Is Microcell still supported?

Hi @AlainV and good morning @lizdance40 !

As mentioned above, the MicroCell reached its EOL at the end of 2017 so AT&T stopped selling them at that point in time. The service itself will be discontinued sometime between Feb. 2021 and Feb. 2022 once AT&T begins their 3G network shutdown. There is some internal discussion going on now as to whether AT&T will register/activate new 3G devices because of the impending shutdown. As soon as I can find out anything definitive, I will post it (if allowed).

The IP address really has nothing to do with it if your router is properly assigning IP addresses to devices on your LAN. You can always go into your router settings table and see if the MicroCell has been assigned an ip address by looking for its MAC address on the address table. You also need to ensure that all of the minimum router requirments for the MicroCell are still being met. Unfortunately you'll need to check with the router and/or ISP on how to do that because we can't help you here.

We do need more information though.

Which model of MicroCell do you have?

What does the light pattern indicate?

How do you have the MicroCell setup?

Who is your new ISP and are you using equipment provided by them?

My Microcell stopped working recently.  I suppose it's due to the shutdown of 3G networks although I assumed that would on;y affect the cell tower networks and the microcell would continue to provide a 3G network within my home.

The Microcell had been working much better than the 4Glte network I get from the nearest tower at home.  Without it I suffer dropped calls and very slow multimedia SMS messaging.

@FloydMiller  I'm surprised that your MicroCell just stopped working. AT&T started shutting down their 3G network in late February and they all should have been shutdown by now.

You should have received a notification around the first of the year notifying you that AT&T would be sending you a free Cell Booster, which is the same thing as the MicroCell only it is LTE only. The cellular towers really had very little to do with the MicroCell other than location verification if GPS failed and maintenance. If you didn't receive notification that one was being sent for free then you should have received an email asking you if you still wanted one and to contact AT&T thru a link, which didn't work very well,  and request one. Both of the programs have since expired.

You can purchase a Cell Booster now for $239 or maybe less. You can also try to contact support, even tho most of them are clueless, tell them that you had an active MicroCell account that showed current activity, didn't get the notifications, and see what they can do.

The requirements for the Cell Booster are the same as they were for the MicroCell only you need to have a phone that meets AT&T's new post-3G requirements. See my Cell Booster Guide, link is in my sig line.

Hello there @FloydMiller, thank you for the feedback given on the MicroCell. We're glad that everything is working well for you.

To shed a little more light on Cell Boost as of April 1, 2022 AT&T launched the Cell Booster and Cell Booster Pro are mini cell towers that improve cell signals by using your current internet connection. The booster creates a 4G LTE cell signal for better indoor coverage, more reliable voice calling and texting, and more consistent data speeds.

AT&T Cell Booster and Cell Booster Pro automatically connect to any AT&T device. And, they help:

• Boost your indoor cell coverage up to 3,000 square feet with Cell Booster and 15,000 square feet with Cell Booster Pro.
• Provide reliable indoor voice calling and texting.
• Create seamless indoor coverage with consistent data speeds.

We hope this information helps and thank you for reaching AT&T Community Forums.

Ashley, AT&T Community Specialist

Thank you, Otto and Ashley, for the information.

It may have been longer ago that my Microcell stopped working because for a while, starting sometime in late 2020 or early 2021, my phone would often connect to the AT&T network through the tower instead of my microcell.  Perhaps it assumed the tower was the better option on the merit of 4G vs 3G but the network connectivity was and is rather poor.

It sounds as though the Cell Booster works just like the Microcell, creating it's own cell signal connected through the internet.   Or does it rely on the network accessed through a cell tower?

In any case, I never received a free Cell Booster or any notification that one was being offered.  Hopefully I can still get a complimentary one.  Maybe someone at an ATT store will know more about it than a support representative.

@FloydMiller  I wouldn't go to a store because all they can do is sell you one. And, if you go to an Authorized Reseller Store, and not a Corporate Store, you will probably get false or misleading information. Your best bet is to try and contact AT&T directly thru Support and see if there is anything that can be done. 

As you can see from the response by ATTHelp, they just read from a script without actually reading your post. Read my Tech Guide, there's much more useful information than you will get from an ATTHelp post here.

Thank you @FloydMiller, the offer for the Cell Booster has expired. Please visit one of our Corporate AT&T Retail Locations or online ATT.com for deals and promotions for our Cell Booster.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Ashley, AT&T Community Specialist

Yes, the ATTHelp response is not much more than an automated response.

I spoke with a support supervisor and it seems that the offer of a free Cell Booster to replace the Microcell was a limited time offer as long as their supplies last.  Not only was I late to the party (because I was not sent a notice) but they seem to have run out of stock for giving them away.

The supervisor I spoke to called me back to discuss sending me a new SIM which he thinks might improve my connection via local towers.   We shall see.  Otherwise my only option will be to visit a store.

If you do get cellular service with your current SIM card and phone, replacing the SIM card will not improve things. A 5G SIM card may actually make it worse. I would recommend you not activate the new SIM card.

If your phone is Wi-Fi calling capable, turning on Wi-Fi calling in the settings on your phone, and using your home internet in that way.

   IPhones, AT&T Androids, and even several unlocked Androids are capable of Wi-Fi calling.