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AT&T Home Cell Tower or MicroCell

For many households, staying connected through reliable cellular service is essential, but cell reception can sometimes be spotty at home, especially in remote or densely populated urban areas. AT&T’s solution for boosting weak signals in your home is the AT&T MicroCell, sometimes called a home cell tower. By creating a stronger, more stable signal, this device helps you avoid dropped calls and slow data speeds. Here’s what you need to know about AT&T’s home cell tower options, how they work, and if they’re the right choice for your needs.

What Is the AT&T Home Cell Tower (MicroCell)?

Choosing a wireless carrier can depend on several factors, including coverage, pricing, plans, customer service, and device compatibility. Here are some steps to help you choose a wireless carrier:

Coverage: Sprint, which is now part of T-Mobile, was a major wireless service provider in the United States. While the Sprint brand has been phased out, customers are now under the T-Mobile network and plans. Here is a review of T-Mobile's service plans and coverage, which now encompass former Sprint customers:

Plans: T-Mobile offers a range of postpaid and prepaid plans to suit different needs. These plans typically include unlimited talk, text, and data, with varying data speeds and data allowances. Customers can choose from different plan options based on their usage requirements and budget.

Coverage: T-Mobile's network coverage has expanded significantly after the merger with Sprint. They provide nationwide coverage across the United States, with improved coverage in rural areas and expanded 5G coverage in select cities. T-Mobile utilizes a combination of low-band, mid-band, and high-band spectrum to offer wide coverage and fast data speeds.

Unlimited Plans: T-Mobile offers several unlimited plans that provide unlimited talk, text, and data usage. These plans may have different data deprioritization thresholds, meaning that after a certain threshold of data usage, speeds may be temporarily reduced during times of network congestion.

Family Plans: T-Mobile provides family plans that allow multiple lines to share a data pool. This can be a cost-effective option for families or groups with multiple lines.

5G Network: T-Mobile has invested in the deployment of 5G technology and offers 5G coverage in various areas. Their 5G network encompasses both sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequencies, providing improved speed and capacity in supported locations.

Device Selection: T-Mobile offers a wide selection of smartphones and other devices for purchase. Customers can choose from flagship devices, mid-range options, and budget-friendly devices. They also support Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs, allowing customers to use their own compatible devices on the network.

Customer Service: T-Mobile has customer service channels available, including phone support, online chat, and in-store assistance at T-Mobile retail locations.

It's important to note that the information provided reflects the combined offerings of T-Mobile and Sprint following their merger. It's recommended to visit T-Mobile's official website or contact their customer service for the most up-to-date information on their current plans, pricing, and coverage in your specific area.

Finding the best cell phone coverage just got easier by comparing cell phone coverage reports from other customers. Which wireless carrier has the worst cell phone coverage?

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Feedback is always welcome. Please submit your comments below.

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AT&T Service Plans and Coverage Review

AT&T is one of the largest wireless service providers in the United States, offering a variety of service plans and extensive coverage across the country. Here is a review of AT&T's service plans and coverage:

Plans: AT&T offers a range of postpaid (contract) and prepaid plans to suit different needs. These plans typically include unlimited talk and text, with varying data allowances and speeds. Customers can choose from different plan options based on their usage requirements and budget.

Coverage: AT&T provides nationwide coverage across the United States, including both urban and rural areas. Their network covers a significant portion of the country, offering reliable connectivity in many locations. AT&T operates on a combination of 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G networks, with 5G being the latest generation of wireless technology. The coverage and speeds offered by AT&T's networks have improved over the years, but they can still vary depending on factors such as signal strength, network congestion, and the type of device you're using.

5G Network: AT&T has been investing in the deployment of 5G technology. They offer 5G coverage in select cities and continue to expand their network. It's important to note that 5G coverage may vary depending on your location and device compatibility. AT&T's 5G network utilizes both low-band and high-band frequencies to provide broad coverage and faster speeds. AT&T's low-band 5G, also known as 5G Evolution, operates on sub-6 GHz frequencies, offering enhanced coverage compared to higher-frequency bands. This enables better penetration through buildings and obstacles. However, the speeds of low-band 5G may not be significantly faster than 4G LTE in some cases.

