No service in new building!! Solution?

[matthew23]

I just moved into a new condo and get NO service in new building!! I know AT&T is supposed to get microcell soon but I called and they have no idea when. What are my options at this point? I have read a bit about google voice but I am not sure how it works. I'll have wifi up and running on tuesday. Will GV work (I'm jailbroken). Can I forward my calls to a google number and have it ring in my iPhone? Does AT&T charge money to foward calls? Help!!!

 

[dragonc12]

The only thing I can tell you is to look into getting s repeater. I have to use one of these at work because we get no signal.

 

[sting7k]

Google Voice is not a VoIP service.

 

[big9erfan]

You need cell service to use Google Voice.

If you have service OUTSIDE your building maybe you can place an antenna outside and a repeater inside so you can at least have normal service.

 

[Ipheuria]

What about getting Skype?

 

[whmurray]

I just moved into a new condo and get NO service in new building!! I know AT&T is supposed to get microcell soon but I called and they have no idea when. What are my options at this point? I have read a bit about google voice but I am not sure how it works. I'll have wifi up and running on tuesday. Will GV work (I'm jailbroken). Can I forward my calls to a google number and have it ring in my iPhone? Does AT&T charge money to foward calls? Help!!!

The ideal soloution is the AT&T femto-cell announced in January 2009. Availability has not been announced. Hopefully it will be available before the "steaming pile of failure" grows cold.

In the interim, the best solution is cellular repeater. Cell Phone Signal Boosters and Cell Phone Repeaters | Repeater Store These seem to run about $300 but that is not much compared to what one pays AT&T.

 

[flyingember]

I know it's too late, but you didn't check this before buying the condo?

 

[sturamsden]

I know it's too late, but you didn't check this before buying the condo?

Even if he did, it's not a reason to not live in the condo. If you have to weigh up the options between a home and your mobile, you're home always has to win.

I think your two options are to live with it or to buy a signal repeater. If you don't have a landline and need to use your mobile a lot while at home then a signal repeater will be your best bet.

 

[matthew23]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll possible get a signal repeater. I called ATT and Microcell does not seem ready to be released - at least the customer service rep did not lead on that it would be coming out soon. I'd hate to drop $300 just to get service, but Ill do what I ahve to do.

How does the repeater work? I get service outside - in fact, if I open my balcony door slightly (about a foot, I get decent service. But apparently the door is super thick or something and when it is shut all the way - BAM! No service - it says "seaching...". So a signal repeater has an antenna and something that goes inside? Will I have the same problem with the repeater not being able to penetrate the door?

Oh, and I did check service when I was looking at the condo and it appeared to work - but, the sliding balcony door must have been open! That, though, is not enough of a reason to not buy a place. Worst comes to worst, I head back to sprint (my wife's phone works pretty good)...

 

[sturamsden]

As far as I know it works in a similar fashion to a wifi repeater, you place it where you can get decent signal and it just repeats the signal (some boost it a little too) from there. You would have to place the antenna outside for the best performance. You should see if any of your neighbors also have a weaker signal and then you may be able to split the cost with them because the repeater should have decent range in all directions...

That last idea is a bit wishful but it can't hurt to try!

 

[whmurray]

The ideal soloution is the AT&T femto-cell announced in January 2009. Availability has not been announced. Hopefully it will be available before the "steaming pile of failure" grows cold..............

Found a new quote from an AT&T executive suggesting that this service might be available (to some subscribers) as early as the end of 2009. Note that AT&T has to provision (a) server(s) that connect these cells to the PSTN.

These days, anything that has AT&T and "provision" in the same sentence seems to be a "limitation." For example, the same search turned up a quote from another AT&T executive suggesting that they will be provisioning LTE in 2-5 years compared to a year for Verizon.

AT&T is the only one of the four major US carriers that does not offer a femto-cell service but in January 2009, Endgadget said that AT&T is "close." For the "steaming pile of failure," a year is close.

One can only wonder how many of these limitations Apple was aware of when they decided, not only to partner with AT&T, but to grant them a seemingly endless exclusive.

 

[matthew23]

that's a good idea. I am calling around Chicago looking for a place that might sell them. I don't really want to wait for one to arrive in the mail, because until then I am out of service!! I get very good coverage outside so this seems like a good option if I can shut the sliding door with the cable going through....

 

[flyingember]

that's a good idea. I am calling around Chicago looking for a place that might sell them. I don't really want to wait for one to arrive in the mail, because until then I am out of service!! I get very good coverage outside so this seems like a good option if I can shut the sliding door with the cable going through....

they don't exist yet.

 

[matthew23]

they don't exist yet.

Damn. Ok, Ill probably end up ordering one

 

[whmurray]

Damn. Ok, Ill probably end up ordering one

The good news is that you can and that it is easy. If it were not for the ability to distribute such highly specialized products that the Internet gives, such products would not exist.