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I am an AT&T cell customer in an area with lots of dropped calls. Better in the last few months, but not great. From AT&T's perspective, the MicroCell is a great deal. In particular, if they can offload traffic onto someone else's broadband infrastructure, it's a win for them. A while back they offered free Wi-Fi to customers in the thick of things in Times Square, because iPhone and iPad traffic were causing so much strain on their network. If you can get the traffic onto Wi-Fi and off cellular, AT&T wins. If you can get traffic off to a wired broadband network, it offloads the cell network, and AT&T wins. So if they can get MSU to carry their traffic for free over the campus network, then AT&T wins. AT&T does say this is for home or small business. Here is the FAQ: http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/3gmicrocell.jsp?fbid=pGDWXrJpXfN A couple of questions: -- If your broadband provider is also AT&T, ie their DSL service, does this count against your DSL usage quota? http://gigaom.com/broadband/att-caps-bandwidth-meter-survey/ -- Does the Microcell just extend AT&T voice service, or does it also extend data service? Interestingly, note that you can grant your MicroCell as a minitower to serve other AT&T customers. It's a very interesting twist in the history of cellular phones. In the case of a large campus, it'd be an incentive to have individuals to get the MicroCell and grow a viral network of friends instead of paying the campus for local towers. But they don't claim this service as a campus offering. /rich On Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 3:22 PM, D'Angelo, Diana <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > **** > > My husband and I have been using an ATT MicroCell in our home since they > were released by ATT about a year and a half ago. We live a few houses from > the corner of Grand River Avenue and Hagadorn. It’s pretty much a dead zone > there. (Our campus offices are not much better.) We had been complaining > to ATT for over a year that we couldn’t get service in our home. When the > MicroCells came out we got a letter from ATT letting us know and giving us a > coupon so we would not be charged for the MicroCell. Zero one-time cost, > zero additional recurring cost for the MicroCell – because of the poor > coverage at both home and work.**** > > The MicroCell was pretty easy to setup, although it took a while to go > through its first time stuff. Have only had to reboot a couple of times. > Call dropping much better – from pretty much guaranteed without MicroCell to > rarely. Note that for a phone to be able to use the MicroCell the MicroCell > “administrator” must first go to a website and authorize the phone number of > the 3G cellphone device that will use the MicroCell. **** > > Diana E. D'Angelo**** > > Associate Director**** > > University Data Resource Administrator**** > > Enterprise Information Stewardship**** > > Michigan State University**** > > 409 Computer Center**** > > East Lansing, MI 48824-1046**** > > Phone: 517-353-1861**** > > Fax: 517-355-0141**** > > *From:* John Resotko [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > *Sent:* Friday, September 09, 2011 2:05 PM > > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* [MSUNAG] Ethernet based Cell repeaters**** > > ** ** > > I've had an odd request, and I want to know if there is any MSU policy > prohibiting it.**** > > **** > > A group of students in one of our student organizations wants to buy a > small Cell repeater from AT&T, since they all have AT&T cell phones. AT&T > cell phone coverage on campus is generally bad, and they are willing to pay > the cost themselves, but wanted to ask before they grab a wall jack and plug > in. **** > > **** > > First, I was wondering if anyone had tried to do this on campus, and how > well did it work?**** > > **** > > Second, and probably more importantly, is there any specific policy from > MSU Telecom. or ATS that prohibits the use of these kind of devices on the > MSU campus? I don't want to approve this without checking on what current > network and telecommunications policy is regarding cell repeaters. **** > > **** > > Any additional information you might have would be appreciated. Thanks.** > ** > > **** > > **** > > John A. Resotko**** > > Assistant Director, Systems Administration and Support**** > > Michigan State University College of Law > 208 Law College Building > East Lansing, MI 48824-1300 > email: [log in to unmask] > Phone: 517-432-6836 > Fax: 517-432-6861 > > Member: PMI.org**** >