AT&T's network covers about 68% of the United States. This is 2% less than Verizon and 6% more than T-Mobile. AT&T has solid coverage in major cities, but not in rural areas. AT&T has the second-most 4G LTE coverage and the second-most 5G coverage of the major carriers. AT&T has the best latency.

AT&T also deploys high-band 5G, commonly referred to as mmWave, in select areas. mmWave technology delivers extremely high speeds and low latency but has a shorter range and is more susceptible to obstructions like buildings and trees. Consequently, its coverage is typically limited to densely populated urban areas. In urban and suburban areas, AT&T generally offers good coverage and fast data speeds.

The 5G network rollout is an ongoing process, and coverage availability and speeds may vary depending on your location. For the most up-to-date information on AT&T's 5G network and its coverage in your area, it is recommended to visit AT&T's official website or contact their customer support.

Unlimited Plans: AT&T offers unlimited data plans that provide unlimited talk, text, and data usage. These plans may have different data deprioritization thresholds, meaning that after a certain threshold of data usage, speeds may be temporarily reduced during times of network congestion.

Shared Data Plans: AT&T provides shared data plans, where multiple lines can share a pool of data. This can be a cost-effective option for families or groups with multiple lines.

Device Selection: AT&T offers a wide selection of smartphones and other devices for purchase. Customers can choose from flagship devices, mid-range options, and budget-friendly devices. They also support Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs, allowing customers to use their own compatible devices on the network.

Customer Service: AT&T has customer service channels available, including phone support, online chat, and in-store assistance at AT&T retail locations.

How to check your signal strength: You can check your AT&T signal strength by navigating to http://att.manager or http://192.168.1.1 from a connected device. The LTE icon will be displayed in the top right corner of the AT&T manager site when connected to 4G LTE. The Signal Bars display the connection strength.

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Feedback is always welcome. Please submit your comments below.

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Why is AT&T's MicroCell Dropping Calls?

AT&T's Mini Home Cell Phone Tower

There could be several reasons why an AT&T MicroCell, also known as a femtocell, is dropping calls. A MicroCell is a device that uses your internet connection to provide enhanced cellular coverage in areas with weak signals. Here are some possible causes for dropped calls with a MicroCell:

Internet Connection Issues: The MicroCell relies on a stable and reliable internet connection to function properly. If there are issues with your internet service, such as intermittent connectivity, slow speeds, or high network congestion, it can result in dropped calls or poor call quality on the MicroCell.

Interference: The MicroCell operates on specific radio frequencies, and if there is interference from other devices or neighboring wireless networks, it can impact the performance of the MicroCell and lead to dropped calls. Interference can be caused by electronic devices, wireless routers, or other wireless signals in close proximity to the MicroCell.

Location and Signal Strength: The placement of the MicroCell within your home or office can affect its performance. If the MicroCell is positioned in an area with poor internet connectivity or where the cellular signal is already weak, it may struggle to maintain a stable connection, resulting in dropped calls.

MicroCell Software or Firmware Issues: Like any technology, MicroCell may experience software or firmware issues that can impact its functionality. It's recommended to ensure that your MicroCell's software and firmware are up to date to minimize potential issues.

Device Compatibility: Some older or incompatible devices may not work well with the MicroCell, leading to dropped calls or other connectivity problems. Checking the compatibility of your device with the MicroCell and ensuring it meets the necessary requirements can help prevent issues.

If you are experiencing consistently dropped calls with your MicroCell, it is advisable to contact AT&T customer support for assistance. They can help troubleshoot the issue, check the device's settings, and provide further guidance on resolving the problem.

Read more at the AT&T Wirless Forum

Related Posts:
Call Failed or Dropped Calls?

