MicroCell for free?

[emburybrett]

I just got Att a few days ago and have had nothing but issues with service have a hard time to get a single bar at my house and would like to try the MicroCell because more then 20% just today I have no coverage at my house. See,

I have tried  calling to try to work something out with customer service but they said that since I live between two towers I wouldn't ever get better coverage and they could give me $100 off one but that's still too much since I already paid $200 in deposits and the first bill is going to be around $300 so I'm not willing to pay that and when I told that to the guy I spoke with he got rude and told me I need to return the phones and cancel service if I can't deal with it.

[Rapidturtle]

I would not pay for a Microcell. They are terrible. I got mine for free a while back, and half the time it works,and the other half it doesn't. Sprint has a similar device called an airave that I used to have, and it worked all of the time. When you walked in the door, it was connected to the phones. 

[OttoPylot]

Verizon offers a femtocell as well for the same reason, poor in-home coverage. All of them, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon have their pros and cons depending on a multitude of factors. Our MicroCell works just fine. Walk into the house, and your phone immediately picks up the signal and all calls, sent or received, as well as messaging work just fine. iPhones (3GS, 4, and 5), Samsung phones, it doesn't matter.

[bwade13]

I was wondering how to get a microcell for free, I have been with at&t for a while and I'm very disappointed with the service quality in my town

[OttoPylot]

All you can do is call support and plead your case. AT&T had a free MicroCell program a couple of years ago as part marketing and part expanding service to areas known to have spotty coverage (fringe areas). The program officially ended shortly after it was started but it is still possible, on a case by case basis, to get one for "free". By free I mean that you pay for it up front and then they deduct the amount from your next bill. Sometimes, they may just send you one. Support will probably offer you one at a discount price but you never know. If your area is known to have spotty coverage, and it is documented, you may get lucky. Just try and see what happens.

[binkie47]

I am a dealer & user - for AT&T thru Red Pocket Mobil and H2O . In my business location I simply have no service. This is NOT Impressive to my potential custormers and very irritating for me at home and the shop.

Micro Cells, Possible??

[OttoPylot]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking. AT&T has, in the past, given out MicroCells to select customers if they were in an area of documented poor coverage but that was more of a marketing thing than anything else. They have, at times, still given them out to customers but that is on a case by case basis and is totally up to Support and not policy or a current program.

If you're an authorized dealer for AT&T Mobile I'd ask thru who ever your AT&T agent is. I don't know who Red Rocket Mobil and H2O is.

[dddarlene]

we have been a att customer for over 10 years and where we live we cannot get cell phone service,and not sure if there is even towers around our area, but someone was telling us that would could get a free celltower for free since we get no coverage where we live, we also have tried to apply about having att put a tower on our property somewhere, we have over 100 acres which would give all the people around us service, can we get these services or not and how do we go about it ?

[lizdance40]

@dddarlene

 AT&T announced  the end of life for the microcell just a few months ago. This means they are no longer stocking them online, most stores may be out of them, and they will not be restocked. AT&T intends to end support for the microcell at the end of 2018. Since the microcell requires a home Internet connection I assume that you have one. That being the case you are  able to use Wi-Fi calling if you have capable phones. 

1. Do you have a home Internet connection, wired, not satellite?

2.   What phones do you currently have?

[dddarlene]

we have iphone 5 and Samsung galaxy 6 phones and yes me do have internet wifi right now

[OttoPylot]

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dddarlene wrote:

we have been a att customer for over 10 years and where we live we cannot get cell phone service,and not sure if there is even towers around our area, but someone was telling us that would could get a free celltower for free since we get no coverage where we live, we also have tried to apply about having att put a tower on our property somewhere, we have over 100 acres which would give all the people around us service, can we get these services or not and how do we go about it ?

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As mentioned above, the MicroCell has been discontinued as of the end of 2017. The "free" MicroCell was a promotional campaign years ago but it too was discontinued. It was still possible, on a case by case basis, to get one sent to you by AT&T but that was few and far between. 

The decision to place a macrocell (tower) is not up to AT&T, or any other carrier, alone. The FCC and local municipalities play a key role on granting the contracts. Once granted, it can take years to get one built and operational.

In your situation, the only options available to you are WiFi-C (WiFi Calling), which works very well and is the preferred method now for poor in-home coverage, purchase a cellular booster (CelFi or weBoost) if you can get at least one or two bars of cellular coverage, or switch carriers to one who offers better coverage for you area.

[lizdance40]

@dddarlene

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dddarlene wrote:

we have iphone 5 and Samsung galaxy 6 phones and yes me do have internet wifi right now

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 Well 50-50 good news, the Samsung galaxy S6 is Wi-Fi calling capable as long as it is updated to Marshmello. Turn on advanced calling features and then enable Wi-Fi calling while you’re at home connected to your Wi-Fi. You will have to replace the iPhone 5. The iPhone SE or iPhone 6  is sold at Best Buy for about $150 to $200 off the prepaid shelf.   You can pick it up and swap the Sim card from the iPhone 5 and then turn on Wi-Fi calling.   The iPhone SE is exactly the same case, but updated chipset and software, as the iPhone 5.  iPhone 6 is about the size of the Samsung. 

[OttoPylot]

@dddarlene and @lizdance40 - that is exactly what I did for my wife's old iPhone 5. I just went to BB, purchased a pre-paid iPhone SE and swapped out her SIM card. She was fine with the restrictions on the pre-paid iPhone (smaller capacity and color choice). I think I paid $150 for the SE. As long as you don't use the enclosed SIM or sign-up for the pre-paid plan, the iPhone SE works very well on the AT&T WiFi-C network. Her phone number is on our post paid family account so it was really easy. Her phone is still locked to AT&T but after a couple of more months, I'll get it unlocked so she'll be free to take it another network should she choose to do so. The SE is basically the same as the 6 with only a few minor differences.

[rjniles]

"we have iphone 5 and Samsung galaxy 6 phones and yes me do have internet wifi right now"

It is my understanding that if the Samsung is not an AT&T branded phone, the WIFI calling would be blocked by AT&T.

If someone has a non AT&T branded Android phone that works on  AT&T WIFI calling, I would like to hear of it. I know that it will work with T Mobile.

[OttoPylot]

@rjniles - I assume that "internet WiFi" means that the "WiFi" alpha tag is displayed which indicates WiFi-C is enabled. If not, then the phone is just connected via WiFi which does not mean that calls received/sent will be done thru the WiFi connection.

The S6 used to be sold by AT&T so maybe the phone was purchased used in which case the AT&T network may still recognize the IMSI code.

On my phone, the "WiFi" alpha tag is displayed next to the WiFi signal indicator when WiFi-C is enabled.

[rjniles]

Otto,

I was quoting  previous post #24 who had the Iphone and the Samsung 6.  I was just trying to alert them if the Samsung is not AT&T branded it is my understanding it will not work.