Microcell does not work with 5G

The microcell is no longer supported.  There is a new device called the cell booster which is LTE but no 5g.  There's really no need for a 5g version as all currently supported phones support LTE and you can get 150mbps or so through the cell booster.

My issue is, I get very a weak no signal in my house...poured concrete cinder block.

Hello bigsky18, we're here to help with your coverage at home.

Your home can affect your signal. If you did not know that, now you do. Each home is different. The materials used to build it, where it is built, and the overall environment of your home. 

The Pieces of Your Home

Metal Roofs

Metal is like kryptonite when it comes to signals. The reason, a wireless signal consists of radio waves. Metal conducts electricity and in turn, absorbs it. This means if your home has a metal roof, your LTE signal is affected. The best option to address this is Wi-Fi Calling. Check out my personal story about metal roofs.

Wall thickness 

The thicker a wall, the more trouble the signal has making to your home and through it. What is in the wall can impact service too, like metal beams, concrete, and rebar. Check out how my experience helping an AT&T customer.  

Electronics 

Electronics emit electromagnetic interference. The more electronics, the more interference. So if you have a private office and have a lot of electronics, this may not only affect your wireless signal, but Wi-Fi as well. The same is for your office or business. There are many devices, computers, wiring, and when you factor in building design, it only adds to the trouble you may see. Read about my experience regarding electronics and wireless signals. 

Dead Spots 

You may notice certain rooms get poor LTE signals. This could be caused by your roof, walls, ground elements, and electronics. 

• Roofs: Depending on what your roof is made out of, can impact your reception.
• Walls: depending on the thickness of your walls and how they are made, can affect the signal. Especially if it is reinforced with rebar.
• Ground elements: Depending on what is under you can impact signals. Rocks, metals, even water can affect wireless signals.
• Electronics: Electronics emit electromagnetic interference. This can interfere with the wireless signal.

You factor in everything we mentioned above and dead spots, you can see why your service may not be the same while in your home, office, or even outside. Check out my story when a dead spot affected my ability to get text messages. 

Inside vs Outside

If you notice your signal improve when you step outside, this is a good indicator your home may be the culprit. If you have internet service, consider using Wi-Fi Calling. Especially when you factor everything above. 

Did you recently experience signal loss? 

Timing is everything.

• Did you drop your phone recently or around the time you noticed signal loss? If so, the components may be damaged.
• Were there any recent storms or loss of power? As we all know, some storms are not friendly and there is a chance a tower was affected.
• Did anyone get any new electronics? They can emit interference as mentioned above.

Improve your call experience by

• Utilizing Wi-Fi Calling
• Sometimes toggling Airplane Mode can improve service
• Understand where calls drop and improve the environment
• Turn off electronics not in use
• Improve your device's performance

Hope this information helps you out.

Thank you for visiting AT&T Community Forums!

Carlton, AT&T  Community Specialist 

Th old 3G Microcell (If it is still operational) is not at all compatible with modern 5G phones. Despite being labeled "4G' by AT&T marketing, it is based on HSDPA transmission tech that in no way is workable with phones that are AT&T certified for "HD Voice" or VoLTE over LTE/5G, etc.

If your phone is shiny new, and the Microcell crusty and rusty old, there is a newer 4G LTE based "Cell Booster" available in the AT&T online store for order.

@bigsky18  The MicroCell never worked with LTE/5G. It was a 3G device only. AT&T shutdown their 3G network in late February and it has taken a couple of months to shutdown the network system-wide.

The replacement, as mentioned above is the new Cell Booster, which is still a femtocell inspite of its name just like the old MicroCell was. It is LTE only and will not work on the 5G band. You also need to have a phone that will work on AT&T's post-3G network. See my Cell Booster Tech Guide, link is in my sig line for all that you need to know about the new Cell Booster.

If your phone is capable of WiFi-C (WiFi Calling) that is the preferred method for improving poor in-home coverage. Pay no attention to ATTHelp as they don't completely read the posts they respond to and just read from a script.