How to Fix your Cell Phone Coverage

If you're experiencing poor cell phone coverage, there are several steps you can take to try and improve the situation. Here are some potential solutions:

zBoost YX-510 Cell Phone Signal Booster Dual-Band Unit for Home or Office

Verizon Dead Zones Map Showing Where They Lie

Can You Drive Testing Indoor Coverage?

In our ever more transparent and tough economic environment don't you would think Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint should take a look at new innovative ways to better serve their customer's needs as more customers are using their mobile phones indoors. Our mashup DeadCellZones.com collects thousands of carrier indoor and outdoor cell coverage complaints from customers each month with zero advertising. If our website is collecting this data for free it appears the carriers are all overlooking a very simple way of listening to their customers. Ask!

Wireless service providers (especially in the U.S.) do drive testing to build theoretical coverage maps and test their networks for cell signal strength. Drive Testing or wireless data collection is used to provide coverage analysis, network weakness information and to aid in finding specific problem areas reported by consumers. Most drive testing companies are specifically tasked with simulating the actual call experience of customers during weekday periods to simulate capacity issues outdoors. Such companies include GWS, LCC, and WFI. Most carriers outsource this capability to third parties, unlike Verizon who has its own in-house drive testing team. Drive testing companies usually spend between $15-25 per mile in over 300+ U.S. markets benchmark testing signals. These companies provide a tremendous service to the carriers and deserve every penny for their efforts but how do they efficiently acquire in-building coverage data where customers use their phone the most?

DeadCellZones.com will be a the forefront of the carrier femtocell revolution and will start helping drive testing companies get better visibility of in-building coverage problem areas. U.S. carriers are starting to roll out femtocells and the number of worldwide subscribers is rising rapidly, jumping from 1.7 million in 2007 to 9.7 million in 2008. The number of femtocell phone units is expected to nearly quintuple in the 5 years from 2007 to 2011.

I think the current recession is going to demand cost-cutting measures that we have never seen from these companies since churn is more prevalent than customer growth. The carnage could be huge from suppliers and vendors beneath the umbrella of these giant companies of those who do not innovate. Its widely known throughout the industry that working with carriers is not much different than working with government bureaucrats because of their proprietary networks and huge customer bases. The lack of leadership of the wireless communication giants to is the primary reason why the U.S. is way behind Europe and Asia in wireless telecommunications.

Marin County Cell Phone Reception Review

Marin County Cell Phone Reception Dead Zones

(Click on the Map to Submit a New Location)

I was shocked recently on our family vacation how poor the cell phone reception was in Marin County. I would be surprised if cell phone companies Verizon, Sprint & T-Mobile had any satisfied customers in the area. The terrain is quite hilly and the trees are enormous. It is one of the most beautiful areas in the County but probably has the worst cell phone reception of anywhere I have ever visited or vacationed with a reasonable population density. This area is also the home to thousands of commuting technology professionals who work in San Francisco and rely on coverage during their daily commutes.

West Marin County especially almost had no reception at all. This was surprising to me because of the population density and the amount of tourism and residents. I would guess it is also a safety nightmare for emergency services in the area. There are long stretches of road that have no signal and the roads are dangerous. There are bicyclist all over the narrow roads that don't have any shoulder to ride on. The roads are steep, have lots of blind curves and make for hazardous driving conditions if you are not alert behind the wheel. I would imagine there are lot of car accidents.

Here is a list of cities, highways and locations in the area that had NO RECEPTION for T-Mobile and Verizon. AT&T had a weak signal in many of these locations.

Bolinas - No signal
San Anselmo - No signal
Muir Woods National Monument - No Signal
Highway 1 in West Marin - No Signal most of the way
Panoramoic Highway - No Signal
Ridgecrest Blvd. - No Signal
Sleepy Hollow - No Signal
Butterfield Rd. - No Signal
Stinson Beach - 2 bars of 2G Edge on T-Mobile

AT&T probably had the best reception in the area and this seemed to be the carrier of choice for most residents in the area. If any reception was available it was likely 2G and downloading data or email was virtually impossible. I would imagine that there are lots of AT&T Microcells used by residents in the area.

