Microcell Deregistered. Why can’t I reregister it?

Otto, thanks for the guide to cellular boosters.  After reading it and also looking at the suggested seller's website, I've concluded that changing carriers might be the more cost effective option, at least for our household.  But I've got to run the numbers.  If I have to replace one of our phones in order to change to Verizon or Xfinity/Verizon, then a one time $900 booster might still work.

If you even need a booster at all. 

I agree with @lizdance40 . WiFi-C should work if you have decent WiFi so I would certainly try to get that up and running first. Keep in mind that if you do go the cellular booster route you need at least one and preferably 2 bars of reliable cellular signal strength.

I failed to disclose we have a standby natural gas generator, and all our electronics are on UPS's, so we never lose computers, router, switches, or other network devices.  That's what makes it particularly notable when we lose Internet.  There we are, ordinary people, and we have standby electricity.  Meanwhile Comcast Xfinity, big time provider of Internet, phone, and cable TV, and they don't have backup power.

When power was out during the "big Texas freeze" for a cumulative 50+ hours, we were never without electricity, but whenever the local power was out, so was Comcast Xfinity.  Our AT&T wireless service is essentially nonexistent at our home, with signal bouncing between 0 and 1 bar and LTE sometimes showing up, but we cannot reliably make calls, and data is truly -0- service.  We couldn't even look up a plumber, when a backflow preventer broke outside our house.  Luckily our neighbor had Verizon, and her phone voice and data were fine (we loaned them battery boosters to keep their phones alive during the power outages, after they declined spending the night in our guest room, even though temps went as low as 8 degrees one night)  We do have broadcast TV, so we could get local weather reports.  However, no phone really makes one feel isolated.

FWIW, we have had AT&T as long as they've been in this market after acquiring another wireless company in the 1990's.  For as long as I can remember, there have been dead zones on I-10 west of downtown and also in a close in mid-town area, where we learned to wait to make calls or expect calls to drop.  It was a big disappointment when we saw no service at our new home. 

It looks like we'll have to replace one of our two phones in order to move to Verizon or Xfinity wireless (which I'm told uses the Verizon system.)  I hate to give up my iPhone 7, but I could take my wife's iPhone X, and she could get whatever the current new model is.  I really hate getting rid of working appliances, especially when they work as well and reliably as the iPhone 7 (it was my wife's old iPhone which I took when she got the iPhone X, and I retired my Windows phone...the one that didn't support wifi calling.)

I wonder if can get a deal on a refurbished flip phone.

@William Not to defend Comcast but it's possible that with a big power outage a neighborhood node downstream from you could have blown and that takes time to roll a truck and fix. However, it sounds like in your situation switching to Verizon might be the best choice for you. I don't have, use, or need Xfinity Wireless so I have no knowledge of what they use. Xfinity is just our internet provider. We've had very few issues with Comcast and I've always found it best to keep our internet and cellular provider separate.

Otto, during the "big Texas freeze" in February, Xfinity Internet went out the first day and didn't come back for about four days when power was generally up.  Since then, we've had two more power outages for 14 and 4 hours, respectively, a couple weeks apart.  Xfinity went out both times.  There clearly is some reason, but Xfinity hasn't seen fit to notify or explain to customers, so we don't know. 

I learned on this forum that Xfinity's wireless service is actually provided by Verizon, although I've not yet investigated to see if it's the case here.  If it is, then Verizon or Xfinity could just be a matter of the better price, although having separate providers for separate services can make things easier when you need to change one.

Thanks again for the really helpful booster guide.  Your point about needing two bars is a good one, as we never have two bars anywhere in our house or in the yard.  I haven't tried on the roof, though.

@William If you carefully read thru the Signal Booster Guide you will note that an external antenna is used, usually placed somewhere along the roof line or on the roof to acquire the cellular signal, and then the signal is wired down to either one or two boosters located in the house depending on size of the house and location of the boosters. Depending on your phone, some will allow you to test signal strength, or the company that you purchase the booster from will do that for you to determine the best location for the antenna and frequencies, for a price of course.