AT&T expands 3G MicroCell trial to five markets
AT&T announced this week that in addition to its Charlotte, N.C., test market, the 3G MiroCell hardware is now available in select counties in Georgia, South Carolina, San Diego and Las Vegas.
Customers can visit the AT&T Web site to find out if they are eligible for the device, which improves cell phone reception in potential trouble areas.
The hardware blankets a 5,000 square foot area, about a 40 foot radius from the device, to provide voice, data and text service coverage in areas that might otherwise be a "dead zone" for cell phone reception. The hardware supports up to four users making simultaneous calls, and up to 10 on 3G standby available for incoming calls and messages.
Last year, Charlotte, North Carolina was the first test market for the femtocell device, which provides 3.2Mbit/sec 3G service from the home. In order to support that bandwidth, the device must be connected to an appropriately fast broadband connection.
It was expected that AT&T would expand its 3G MicroCell service to other markets in 2009, but until this week availability was limited to Charlotte. In that test, the device was said to cost $150 and carried no monthly fees.
Not included in the short list of test markets thus far are New York City or San Francisco, both of which have been notorious problem areas for the AT&T network, particularly with heavy-bandwidth devices like the iPhone. However, even without the deployment of the 3G MicroCell, one test revealed this week found that AT&T's network speed improved 84 percent with strong reliability as well -- a major improvement over a similar study done last spring.
Customers can visit the AT&T Web site to find out if they are eligible for the device, which improves cell phone reception in potential trouble areas.
The hardware blankets a 5,000 square foot area, about a 40 foot radius from the device, to provide voice, data and text service coverage in areas that might otherwise be a "dead zone" for cell phone reception. The hardware supports up to four users making simultaneous calls, and up to 10 on 3G standby available for incoming calls and messages.
Last year, Charlotte, North Carolina was the first test market for the femtocell device, which provides 3.2Mbit/sec 3G service from the home. In order to support that bandwidth, the device must be connected to an appropriately fast broadband connection.
It was expected that AT&T would expand its 3G MicroCell service to other markets in 2009, but until this week availability was limited to Charlotte. In that test, the device was said to cost $150 and carried no monthly fees.
Not included in the short list of test markets thus far are New York City or San Francisco, both of which have been notorious problem areas for the AT&T network, particularly with heavy-bandwidth devices like the iPhone. However, even without the deployment of the 3G MicroCell, one test revealed this week found that AT&T's network speed improved 84 percent with strong reliability as well -- a major improvement over a similar study done last spring.
Comments
What a joke.
I wonder though, do you need to register every phone that uses the microcell? The website says that you can let your friends use it, but do you have to log on to the website and register your friends' numbers to your account?
I really like mine. My neighborhood is a dead zone for all carriers (not just AT&T). I pay $150 for the equipment, and that's it. Reception is fantastic and covers my whole house.
Rather than building towers with its profits - AT&T will dump the Microcell coverage onto my ISP and my ethernet line. And - charge me for the opportunity to use it - for a few feet in each direction.
What a joke.
It is and it isn't:
They can't cover everywhere - so Microcells are a necessary evil.
They can't give it away - people would abuse it.
I think $50 is a fair price. But I think anyone who has one should get something like 2000 free microcell minutes per month in exchange for easing the burden on AT&T. Charging for Microcell minutes doesn't help AT&T's bruised image.
It is and it isn't:
They can't cover everywhere - so Microcells are a necessary evil.
They can't give it away - people would abuse it.
I think $50 is a fair price. But I think anyone who has one should get something like 2000 free microcell minutes per month in exchange for easing the burden on AT&T. Charging for Microcell minutes doesn't help AT&T's bruised image.
Could you explain the pricing schedule you posted? Where does the $50 or charging per minute come in?
Rather than building towers with its profits - AT&T will dump the Microcell coverage onto my ISP and my ethernet line. And - charge me for the opportunity to use it - for a few feet in each direction.
What a joke.
a lot of homes are built in a way that blocks cell phone signals so it doesn't mean it's always AT&T. and it costs a lot of money to build a cell site as well as maintain it. in the boonies it doesn't make sense to spend $500,000 on a site plus say $100,000 a year in maintenance costs for only a few people
Could you explain the pricing schedule you posted? Where does the $50 or charging per minute come in?
did you read the article? It says the device cost $150 in the north carolina experiment, with no charge for minutes. I think Walshbj was speculating on what he/she would consider acceptable pricing.
