They have been talking about this for a while and it looks like the time is here. A report on pcworld.com shows that the AT&T Femtocell product is about to be released. AT&T calls it MicroCell. The MicroCell is a small cellular base station. One of the really nice features of the AT&T MicroCell is that it supports data and voice traffic.
If anyone doesn’t know, basically this device will allow you to boost your AT&T signal in your home. The Device connects to AT&T over the internet. Typically a femtocell device ca cover about 5,000 square feet and serve several mobile phone users in a household. Also for the security minded folks or selfish whichever way you want to look at it, you can create a “white list” of phones allowed on the device.
Having these devices will go a long way to solving the coverage issue that AT&T have been beat down for. Sprint has released their device already and Verizon is waiting until they start with their LTE network before they release a device. AT&T will let people simply buy the Microcell for $150, or pay $20 per month for unlimited domestic phone calls made through the device. The second option includes a $100 rebate on the cost of the Microcell. The advantage for AT&T is that businesses can have these devices too which is a cheap way for them to expand their network coverage.
I have been waiting for a long time for a device like this. And with parts of my house being dead zones I will definitely have one the day they are released.