AT&T Offers $150 Fix for Patchy Coverage

AT&T knows its cellular and 3G service isn’t quite up to par, and it’s going to help you fix it—for $150. Enter the 3G MicroCell, a sort of miniature cell tower. The so-called “femtocell” uses your home or business broadband connection to beam out a stronger cell signal within 40 feet. There’s no monthly charge, and there need not be AT&T service where it is used.

“This will always be important for certain people whose home construction or topography makes network coverage difficult,” a spokesman says. Writes Brian X. Chen at Wired: "Though we’re certain thousands of dissatisfied AT&T iPhone customers are going to buy one of these, we’re sure critics will still point out the fact that AT&T is requiring you to pay to improve their network service."

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