Scholar
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218 Messages
MICROCELL Discontinuance Alternative
Otto P continues to remind us that the MicroCell has reached end of life and that by year end 2018 the service will go away. A cellular booster will not work for me as I get no signal even standing on the roof of my house (don't laugh, I tried it). Otto recommends that we utilize AT&T WIFI calling as a replacement. My issue with that suggestion is that you have to purchase an AT&T branded phone or an I Phone. Neither option appeals to me (I am a cheap skate and I have philosophical objections to Apple products). My wife and I use Motorola phones (she has a Moto X G2 and I have a Moto E4 Plus).
My alternative is Google Voice WIFI Calling (GV-WIFI-C). This product is now in Beta; it is a free app associated with a Google account that you can download from the Google Play store. GV assigns you a free telephone number (but likely not in your local area) that you can link to your existing ATT number. When connected to WIFI, you make an outgoing call using the app and the called person sees the caller ID showing your ATT number. Pretty straight forward and the call quality is good. Receiving incoming calls becomes more convoluted. The best option I have found is to use the ATT call forwarding option “call forward when unreachable”. I have permanently call forward when unreachable my ATT number to my GV number. When I am at home I have absolutely no over the air signal (unreachable), so the call is forwarded to my GV number that reaches me by my home WIFI. This will not work if you have some signal at your home and the local tower can “see” your phone.
skibum18
Tutor
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5 Messages
6 years ago
@lizdance40 @OttoPylot @GLIMMERMAN76
I'm well aware I wasn't dealing with anyone in charge. But since he provided information that no one has seen yet it means he is going off some new script. I doubt he has the capacity to make something like that up. My backup plan is Google Fi since I have a Nexus 6p and AT&T does not support it for WiFi-C. If they actually cut the Microcell I will change carriers.
The point being is that this is new information to be taken with a grain of salt but I wanted to provide an update to the community. Without an official statement from AT&T this is the only repository for information and updates. Anyone with questions will find this thread just as I did and now will have access to the latest information and decide for themselves the correct course of action.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.4K Messages
6 years ago
@skibum18 - MicroCell support has historically been uninformed in the past. It’s very possible that nothing will happen Jan. 1st but the service IS going away, in one form or another. If past history is any indication, AT&T will not make the announcement easy to find. They will probably bury it on the website somewhere like they did for the discontinuance of sales. I check in with my AT&T contacts (ACE privileges) on a weekly basis and as soon as I am allowed to post something, I will. But I stand by my original statement. Start planning now for options other than the MicroCell.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.6K Messages
6 years ago
@GLIMMERMAN76
Nope. Mine works perfectly, if I were using it.
I have the Verizon phone, prepaid with Wifi calling. My ATT service is just enough to get a call without dropping.
In the next 2 years AT&T will either improve, or we will move to Verizon.
BTW, Verizon Wifi calling works better than AT&T.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@lizdance40
I can believe that about verizons wifi calling but I can say Apples wifi calling trumps androids any day of the week and thats with side by side use.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.6K Messages
6 years ago
@GLIMMERMAN76
You didn’t call it a fruit phone or iturd. 🤯
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.4K Messages
6 years ago
@lizdance40 - I thought the same thing but didn’t want to mention it 😉
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