Cell Signal Extender at home?
May 29, 2013, 8:28 am
#16
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One note about GPS and the Verizon extender -- it does not require continuous access to GPS. Once it's determined its location, it can be moved as long as it's left on. The Verizon extender also comes with a very long extension antenna for GPS, which allows considerable flexibility in where it's located. I have one and it works well. The only thing I don't like about it is that it will host any Verizon phone in its range. Because it works over the internet, it effects available bandwidth.
May 29, 2013, 4:17 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GEG
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Be careful when buying these on CL. The previous owner must remove it from their account before selling. I had one when I was on AT&T, switched to Verizon, and gave the device to my parents. Because it wasn't removed from the account, it took them escalating the issue, and 5 days to get it fully removed and ready for me to use. The simplest solution is just call AT&T before buying to confirm the device has been removed.
May 29, 2013, 6:45 pm
#18
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
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Agreed. I had the seller confirm with AT&T. It's also easy to remove from one's OLAM page; no phone calls necessary.
May 30, 2013, 8:09 am
#19
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I bought a Verizon 2G one off ebay a year or two ago. The seller promised that it had been removed from the previous owner's account (seller was an ebay business, not an individual). Turned out it wasn't. They sent me a second one - same thing. So they gave me a partial credit. It still works fine - I've never had a problem. Although it seems Verizon's extender support has been patchy lately. The SYS light sometimes blinks red for a few days at a time, during which the extender is inoperative.
May 30, 2013, 10:33 am
#20
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May 30, 2013, 12:58 pm
#21
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: LAX/SNA
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AT&T gave me my microcell for free. For them it's a customer retention tool... when I called to complain that I could not finish a single call without it dropping, they told me all about their wonderful microcell which would only cost me $199. So my response was, "Do you mean to tell me that you want me to pay $200 so you can piggy back off of my Comcast internet service because your cell coverage is so crappy? You must be dreaming!", then they say hold on, let me talk to a supervisor... viola, free microcell. While it's not perfect (I often have to power cycle mine every few days) it is a huge improvement...
May 30, 2013, 2:15 pm
#23
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May 30, 2013, 3:52 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GEG
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AT&T seems to base the discount they give you on how their coverage maps show your location. If it is showing as really poor, it will be free, and if its so-so, you'll get a partial discount. I had someone at an AT&T store show me their tool they use, and it tells them just how much they can discount it. They had offered it to me for something around $50 IIRC.
May 30, 2013, 4:28 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Somewhere In The Five Eyes
Posts: 230
Sprint gave me a femtocell (free) when I griped about their non-existent coverage. The
minutes of usage with the femtocell did not count towards my monthly plan.
I had to negotiate the above arrangement ... but the store did NOT want me to
exercising my 2-week return option.
minutes of usage with the femtocell did not count towards my monthly plan.
I had to negotiate the above arrangement ... but the store did NOT want me to
exercising my 2-week return option.
May 30, 2013, 5:52 pm
#27
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May 30, 2013, 6:40 pm
#28
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May 30, 2013, 6:52 pm
#29
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
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Ah, okay. But that's not the plainest meaning of the words....
Indeed. As I pointed out.... 
The microcells will only work if the built in GPS indicates it's in a place where the carrier is licensed to provide coverage.
Jun 1, 2013, 10:37 pm
#30
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Same here.
Sprint's maps show that there is good service at my home; however, most of the time I have no bars. I invited the Sprint rep to come try her phone at my home, and she relented and gave me a free Airvana.
I can set it to work only with registered phones, but that will block other Sprint users near my house from access to the Sprint network.
While the unit only supports 3G, I simply use WiFi at home.
Sprint's maps show that there is good service at my home; however, most of the time I have no bars. I invited the Sprint rep to come try her phone at my home, and she relented and gave me a free Airvana.
I can set it to work only with registered phones, but that will block other Sprint users near my house from access to the Sprint network.
While the unit only supports 3G, I simply use WiFi at home.