I was not able to review Sprint's coverage in the area but it is likely not much better. Thankfully I am a T-Mobile customer and was able to make and receive phone calls through WiFi at our friends house. T-Mobile WiFi phone calls save the day once again.

I would imagine there is lot of resistance from the residents for installing cell phone towers in the area. I would characterize the population of residents to be quite "earthy". I have found these communities and the City Council's o be quite resistant to the installation of cell phone towers or new antennas.

Which Cell Signal Booster is Best for AT&T

AT&T has a femtocell device to help their customers extend coverage inside their homes and offices.

Do you really need to have your AT&T MicroCell signal booster near a window for the network extender to work? Yes initially to get a GPS location on the device. However, you don't necessarily need a GPS extender because the MicroCell should remember the location if you initially power the device on near a window when you first install it. After the device finds your GPS location you can move it to the interior portion of your house or office. You can also put it in a cabinet or location near your network or broadband router.

If you need to buy MicroCell GPS Network Extender the for $24.95 it is easy to install, just plug it into the jack on the MicroCell, no other configuring needed. It may help you prevent loss signal, in fact, this will allow you to place the MicroCell closer to the center of the house for better coverage throughout the house. Keep in mind the AT&T MicroCell drops calls so set your expectations low when you first start using the network enhancer. See also Powerline Extender.

How Many AT&T Microcells Have Been Sold?

In just 2 years AT&T now has 350,000 Microcells on their network compared to 256,000 cell phone towers. Sprint has 250,000 femtocells on their network as well. Microcells are growing a lot faster than cell phone towers despite the poor reviews from customers. Many AT&T customers experience the Microcell dropping calls which is distributed by Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) & designed by IP Access. Microcells sell for $150-$200, however, many people are learning how to complain to AT&T and get a free Microcell.

It is also going to be interesting to see how the T-Mobile customers will be affected by the merger and the change in culture towards femtocells. T-Mobile does not believe in the femtocell concept and has stuck with WiFi calling which works great. T-Mobile has always maintained the position that they will have their customers use WiFi to make phone calls onto the network when cellular reception is non-existent.

AT&T has 256,000 traditional cell phone towers which AT&T claims to have and says is growing to 500,000 but I don't believe them. This would only happen if they would acquire T-Mobile and thus would be many overlapping sites. AT&T would likely divest many of these towers in the process. So why all the hype about 4G infrastructure when connectivity is getting fragmented onto WiFi? Why are carriers hyping 4G when G still stinks and that WiFi is not secure and therefore you should always connect through their network? The costs of a Microcell vs Cell Phone Tower makes you think that there could be other alternative forms of unlicensed communication in the future through WiFi for free.

T-Mobile 4G HSPA+ Femtocell or Mobile Hotspot?

Is T-Mobile testing a 4G femtocell or mobile hotspot combination device that will connect to your home broadband line and route your voice and data traffic over this line? We might not have the right terminology for the device but it sounds a lot like a femtocell. Apparently, the device offers Wifi as well and we presume this will offload data from the network. This is designed to fill coverage gaps and/or relieve the macro network or outdoor network. A T-Mobile femtocell would be a major breakthrough for the company if they do roll this out to its customer base. T-Mobile has the reputation of having less than stellar coverage in many rural areas throughout the US and this would certainly help many of these customers fill in those gaps for their home or office.

Discovering this device has sparked our curiosity because T-Mobile has always maintained their stance that they don't believe in femtocells and will stick with a Wifi strategy. The Bandluxe device is priced at $249 which similar to Verizon who sells their femtocell for $250, AT&T sells their MicroCell for about the same and each comes with a monthly data subscription. We think it would be quite disruptive for T-Mobile to subsidize the costs of these devices made by BandRich and also offer them without a data subscription. The device is called HSPA+ WLAN Pocket Router. We would appreciate any clarification about the type of device, data subscription, and its functionality or launch date. Will this device work on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network today?

