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