Is there a replacement for Micro-Cell?

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I just called customer support and apparently AT&T doesn't support Micro-Cell anymore and they want me to pay extra per month for something called Nighthawk.

Are you sure you were talking to ATT? I’ve never heard of anything called Nighthawk as a microcell replacement, much less a paid service. The only nighthawk I’m aware of is a wireless hotspot which wouldn't be a replacement for your microcell, it would be for wireless internet. It sounds to me that whoever you were talking to was clueless.

Att screwed their customers. When I can find a carrier for my area I will be changing. I am looking into a reasonably price mesh system so I can use wifi calling throughout my 3 story house with losing calls because of wifi hand-offs.

@dyezback I use the Netgear Mesh WiFi system and it works extremely well for WiFi Calling (WiFi-C). 2-story, 3500 sq.ft. home on a 1/2 acre. The only issue encountered is when the signal for cellular is stronger than the WiFi signal as I move around the property. Doesn't happen very often but it can. I can still make/receive calls but if I'm on a call and the signal source strength changes, the call will drop because there is no vertical handoff between technologies.

AT&T didn't $crew their customers. They have just moved on to better and more viable technologies repurposing their 3G network for other services.

Ok OttoPylot, others, let me tell you what I've learned:

A couple of months ago, after getting transferred over to the Philippines help team, expecting no one will be able to help me with the MicroCell issue in the US and I'd be wasting time again.  BUT, I got connected with a person that dug in, began feverishly looking into and finding documentation within AT&T's Help Docs and found out that AT&T does have a plan underway to solve our problem (i.e. those of us MicroCell buyers' from long ago). 

This documentation stated AT&T is planning on replacing them with an as-yet-unspecified new MicroCell just as they're replacing customers' non-5G phones, au gratis. My iPhone5 just got replaced as it didn't have support for 5G nor for WiFi Calling and AT&T is helping me bigtime.  I received an XR this January to replace the the iPhone5.  (This will still not solve my problems though, more later...).

The Help Technician indicated this new MicroCell was being tested in Washington, throughout the state in Q1 2022.  Further research stated the testing would take place in January '22 and upon a successful test period (i.e. 1-3 months) in Washington, those previously with MicroCells would then be sent the new MicroCells the same way they've been receiving their new 5G replacement phones. They could not tell me when I would be getting mine but he stated that according to internal AT&T documentation, there is a support team in the US that can confirm if I was in the queue to get one or not, later in Q1 (assuming successful testing).

He did a lot of work to research this problem and seemed totally credible and every step of the way their answers became more and more thorough.

Several weeks later, I got hold of a very competent 2nd or 3rd level tech here in the US, I believe somewhere in the South - either GA or FLA.  Anyhow, they confirmed that I was on the list to receive the new MicroCell, but couldn't tell me anything specific about the device except that it would support 5G and 4G/LTE.  They also believed that the program was on schedule - but didn't know those details.  They also confirmed support for LTE as there is nearly zero 5G for telephone service anywhere in the US now (which I've confirmed from AT&T maps).

Mr. OttoPylot, can you confirm this program or any of my report above?

I just wanted to also say OttoPylot in defense of people who have difficulty with service.  Firstly, WiFi Calling over internet connections - even the fastest ones - are not a panacea for moving to 5G or WiFi Calling.  Since working from home and trying to use a 3G/4G/LTE 5G-ready phone and WiFi Calling, I far too often receive notification of calls, voicemails and TxT/SMS messages anywhere from 2 to 12 hours (or a full day) later than when the caller left the messages.  I suspect this is because of the Store-and-Forward nature of WiFi Calling internet based messaging systems (which probably don't use real-time IP extensions).  In today's age, not returning work phone calls until the next day - because you hadn't yet received it, can be a job-killer.  Care to comment?

Thanks, best regards, and I hope this information helps.  It would help if we could get confirmation from AT&T.  Have any connections Mr. OttoPylot?

This says nothing. 10 min i will never get back

Sounds like a rehash of the information from this forum, dressed up to look like it was independently attained.

@BeNotTooSilly

Oh for gosh sakes.  If you look around, the new "cell booster" is the main topic on the Forum.  It's been the hot conversation the past 2 weeks. 

After four years of anticipating there would be no more MicroCell, AT&T surprised customers recently by shipping an LTE version to those who still have an active 3-g version. There was no announcement this would happen.  The LTE version is not ready (doesn't work) The popular discussions on the forum are all about the "cell booster" which does not work as hoped. (It is not a booster, it's a femtocell, just as the MicroCell was)

If Wi-Fi calling does not work, it is likely because you have not turned it on. Wi-Fi calling is off by default on all phones you must turn it on and verify your 911 address in order for it to use your home internet service to make Wi-Fi calls.    While some people do prefer the MicroCell, Wi-Fi calling works extremely well and those saying it doesn't work (as you describe) frequently have not even turned wifi calling on. 

What a rude post. You failed to mention that att does not support wifi calling on a lot of non apple devices. I purchased 3 Motorola and one pixel phone to find out no wifi calling because  att would not activate it. I finally got a moto one 5g ace to work. Great device at 1/3 the cost of an iPhone.

Not a user problem but a provider issue!