How to Buy a Femtocell

Black and white dog trying to jump through a hoop

The question of "How to Buy a Femtocell" seems to be a recurring question for our users and US mobile phone customers. However, when you ask AT&T, Verizon and Sprint when and where you will be able to buy a femtocell they often want you to "jump through hoops" to get one. We have published two articles that should help you understand that your carrier is thinking of themselves first and don't care about your coverage. The bottom line is you have to be good at complaining and have documented evidence that coverage is horrible where you live. Wireless operators just want your money and here are some ways to negotiate with Sprint & AT&T. How to get a free Sprint 3G femtocell & How to get a free AT&T 3G MicroCell.

Sprint's femtocell Airave is available in most stores and they currently have a 2G (paid) and 3G (free) version. Don't ask me why? AT&T launched a 3G femtocell in 2010 and they call it the AT&T femtocell MicroCell. It can be purchased for $150 plus a data plan. Verizon has a femtocell that they call the Verizon Wireless Extender but it is only 2G and it sells for $250. T-Mobile has taken a contrarian route and intends on using Wifi vs. femtocell for improving in-building coverage. Smart move, if you ask me since Wifi is ubiquitous throughout the world and access, is free and unlicensed.

Femtocells are available in most US cities for AT&T, Sprint & Verizon but not T-Mobile. As competition intensifies so will free femtocells and subsidies for customers who have suffered from poor in-building coverage. Femtocells are currently available on a geographic basis and are better off purchased at the store. However, I expect Best Buy, Radio Shack and Amazon Wireless to get into the game soon and this will likely help educate consumers why and how they can purchase one.

It will be interesting to see what role the cable broadband providers Cox, Comcast, Cablevision and Time Warner have in deploying femtocells since they reside on their network. Read our post about how Cox Wireless is deploying their own mobile phone service. Stay tuned as 2010 could be the year where the femtocell industry finally takes off.

How to Get a Free Sprint 3G Femtocell

Sprint Airave 3G EV-DO Femtocell

Sprint will apparently begin offering FREE femtocells for its "qualified customers" that have reception problems on their 3G / EV-DO phones. Sprint's new Airave femtocell now supports 3G which technically should be 3X faster (500-700 kbps kilobytes per second ) than their 2G Samsung femtocell of 150 (kbps). The updated Airave Access Point (aka what is a femtocell?) uses a customer's broadband internet connection to route calls back to the Sprint network and is being marketed by Sprint as a mini cell tower. It covers up to 5,000 square feet and supports up to six calls simultaneously. The Airave will be available in stores to customers with specific in-building reception issues.

Sprint 2G Airave femtocell has been around for almost 3 years since 2007 and sells for $100. For some reason that makes no business sense, Sprint will still continue to offering its' 2G data version of Airave for $99.99, plus a required $4.99/month plus an activation fee of $10 for a single line or $20 multi-line plans. We don't have a clue why they would continue charging for a old product other than possibly trying to avoid cannibalizing their existing customers.

Sprint is riding the data wave that AT&T creating launched their AT&T femtocell earlier this year. Sprint seems to be doing it right and offering the device for free which is how it should be. We are not quite sure what criteria will get you the "qualified customer" status yet but here are some ideas below that might help get you a free femtocell:

Find out if the Sprint 3G femtocell is available in your market.
Use Sprint Dead Zones Map map to share reception problems in your neighborhood (see map below)
Complain a lot to Sprint customer service that your home reception is poor
Document your dropped calls on a daily basis using your monthly bill
Show Sprint that you have been a customer for many years
Show Sprint that you have multiple Sprint phones in the house
Show Sprint that you have multiple subscribers in the house
Show Sprint that you are a Clearwire customer
Become friendly with your local Sprint store sales manager
Find out when your contract expires and use renewal as leverage

If you know of any other factors that could help influence Sprint to give you a free femtocell please submit in the comments below or email us. See our map below to build your case to the carrier and use the map to show problems in your area.

