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Kwopau's profile

Scholar

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232 Messages

Monday, August 23rd, 2010 10:14 PM

Closed

Question about Microcell!

Sorry if this was asked before, anyways here is my question.

 

Okay as for the Microcell technology, Say I have the microcell installed at my house, I know that microcell enhances the signal to your iphone, but does it also enchance signals to other iphone users nearby? Same with the opposite. Say i don't have the microcell but one of the neighbors does, so does the signal only enchance their phone, or does it also enchance nearby like mine?

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Guru

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396 Messages

14 years ago

A MicroCell can support up to 10 at&t phone numbers, and each of those numbers has to be registered with the MicroCell.  So if you have one your neighbor can't use it unless you register their cell number, and vice versa.

 

Having said that, it's unlikely a MicroCell's range would cover from one neighbor to another unless they lived really  close together.  🙂

Mentor

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93 Messages

14 years ago

Also, the big benefit to Microcells for AT&T is that your phone transmits to the Microcell at a much weaker level than it would if it were talking to a tower, because of this, it causes less interference for other users in the same area.  In UMTS, interference caused by other cell phones is a major problem, and is the main issue behind the phenomenon of "cell breathing" (the coverage area of a tower will shrink as it becomes more busy).

 

The more users are on Microcells, the better the coverage will be on the towers, even if they don't add a single more tower -- assuming that the tower was heavily loaded.  For areas like NYC, San Francisco, and the like, Microcells are probably a big part of their strategy to try and fix their network.

Scholar

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232 Messages

14 years ago

Thanks for the answers.

 

I understand how it works.

Mentor

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24 Messages

13 years ago

AT&T has crappy coverage.  And then to remedy that they'll sell you a device and tack on a monthly charge just to give you the same coverage other carriers offer.  Wow, what a scam.

Guru

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396 Messages

13 years ago


@Jon_Doh wrote:

AT&T has crappy coverage.  And then to remedy that they'll sell you a device and tack on a monthly charge just to give you the same coverage other carriers offer.  Wow, what a scam.


If you've read through this forum any you know you sound like a broken record.  But I have a different perspective.

 

At&t does have crappy coverage here, but so do all the other carrier thanks to NIMBY.  We live in a hilly neighborhood and the NIMBY attitude will never allow a tower to be built close enough to be effective.  So I paid $150 for a MicroCell and was happy to do so.  We now have solid coverage throughout our house and there is no additional monthly fee.

Tutor

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6 Messages

13 years ago

Simple Femtocell Tech...

 

40 ft radius, all 3G/4G devices have to be setup to aquire the signal.

Contributor

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1 Message

12 years ago

And if that wasn't the whole of it, you have to use your own High Speed Internet Connection to use it.  

Contributor

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2 Messages

12 years ago

Hello,

I've had my MicroCell for at least a year now, and haven't had any issues. For the past couple of weeks now, I've been dealing with a red blinking 3G signal light on the front of the device. Nothing has really changed in my set up. Modem to Apple wireless router, ethernet to MicroCell which is about 2 feet away from the router. 

My iPhone is still showing as connected to the MicroCell, and seems to be working. - I would like to know what the blinking red light means tho. 

Anyone else seeing this?

Contributor

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3 Messages

12 years ago

Ha that's hilarious. my microcell only works in the room where it's located.has NO value in adjacent rooms much less adjacent houses

Contributor

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3 Messages

12 years ago

hmm you're getting charged for the microcell?
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