AT&T’s Microcell. You get great reception. AT&T gets to double dip.
As you may have read elsewhere on the web AT&T is rolling out Microcells that will solve many of the reception issues people have at home. That is, assuming they already have a highspeed Internet connection. You see, the Microcell will allow you to connect to your high-speed Internet service and then have your iPhone or any other AT&T cell phone jump on the data connection from your cable company and route calls through it. This will, in turn, improve your cell reception because you won’t be using AT&T’s network. This will also be the case with data.
Seriously, this is friggin’ brilliant on AT&T’s part. Their coverage stinks in many areas so in order to improve it they are using SOMEONE ELSE’S connection. Actually, when you stop and think about it it is actually pretty funny. (And if I were Cablevision or Comcast, I would want some $$ from AT&T!)
The new device will cost you all $150 although eligible customers who “upgrade” (more in a sec) will receive $100 mail-in rebate. If you buy a Microcell and use your cell phone over it (which is the point in the first place) it will use your minutes even though the calls are going out over your cable connection not AT&T’s system. (Slick!!! Sleazy!!!) . However, for an additional $19.99 per month you can make unlimited phone calls through the new Microcell. (Really really slick. Really really sleazy!!)
Okay so let’s look at what this really does.
This is a way to use your existing high-speed Internet connection to compensate for the fact that AT&T stinks. When I’m at home I get almost no cell phone reception. My wife does a little bit better because she’s using a Blackberry instead of an iPhone but she needs to go to a specific part of the house in order to get that connection. And it’s not like we live out in hick-ville. And it’s not like we are sophisticated Texas ranchers who, by virtue of our ranch’s location have few cell towers nearby. No, we live in the middle of New Jersey. Populated, modern New Jersey. And yet our cell reception here is absolutely awful.
So by buying one of these new Microcells Elana and I will suddenly be able to get perfect cell phone reception at home. That’s a great thing and we might even be able to dump the landline that Elana has continued to want available. But what AT&T is really doing is simply bypassing their problems and routing calls through someone else. In doing so they are putting more load on my cable company’s data connection while they benefit in the process. That’s pretty smart on AT&T’s part. But then they are going to charge ME for the “privilege” of doing so? Can you say double dipping?
Look AT&T, I’m going to actually buy one of these because it will solve a host of issues. I’ll use it and be happy to have the option. But don’t think you’re doing me any favors. If anything it just makes me resent you even more.