Not sure how many are G3 phones, but like I say, I'm not using it.
And while AT&T may not be willing to fix your coverage issue, I'm very happy with T-Mobile's coverage at the moment for my G1. Without my even complaining about battery life, or coverage, they put in a new cell not 200 yards from my front door. I guess I'm just lucky. - linagee, on 02/07/2009, -0/+3They should be paying YOU monthly to be running a cell tower. BTW, is the traffic encrypted somehow, or if you sniff the network traffic will you get every cell conversation going through it? Hrm....
- protodon, on 02/07/2009, -0/+3The catch you pay extra money to not have a dead zone. I mean, I'm pretty sure most ATT customers are already paying money for the same thing.
- vtspike, on 02/07/2009, -0/+3this is basically AT&T admitting that they cant fix their ***** network, and man is it *****. 20 miles north of NYC you lose any hope of having a conversation with someone.
- peestandingup, on 02/07/2009, -1/+4You cant make calls if you have no cell service is the point. This is like putting up a tower in your house.
- isabela, on 02/07/2009, -0/+3It's about time. It's a shame to have dead zone in silicon valley!!!
- migitalwarfare, on 02/09/2009, -0/+2I seriously hope nobody uses that map to determine their carrier. The customer to complaint ratio is obvious if you look at AT&T or Verizon and compare it to T-Mobile. If you judged solely on that map, you'd think T-Mobile had the best service out of the 4 US carriers, and you'd find out you were 100% wrong as soon as you try using that phone inside.
- estrategy, on 02/06/2009, -3/+5AT&T has a lot of work to do. See this consumer generated coverage map of thousands of AT&T dead zones . . .
http://deadcellzones.com/att.html - migitalwarfare, on 02/09/2009, -0/+2I'd love to know how they can legally justify deducting minutes off your plan when you're not using their cellular network to make or receive calls using this device. Without connecting to their cellular network, you're not using their infrastructure, which means they can't charge you for a service that you didn't use in the first place. Connection fees are one thing, but per minute use is illegal.
This sounds like a lawsuit in the making. - diemunkiesdie, on 02/07/2009, -1/+3If you are a heavy Comcast internet user and you get a MicroCell, you just might hit that bandwidth cap!
- Quick2822, on 02/07/2009, -1/+3I rarely have 3G on anyway due to battery consumption. When I'm at home, I use WiFi, and when I'm out usually it's just to do something on Facebook and EDGE works just fine.
I'll pop 3G on usually just to browse the internet, or if I'm having issues with Pandora or Stitcher skipping. SBSettings is the best app you can get for your phone. - darkmagician777, on 02/07/2009, -0/+2So in order to provide the cellphone service in a dead zone - more commonly your place of resident - At&T plant to sell you a device to improve the signal they should have solved before they even sold the phone? What a rip off !!!! Provide the Service or let people know ahead - your in the E or dead zone. Those people who are known in the dead zone - should get this signal service boost free ( or you can always go to Verizon! )
I really hope people don't waste there money on a signal booster and call the service provider and demand better service or terminate the contract for inability to provide stable consistent communication. Make sure to pay with the credit card and if the Cellphone company says they cant terminate - challenge it with the credit card free and get your money back. - Enderz, on 02/07/2009, -1/+3This is just *****. I have the iphone for just about 1 month and have gotten about 30 dropped calls. Now, they want me to use my own broadband and pay them to fix their crappy service?
- kevine, on 02/07/2009, -0/+2I sure hope these are inexpensive boxes. AT&T should charge one price for a private box and one price for a box that runs in public mode.
- linagee, on 02/07/2009, -0/+2If your neighbor starts using their cell phone using your micro cell, they might cause you to hit your bandwidth cap.
- SwabTheDeck, on 02/07/2009, -2/+4You've managed to miss the point entirely. Don't focus on the 3G part or the iPhone part. This is meant to provide service to all AT&T phones and provide both voice and data. Shocking revelation: very few phones have built-in Wi-Fi. Other shocking revelation: people who would buy this don't probably have very poor or no service and want it to make phone calls, not necessarily to use the data services. I'd imagine they throw in 3G data just because it's trivial after going through the trouble to build a cell tower in a little box that you can put in your bedroom.
