🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <higgy-912EE7.16281525052010@news.announcetech.com>, John Higdon <higgy@kome.com> wrote:

>And my further understanding is that ANYONE within range of the 
>microcell can use it as well. 

No, it's only available to numbers that you, as owner of
the Microcell, authorize.

>So...not only do you pay to improve AT&T's 
>miserable coverage for YOU (by paying them and also providing the 
>bandwidth), but for anyone else who happens by. 

Yeah, kind of. But let's face it, if you're an AT&T subscriber
you pay a share of the cost of their infrastructure anyway.
With a Microcell, you pay a small premium, and you get a say
in exactly how that additional infrastructure is deployed.

It's not exactly the greatest thing since sliced bread. But
it works for me because:

1. I am an AT&T subscriber that is generally reasonably happy
   with their service. The coverage is mainly decent, the rates
   are competitive, and I like the rollover minutes.

2. There's a specific problem with reception at my home location.
   Verizon and Sprint are just as bad. T-Mobile is okay but
   their coverage elsewhere is not as good and they don't offer
   rollover minutes.

3. For the first time in 5 years I have decent cell coverage
   at home for a one-time cost of $150. That's not great but
   it does represent an improvement for me.

For anyone that isn't basically in the same situation the
Microcell is completely irrelevant, in my view.

Of course, I still think AT&T, and the cellular industry as
a whole, pretty much suck. We have no disagreement there.

-- 
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| 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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