🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <Xns9D82742D7AE09blahblahcom@81.169.183.62>, Boris <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

I've had a Microcell since the day they became available in
the Bay Area.

>1) If I have lousy GPS signals at my house, how will this thing connect 
>for E911 registration/location during setup?  Could be out of luck?

No GPS lock, no workie.

>2) Once GPS connection is made, I understand I can then move the unit to 
>another room in the house, and GPS is no longer needed.  Yes?

I don't think so. It seems to want the check the GPS from time
to time.

I placed mine on a window sill for the initial lock. Then moved
it to a more convenient location 2 or 3 feet away. As best as
I can tell, it's been able to maintain a continuous lock in a
far-from-ideal location. 

As someone else mentioned there is provision for an external
antenna.

I think AT&T were fearful that hackers would have a ball 
with this device and everything has been bolted down real
tight with encryption, the GPS lockout and even anti-tamper
alarms. Yup, if you try and open the box, AT&T will call you!

Assume you need a GPS signal. However, the sensitivity of
this receiver is pretty good and it does get a signal
indoors. 

>3)  Registering my family ATT account members authorizes the Microcell to 
>hand incoming calls over to their cell phones, and to hand over any 
>outgoing call signals they make to the Microcell.  Yes?

>4)  I can register other (up to 10) ATTWS users for use when they are in 
>my home?

Yes, you can register up to 10 numbers with AT&T. These are
"authorized" to use your Microcell (up to 4 simultaneously).

The Microcell works well when I am at home. However, call
handover to/from the conventional towers as you enter/leave
the Microcell coverage area is total crap. It usually drops
the call.

This handoff is a very complex process and I'm not at all
surprised it doesn't work as advertized.

>5)  I assume that when anyone calls from outside (1 mile away or 2000 
>miles away, and from ANY? carrier), to any registered Microcell user that 
>it senses is within range of the Microcell,  the ATTWS knows to route 
>that incoming call to the internet, so that it can reach the Microcell.  
>Is this correct?

Basically yes.

In short, if you are generally okay with AT&T's cellular
service but have a major reception problem at your home
location, the Microcell is well worth considering. 

-- 
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar           "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| malch@malch.com                                     Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/               Shpx gur PQN.                |
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