AT&T Microcell

{quote:title=bobshound wrote:}I love Apple products, But what good is the Iphone without 3G coverage? {quote}

Bobshound,

I would suggest you pose this question to AT&T to see if they can get 3G in your area. I am right there with you when saying 3G is much better than EDGE but it is what it is.

Have you tried resetting network settings on the iPhone? What message are you getting when connecting to the microcell connection?

You might want to follow this discussion:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11517128&#11517128

I love Apple products, But what good is the Iphone without 3G coverage?

There is wi-fi for internet access and if AT&T's 3G network is not available when a wi-fi network is not available, there will be an internet connection via EDGE or GPRS at the worst. This does not affect call quality and the only downside is a slower internet connection via the cellular network and not being able to actively access the internet during a call when connected via EDGE or GPRS. I have a wi-fi network at home and although I have great 3G reception at my house, it wouldn't matter if I didn't since I have wi-fi access at home. I also used an original iPhone for over a year which is a non-3G phone.

If you have no cellular reception whatsoever where you live, that is a different story.

You're welcome.

Do you have cellular reception at all?

Here is a list of cities where AT&T has 3G network access.

http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/popUp_3g.jsp

There is no such thing as a 3G iPhone app.

Verizon doesn't take so long to introduce new phones due to their research. Verizon takes so long to introduce new phones due to the extreme control they require over the phones they carry. And Apple is known for doing research. GSM networks dominate the overall worldwide market by a very significant margin - it isn't even close compared to CDMA. Verizon is bringing up the rear in this regard. The only reason the iPhone is available in so many countries now and the reason Apple has sold well over 50 million iPhones to date is because the iPhone is a GSM phone. AT&T is the largest GSM network provider in the U.S. The only other GSM network provider that comes anywhere close to AT&T in terms of the number of subscribers and overall network coverage is T-Mobile. Verizon's 3G network speed is comparable to AT&T's EDGE network speed.

Sorry you had a bad time of it. Having been a Verizon customer for 15 years prior to the iPhone, research is the last reason that Verizon does anything. It takes them so long to introduce phones because they want iron clad control of every facet of the phone. Verizon had their chance at the iPhone and they said no. Verizon claims 3G but on their 3G network, you can't make a call and use the internet at the same time. They make you do one or the other.

When we first bought our 3G phones, we knew that ATT had not deployed 3G to our part of town so we just kept 3G turned off. About 4 months later, we had 3G in our area. If you want to place blame, place it on your neighbors and the NIMBY attitude. It's hard for a cell company to deploy new equipment when NIMBY runs rampant in the US.

Tamara,

You bring up an interesting point, as even governments are not willing to take advantage of how this works. Since many urban area residents are not willing to have the towers placed in their areas, it has had a significant impact on how well any carrier can provide additional services to these customers. With this, carriers have resorted to attempting to place towers on government property, while paying rental fees to the government. Without that, they have the ability with the FCC to place the towers in a way similar to imminent domain, like governments purchasing property for fair market value to condemn private property. Here in Illinois, home rule municipalities have finally resorted to passing city ordinances to allow towers in particular areas and have negotiated terms favorable to the government. Without that, they could have seen the towers end up adjacent to government property and have no say so.

As you probably well know, NIMBY is affecting any number of things, but the cellular industry is seeing it more, and customers don't understand they are just hurting themselves. Some areas have seen cellular carriers not support or upgrade particular areas because of the trouble they have experienced from land owners in placing towers.

Just thought I would add that to what you said. Chris

Those were excellent points Chris.

Every carrier has their strong coverage areas and their weak coverage areas. It sounds like Verizon got coverage into your area before NIMBY took a strong hold while the other carriers have weaker coverage.

In my sister's town in NH, ATT has full coverage while Verizon has tons of dead spots. In my area in FL, Verizon coverage in my neighborhood is so-so, T-Mo & Sprint require going outside and ATT has excellent coverage.

You have to select a phone from the carrier that offers the best coverage where YOU frequent.

Do you wear a tinfoil hat?

There has been ZERO confirmable research by the nation's/world's top research firms that links cellular use and cancer/radiation exposure.

Those who believe that using your cell phone will cause cancer should live in a cave...

Cell phones and RF transmitters emit 0 ionizing radiation, and there is no scientific evidence, despite several studies showing any correlation between any type of cancer and these devices.

Psychics, self promoting bloggers, cancer patients and families with pending lawsuits (and their lawyers), will tell you otherwise without any real evidence, as long as there is a book to sell, self-promoting soundbite, or cash award in the mix,

errr, if you shield the boxes how are they going to work? The microcell reduces the RF exposure from your cell phone because it allows the cell phone transmitter to run at lower power levels; cell phones adjust their power level up to compensate for weak signals, so if the base station is nearby they run at lower transmitter power.

If you are truly concerned about RF exposure (note that there is NO radiation exposure from any radio device) then move to the countryside, give up electricity, don't ever use a cell phone.

Or am I just feeding a troll?

You probably shouldn't drive a car either since cars have electrical fields 🙂.