What is happening with 3G?
Peckmom3's profile

Tutor

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11 Messages

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014 10:30 PM

Microcell says address is wrong on GPS!! HELP!

Okay, a week ago the 3G light on my microcell started flashing green so I did what I always do when that happens- I rebooted it. A few minutes later the 3G light was blinking red and I got a text message from AT&T saying: 

 

ERROR 102- The registered address does not match the actual device location.

 

and an email reading:

 

There was an error activating your 3G MicroCell. The address you entered during online activation does not match the GPS information provided by the MicroCell.

 

So I called AT&T and they waked me through several rounds of unplugging, reregistering, etc. All those attempts failed and they mailed me a new microcell. Well the new one arrived the next day and after registering it and making sure that all information was correct, I plugged it it and got the same result. The top 4 lights solid green with the bottom 3G light blinking red and I got the same text message and email. 

 

I've been on the phone with AT&T every single day since and no one can help me with this problem. I get ZERO cell service at my house without this microcell so this is a real problem. Nothing on my end has changed- same internet service, same location of microcell in the house- right in a window- same everything. This issue was sudden and unexpected because one minute it was working fine and the next minute nothing. 

 

Any help would be so appreciated! Thanks.

Contributor

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2 Messages

9 years ago

I'm having a like location problem with a new MicroCell activation.

 

I saw the post at

 

https://forums.att.com/t5/3G-MicroCell/Microcell-says-address-is-wrong-on-GPS-HELP/td-p/3907865/page/3

 

regarding issues with MicroCell not completing activation because of an address/GPS/E911 mismatch.

 

I am having that problem with a DH-153-AT

 

 

I sent info to Dmitriy and to Customer Care:

- Full name:

- Contact phone number:

- Microcell serial number:

- Microcell CSIN number:

- Mobile phone number and account number of the account your Microcell is registered to:

- Your physical address:

 

My address does not show up correctly when punched into Google Maps or any GPS unit.

It comes up about 2 miles away, further down the road.

 

I'm at 199 on my road. The ATT system eventually suggested 924 XX Road, which doesn't actually exist, but is 1/4 mile away on Google Maps.

 

I tried that address and it failed to activate.

 

I end up with a green flashing GPS sig light and a flashing green 3G light. Sometimes I get a solid GPS light or a rapidly flashing GPS light (always green).

 

When the activation website says no go, I get a red 3G light.

 

We live in a very rural area... GPS signal is not the best always, but I can move the external antenna if need be.

 

But the problem is most certainly an address problem.

 

I can send a map showing the true location of the house and where the ATT system believes my house is located if I know where to send it.

 

Also sent my longitude and latitude.

 

Would appreciate any help.

 

Thanks!

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

9 years ago

Rural areas can be a real nightmare, especially if your GPS coordinates don't match any locational database, which you have bascially confirmed by your Google search not confirming your location.

 

AT&T can, at times, "manually" add your physical location to the database but there's no guarantee that it will work everytime, and it does take time for that to happen. This is called a GPS Bypass. Basically they get the longitude and latitude of the closet tower to you according to GEOLink and then those numbers are updated as a physical address and then added to the database instead of the database obtaining that information from the MicroCell GPS. Your case may be more difficult based on what you learned from your Google search or other GPS devices.

 

If you have an external antenna try different sky locations and see if that improves your GPS. If not, and if AT&T can't update your physical location, you may have to look into signal boosters or another service that has better tower coverage than AT&T. Examples of signal boosters are given in my Guide (see link in my sig).

 

Just out of curiousity, what kind of internet service do you have?

Contributor

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2 Messages

9 years ago

Thanks Otto.

 

I have Charter high-speed cable internet, 65Mbps down, 5Mbps up.

 

I have read your excellent guide and followed all of the debugging sequences there and on this forum, including restarting from scratch, etc.

 

None of the alternatives in your guide will work for us as we are in a cell dark zone.

 

Looks like AT&T's specially adding our location is the only solution. I will run the GPS antenna to the roof today, just so that I have a solid GPS lock if and when AT& does a GPS Bypass for me.

 

Is there anything I should do with AT&T beyond the PM to Dmitriy and to CustomerCare? Would getting on the phone with a rep help?

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

9 years ago

The MicroCell also needs to be in a MicroCell Service Area for it to activate and register. I've been trying to find out what the difference is between the MicroCell Service Area and the Cellular Service Area but  have been unsuccessful.  CustomerCare should be able to tell you if you are in a MicroCell Service Area but the lack of any accurate GPS/physical address information in any of the databases could be an issue. That's why I indicated that AT&T MAY be able to manually add your address. Just so you know, AT&T also does periodic maintenace late at night and part of that is checking you MicroCell's address based on the GPS cooridinates or the physical location.

 

Following up with CustomerCare is probably the best thing to do. Phone support may be able to help with the GPS Bypass but that usually requires someone higher up in the food chain to get involved.

 

Your speeds are fine. Actually anything above 3.0Mbps down, sustained is fine. It's usually the quality of  your line that determines if you can receive reliable VoIP. We'll worry about that later. You need to get the address issue fixed before anything else.

Contributor

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1 Message

9 years ago

Using the chat function on ATT's site, I found someone who fairly easily corrected this issue for me.

  • Get your address in all capital letters in the MicroCell setup.
  • unplug the power and ethernet from the M-Cell
  • press and hold the reset on the M-Cell for 60 seconds
  • reattach the power cord and wait 30 seconds
  • reattach the ethernet

after doing so, the activation process succeeded for me and I'm back in business.

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

9 years ago

What you have basically done is a hard reset which forces the MicroCell back to its factory defaults and then it goes thru the Initial Activation process (see the Tech Guide, link in my sig for details).

 

There is a known, current problem activating MicroCells that AT&T has been working on. Part of the activation process is GPS verification of the physical address of the MicroCell. Glad you're up and running.

Contributor

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1 Message

8 years ago

I just got an auto-text and email at 4am this morning with the same GPS location issue for my MicroCell.  AT&T cannot blame my ISP as they are my ISP.  This is the same MCell, in the same location as they provided to me, new, last year.  I look forward to the apparent merry-go-round with custormer service.  I too have zero phone service indoors (and within the footprint of my property) without it. Here we go.

 

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

@lilgibbo - are you in a rural location with a route address instead of the traditional street address or is this a brand new housing development? Being as the MicroCel is a year old, did it ever work?

Tutor

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6 Messages

6 years ago

I get this issue about once every month or so as well.  Usually a reboot fixes it, albeit temporarily.

I originally had the white Mcell but upgraded to the black unit a few years ago.  And that new unit has been giving me the occasional Activation issue.

My ISP is Uverse so it can't be an ISP conflict.  Can it?  Has any progress be made since this thread was started 4 years ago?

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

@Dudealicious - What exactly do you mean by activation issue? Which lights are flashing and are they green or red? Are you in a rural location? We need more information if we are to help you.

 

Sales of the MicroCell were discontinued at the end of 2017 because the MicroCell has reached its EOL. AT&T will continue to support it for the time being but the service itself will eventually be discontinued as well some time in the future. What AT&T, and us recommend now is WiFi-C (WiFi Calling) if your phone is capable of that. Otherwise, your only other options will be to purchase a cellular booster (see my Cellular Booster Guide, link in my sig line), switch carriers, or possibly try Google Voice.

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