It seems I've been hearing about this for the past... let me Google it... since Jan. 25th 2009 for release in 2009 and here it is 2010?...
What's up with that AT&T?
In my secondary business, we have allot of clients with AT&T service that would love it if we installed one of these things, but then I would need to cover 2 locations on our campus. We have solid Verizon coverage and no AT&T 3g coverage in the area. Often our clients come up from NYC and most have iphones these days.
I'm not sure charging any price for the hardware is really fair either, but so long as we aren't charged monthly for the service I guess it's water under the bridge. I would suggest AT&T suck it up and include the microcell device with contracts outside of their normal coverage area. I doubt it would cost them any more than the ISP's pay out when they include a modem with your internet plan. It's a little tacky to ask for money to cover their asses.
Sounds great for families, but it doesn't sound like this works for us or any business for that matter. Aren't most Iphone users business people?
did you read the article? It says the device cost $150 in the north carolina experiment, with no charge for minutes. I think Walshbj was speculating on what he/she would consider acceptable pricing.
Of course I did?
So am I to think that he would love to pay $50 for the device and anything over 2000 minutes each month against paying a one-time charger of $150 and unlimited monthly usage?
Does that not mean that he is willing to pay $600 a year for renting the device and speculating that he wouldn't use over 2000 minutes a month?
Rather than building towers with its profits - AT&T will dump the Microcell coverage onto my ISP and my ethernet line. And - charge me for the opportunity to use it - for a few feet in each direction.
What a joke.
Homes have always had dead spots. If they didn't, we would probably all be sterile from the energy sent out from the towers and phones.
When I am at home, I use Skype or my home line which is digital, so most of the time, still on my ISP's network. This just allows me to use a single device more of the time.
I think this is a good solution to the issue, and am just glad it does not have a monthly fee!
did you read the article? It says the device cost $150 in the north carolina experiment, with no charge for minutes. I think Walshbj was speculating on what he/she would consider acceptable pricing.
thanks - that's right.
Of course I did?
So am I to think that he would love to pay $50 for the device and anything over 2000 minutes each month against paying a one-time charger of $150 and unlimited monthly usage?
Does that not mean that he is willing to pay $600 a year for renting the device and speculating that he wouldn't use over 2000 minutes a month?
Sorry if I wasn't clear: I was trying to say I thought $50 was a fair price to purchase the device. But I don't think there should be any other charges going forward. Additionally, AT&T should provide something like 2000 Microcell voice minutes per month for anyone who has purchased one.
I'm surprised there hasn't been more ISP posturing about femtocells in general. You know, "those are my pipes" and that kind of thing...
Sorry if I wasn't clear: I was trying to say I thought $50 was a fair price to purchase the device. But I don't think there should be any other charges going forward. Additionally, AT&T should provide something like 2000 Microcell voice minutes per month for anyone who has purchased one.
I'm surprised there hasn't been more ISP posturing about femtocells in general. You know, "those are my pipes" and that kind of thing...
Well you can find out exactly what they are charging.
From what I can see, voice minutes are unlimited. Not sure what the price of the device is. You need an account with AT&T and I gather your home site would have to be in the posted available areas. I used a Vegas pc to get some information.
Well you can find out exactly what they are charging.
From what I can see, voice minutes are unlimited. Not sure what the price of the device is. You need an account with AT&T and I gather your home site would have to be in the posted available areas. I used a Vegas pc to get some information.
We are really out of sync Abster. I am speculating on what I think would be fair as opposed to what AT&T offers. I have actually installed one of these for a friend.
I also wrote the review of this device at TUAW believe it or not !
I'm sorry I've caused you so much confusion, but reading all my posts I'm not sure why we went off the rails....
I know this is AT&T's language, but:
>>>now available in select counties in Georgia, South Carolina, San Diego and Las Vegas.
I didn't know the cities of San Diego and Las Vegas were in more than one county each.
What I want to know is why is it taking them so long to roll this out? When I first read about them, I figured by this point they'd be widely available.
Frankly, I don't really care about the unlimited minutes thing. I just want to have good coverage in my home since we don't have a landline. My concern with AT&T's coverage (or lack thereof) has kept me on the fence when it comes to signing up for an iPhone.