10 Funny Femtocell Product Brand Names

AT&T's New Sponsor Sudafed - "Congestion Relief for Our Network"

SudaCell - Congestion Relief for the Network

SinuCell - Relief for your Network Congestion

MicroHell - Because we know your outdoor cell coverage is actually getting worse

Wi-For-Free - Why would we want to use a free back-haul service like Wi-Fi?

Never Drop - Or we pay for the call

Extenna - Extension for your iPhone 4 antenna that won't reach the cell tower

Ubiquity - Your phone should work everywhere our coverage maps claim

Auto Re-Dial - Because we know you will have to do it at least once

Show Me the Money - Just pay us and stop complaining about your poor service quality

Cell You Crap - When your $150 + $20 Per Month AT&T MicroCell drops calls

What are femtocells? - They are 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE or Wi-Fi wireless device that has been specifically designed for cell phones and used it is used to enhance cell phone reception indoors and lower cell phone costs at the same time. Femtocells are typically used to relieve network congestion, dropped calls and areas that have no cell phone reception.

Mobile Phone Quality Control is Needed

Much has been made in recent weeks over the iPhone and its reception issues, from pundits' gleeful Apple-bashing to Steve Jobs' spin job. Critics and rivals alike have taken their shots with relish; Apple is seen as the new Microsoft, a monopolizing giant.

What is ironic about this perception, however, is that Apple's antenna mistake and response to criticism actually reflect the opposite: other cell phone companies have caught up with the iPhone. Phones such as the Droid X and Evo 4 are loaded with features, and have been developed so rapidly that they now compete on even terms with the iPhone 4. It is this same rapid pace of development, however, that threatens the future of the market.

The mobile phone market used to rely heavily on the principal of planned obsolescence. For some time now, we have seen planned obsolescence put to good use in the mobile market; why release all the features now when you can sell another phone 6 months down the road?

Today, though, we have a much different problem: quality control. With so much pressure to produce as many features as possible in such a short period of time, companies are prone to rushing their products to the market before they're ready. The iPhone's antenna is only one (glaring) example. The Evo, for all of its beauty and "wow!" factor, has been proven to be a bit glitchy, and its battery relatively weak. New Android software written for the Droid X lacks the polish and finish of previous iterations.

The fact remains that as the mobile market become more concerned with features and image and less with quality and functionality, we will continue to see an increase in software glitches, hardware performance issues, and new "features" that offer far less than meets the eye. We can only hope that Apple's big embarrassment will spur proper caution and clearer thinking for the future.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to laptop computers.

AT&T Wireless: "Rethink Impossible"

AT&T "Rethink Possible or Impossible"?

According to AT&T's CTO they do not know how to fix their network. John Donovan was speaking at the Mobile Beat 2010 conference in San Francisco on Monday, July 12th and had the following quotes which should have all consumers thinking twice about choosing a smaller carrier. These quotes should be noted for the record:

Donovan said, “its hard to narrow down to one choke point.”, “I’ll tell you the things it’s not been,” he dodged, slickly soundbiting, “it’s not been a capital problem, it’s not been conviction or commitment, because we have both.”, "AT&T has to pay attention to everything from the apps all the way down to the chip, because you can have a great experience on the software side, but a bad experience on the network and ultimately that leads to a failed device.” Read full article.

I like the song in their new commercial "Rethink Possible" and the animation is cool but isn't putting blankets over buildings "implying coverage" kind of patronizing considering most of your customers can't talk on their phones indoors without one of their MicroCell or also known as a femtocell.

How to Get a Free AT&T 3G MicroCell

AT&T's "most valuable customers" are now receiving free MicroCells or mini-cell phone towers to boost their home or office cell phone signals.

AT&T Home Cell Tower or MicroCell

What Is the AT&T Home Cell Tower (MicroCell)?

How to Choose A Wireless Carrier