- BEDrocko, on 02/07/2009, -0/+2First, most rural areas without AT&T cell reception, such as at my parent's in Northern California, don't have broadband internet access either making this product irrelevant... They do in fact get Verizon service, so Verizon can erect a "million dollar cell tower" but AT&T can't?
Second, that said, the real problem is AT&T's network, they have some great maps on their website advertising coverage all over the place. I'm sorry but one unusable bar of service does not mean coverage. If you ask me, that's false advertising.
Finally, regardless of how much it costs, a shaky network IS AT&T's responsibility and problem. By selling you a device like this they're saying to their customers "Our ***** service is YOUR problem, not ours." But hey, it's big business, and if people will pay for it I won't stop them... it's just not a business practice I support.
Oh, and I'm lucky, my home and work both have great 3G coverage so I've got an iPhone on AT&T, but I sympathize with those who get crappy coverage... I've been there before. - BEDrocko, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1I think the point is that they don't care where the dead zones are.
- Kratos76, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1Chill out dude. You already have broadband, which you're going to pay for whether you like it or not. And the small amount of electricity it uses is negligible. The monthly fee, well that does suck. The comparable device for Sprint and Verizon do not incur a monthly fee.
- DJones183, on 02/25/2009, -0/+1AT&T is the third company to do this behind Verizon and Sprint, these kind of devices are not new to the world.
- DigitAl56K, on 02/07/2009, -2/+3According to TFA It's not "probably":
"Use of the signal is identical to AT&T's existing 3G network, with minutes and long distance billed just as if the user were not contributing their private Internet connection to relay AT&T's signal." - puter, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1I think the solution should be that if you agree to install one your service plan is free since you're supplying infrastructure to AT&T
- RMoore08, on 02/07/2009, -4/+5It has nothing to do with the iPhone, it has to do with deadzone's in the ATT network. All phones have it.
- yuppieduppie, on 02/07/2009, -1/+2Just a heads up -- Google Chrome just warned me this site has malware.
- puter, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1Thank you, I was looking for someone to say that.
Why in the world install a 3g provider if you can just use wifi?
The only possible reason I could think of would be if it also allowed you to make calls. - weeFred, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1This is crazy, you're effectively paying AT&T to use your own internet connection. The whole reason you pay them monthly is to use their network, if you're not using their network then you shouldn't have to pay them for that usage.
- DJones183, on 02/25/2009, -0/+1Verizon offers a similar device for people with the same problem on their network, only it is not 3G
- linagee, on 02/14/2009, -0/+1So I invite people to use my cellphone to call up their bank/etc, and little did they know, me, my ISP, and everyone else up to AT&T is listening to the conversation? (Yes I realize land lines can be tapped too. I would expect some level of privacy of a cell conversation rather than an unencrypted VoIP call though.)
- puter, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1If your neighbor teathers and downloads illegal content through your microcell, are you responsible?
- sqwigeebo, on 02/07/2009, -1/+2AT&T just released an update for the iPhone for Microcell. It'll be just a matter of time before Verizon takes over for at least a couple of years with their LTE (Long Term Evolution) plans.
- Kratos76, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1non voip, voice.
- will0861, on 02/08/2009, -0/+1This isn't a problem with ATT, this is an issue with the GSM signal. GSM does not travel through buildings as easily as CDMA. So, you can still be in a 5 bar coverage area, but have dropped calls once you go inside. My office and home are like this. In the driveway I have a good signal, but once I'm inside it's another story. I would also agree that outside ATT does leave a lot to be desired, but I have seen improvements recently along my commute.
As far as the microcell goes, rumor has it that this will allow you make calls that don't count against your monthly minutes, for an additional fee. Not really a bad idea, and if the price is right, $10 bucks or so, I'd buy one.
While ATT could care less about it's consumers, Verizon is much worse. They offer a femtocell that you pay for, goes over your broadband line, and still uses your monthly minutes. Screw them. - androothebear, on 02/07/2009, -0/+1thats exactly what i was thinking...
- puter, on 02/07/2009, -1/+1You're wrong.
All the companies charge the same, so you can't switch to another company for a better price.
If anything it could be called price fixing because consumers are not given an alternative other than "don't own a mobile phone", which in this day and age is not an option.
chkdg8 has every right to make the statement he did. -
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