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AT&T rolling out 3G-boosting MicroCell starting next month
Sean Fallon
AT&T will begin a nationwide roll out of its 3G MicroCell in mid-April with prices starting at $149.99
AT&T has announced the national rollout of its Microcell coverage boosting femtocell unit beginning in April
Published on Mar 24, 2010
AT&T has announced that its 3G-boosting MicroCell will expand beyond test markets starting in mid-April, with a nationwide rollout spanning several months.
Essentially, the device is like a mini cellular tower, providing a coverage boost for households and businesses with spotty 3G coverage. Unlike Sprint's Airave femtocell offering, AT&T's MicroCell handles both wireless data and voice.
That's all well and good, but we are of the mindset that you shouldn't have to pay extra for the shortcomings of your carrier, and putting a Band-Aid on your AT&T 3G coverage will cost you $149.99 – or $50 after mail-in-rebate with purchase of a MicroCell calling plan. With that, you can expect to tack on an additional $20 per month for unlimited MicroCell calls.
Customers who purchase a new line of broadband service (DSL or U-verse 1.5MB or higher) are also eligible for a $50 rebate. So, if you get both the MicroCell plan and U-verse, the device itself would be free.
Our suggestion is to save some cash and either switch to a carrier that gives you decent coverage, or make use of VoIP services like Skype for calls and basic Wi-Fi for data.
