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ACE - Expert

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

Monday, November 13th, 2017 6:38 PM

MicroCell End of Life Has Been Announced

The official end of life for the MicroCell will be at the end of this year (2017). AT&T will stop selling the MicroCell except at Corporate Stores who still have them in stock. However, AT&T will continue to support the MicroCell for an unspecified period of time next year. Of course that will mean that most of the "support" will be trying to convince customers to upgrade their phones to WiFi-C capable phones. We will still be around as usual for support questions but don't expect to get much out of AT&T.

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AT&T Cell Booster Technical Guide by OttoPylot

Cellular Booster Guide by OttoPylot

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*I am not an AT&T employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

You got to be freaking kidding.   😖.   

If ATT doesn’t allow Wifi calling on non ATT androids it pretty much guarantees I won’t stay with ATT in the long run.  

Im never going to be happy with ATTs limited phone offering, and they have cut reception 3 times in 3 years.   

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

@lizdance40 - hmm, maybe AT&T should hire me as a consultant Smiley Wink This is going to be a mess, not to mention a PR nightmare for AT&T without expanding WiFi-C (plans and phones).

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

And take you and the iPad off the sofa?   Naaaaa 

Agreed.  I don’t know how many depend on the microcell, but there will be complaints.

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

@lizdance40 - I think there are more people who still depend on the MicroCell than AT&T realizes. But this is a bottom line decision so what's the loss of a few customers to them. I should probably find out where Verizon's and T-Mobile's femtocells stand as well.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

T Mobile has provided free microcell or boosters for years.   Verizon sells both.   I don’t know about status.  

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

@lizdance40 - the one thing that AT&T had going for them was the security of the MicroCell, and I think that's what caused some of the connection issues. Both Verizon's and T-Mo's are easy to hack into and not very secure.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@OttoPylot  Actually Verizon customers complain neighbors use their tower, as their microcell doesn’t require an approved number list.  

I don’t lurk T-mo forums.  😏

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

@lizdance40 - yeah I've heard that, which can be a real problem security-wise. Fairly easy to hack into as well.

Professor

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2.2K Messages

6 years ago

I've promoted WiFi Calling over the Mcell since AT&T turned it on.  However, I've seen 10,000,000 thrown around as the number of femtocells in use worldwide, so they aren't quite dead yet.  No doubt there will be complaints but there would be no matter when the Mcell end-of-life decree came out.  Some people have to be dragged kicking and screaming into using current technology.

 

Both T-Mobile and Verizon's femtocells do not have an Approved User's List so they aren't secure and that would be a deal-breaker for me.  There's no difference between an insecure femtocell and an insecure WiFi network as far as access to your home computers.

 

Personally, I'm glad AT&T is finally moving on from a femtocell band-aid to a more universally robust WiFi technology.  The only reason to use a Mcell is if your phone doesn't support WiFi-C.  There are no other advantages, just countless disadvantages and headaches that we've seen here over the years.  The Mcell was better than no coverage and had its day but it's time to move on. 

 

 

 

 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@Avedis53

I dont have an aversion to Wifi calling.  I actually require it, and purchased an ATT branded android to use it.  But I don’t like and didn’t really want this phone.  I wanted to use the Pixel.   But ATT reception in my area keeps diminishing and they won’t allow the Pixel Wifi calling.  They could.  

 

I spent some some time on T-mobile last night.  Mostly learning about ‘Digits’.  Digits is a newer service and app, similar to Number Sync, but a hybrid with a google voice type service.   It allows non T-mobile android phones that don’t get Wifi calling, to use the app via Wifi and their regular number.   In short, it provides Wifi calling to all phones that can use the app.  

Both the Pixel and Pixel 2 have been whitelisted by T-mo and get conventional Wifi calling.  

 

2 years.    That’s how long ATT has to get it’s act together.   In 2 years T Mobile will have the spectrum and enough phones with band 71 to challenge ATT.   Legere is bat poop crazy like a fox.  More power to him.  

 

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