Delay when placing calls

Puckolio · ‎04-08-2008

Recently installed the 3G Micro Cell. Everything works great, except that it takes 15-20 seconds from the time that I dial a number before it starts ringing. I'm using the Micro Cell with an iPhone 4. Is this normal, does anyone else experience this delay?

nsayer · ‎06-16-2009

This is one of the many problems we've experienced during our time with the microcell. Sometimes it takes upwards of 30 seconds before the phone gives up and says 'call failed.' Sometimes 3 or 4 retries aren't enough to get it to place a call, whereupon my wife usually gives up and grabs our Vonage phone.

Through it all, AT&T has steadfastly refused to acknowledge, let alone fix these systemic problems with the Microcell. In short, the Microcell will either work for you or it won't, and if it doesn't, you're on your own. You can expect no support of any kind from AT&T.

thively · ‎10-16-2003

I have also had this problem. I have really only noticed it for about the last month or two, and it seems to be getting worse. Before I would only sometimes see a short delay of 5 seconds or so, now I can usually count on at least 15-20 seconds before it'll put the call through... righ before I'm about to give up.

E the P · ‎10-26-2005

Puckolio wrote:
Recently installed the 3G Micro Cell. Everything works great, except that it takes 15-20 seconds from the time that I dial a number before it starts ringing. I'm using the Micro Cell with an iPhone 4. Is this normal, does anyone else experience this delay?

Wish I could help. I've had this problem too but its intermittent. Some times it will, some times it won't. There is no pattern.

iphoneFL · ‎10-21-2007

I had this problem and sometimes calling another phone that is connected to it when I'm not home and they are... seemed like there was an update or something. Unplugged it for ten seconds and plugged it back in. No more problems. Works good in my opinion. Just a little lag sometimes during conversations on it but no big deal.

Kesem · ‎06-30-2010

I have this problem a lot without the microcell when directly connected to towers. Maybe it's not specifically a microcell problem, but a general network delay.

jefe · ‎01-31-2004

Kesem wrote:
I have this problem a lot without the microcell when directly connected to towers. Maybe it's not specifically a microcell problem, but a general network delay.

I've observed the same thing. I wouldn't say it happens a lot, but I do see an occassional delay before a call goes through on the macro network as well as the MicroCell.

nsayer · ‎06-16-2009

The only time I've seen delay and call failures similar to what we rather routinely see with the Microcell is when moving, like in a car or train, and the coverage is bad. Between San Antonio road and Menlo Park on Caltrain is particularly bad. The very heart of Silicon Valley - Palo Alto. Arguably the very center of the Internet, if there is such a thing. And AT&T phones just don't work worth a {word filter evasion}.

chasd · ‎03-08-2011

I have EXACTLY the same situation. So far, AT&T customer support is no help. Related to changes in AT&T software?? Or a problem in only certain areas? I am in SF East Bay Area.

jmf4150 · ‎12-21-2010

I started having the problem a couple of weeks back Seems there is a 20-30 second delay and then some dropped calls before a connection. I didn't experience this problem until recently. Is there a software fix or is this being the norm?

nsayer · ‎06-16-2009

1. There is never a software fix you can apply to the Microcell. AT&T/Cisco control that. I believe that you can force it to download the latest by de-registering and then re-registering the Microcell, but it may just download the same thing it had before (or may not do anything).

2. The calling delay is the primary problem we regularly experience at the moment. I'll admit, of all the problems we've had so far, it's the least annoying. As for whether it's the norm, it happens to some people, but not others. No pattern has yet emerged as to who gets hit with it. AT&T is no help at all, of course. To them, the Microcell will either work or it won't, and if it doesn't work for you, then tough luck.

gjlieber · ‎02-26-2011

I had the exact same problem that it could take up to 30 ~ 45 seconds for a call to start ringing when my iPhone 4 places a call. One way to fix this temporarily was to put the phone in "airplane mode" then back to regular mode, but after a few days the delay was back.

I just updated the iPhone OS to iOS 4.3 and that has seemed to correct the problem. Now the phone starts ringing within 6 seconds.

chasd · ‎03-08-2011

After a month of very long delays when placing a call, the problem has gone away the last 3 days. This is (coincidentally?) within 24 hours of complaining to a supervisor at AT&T. So, maybe there is something they can tweak after all...........

jmf4150 · ‎12-21-2010

I cycled my modem, router and microcell and turned off my two computers. It seemed like the delay went away for a day but then returned. The delay is better than no service at all but gets really annoying.

chasd · ‎03-08-2011

After getting better for a week or so, this problem is as bad as ever. One clue: it seems the system needs to "warm up". By that, I mean the first attempt at an outbound call always produces 30-40 seconds of silence followed by "call fail". An immediate redial of that number usually connects reasonably quickly. Does anyone else observe this behavior? What does it mean?

nsayer · ‎06-16-2009

Yup. We see this all the time. It means that AT&T is incompetent. I can't come up with any alternative conclusion.

acMcLean · ‎03-28-2011

Make sure you're using 10 digit dialing. I know the Microcell only claims to support 10 digit dialing but I just tried 7 digit dialing and I got a decent delay. I then tried 10 digit dialing and had no problems.

jefe · ‎01-31-2004

acMcLean wrote:
......I know the Microcell only claims to support 10 digit dialing......

Where did that piece of information come from? First I've ever heard that and I can tell you with 100% certainty that 7 digit dialing works through our MC.

I guess it's possible that 7 digit dialing may only work in some areas and not others, and I never argue with success. If using 10 digits reduces delay...great. Do it.

But the MC only supporting 10 digit dialing is not correct.

chasd · ‎03-08-2011

10-digit dialing doesn't improve the situation in my case.

menesesinc · ‎09-10-2010

Experiencing the same issue here. I've recycled everything inline and it relieves things for a bit but the issue does creep up again. I have both a BB9700 (v5.0.0.405) and an iPhone4 (4.3 8F190) and I notice this issue more on the iPhone?. I've also experience that the second or more attempts the faster the call goes through. I can say that this is a recent issue probably last 3-4 weeks. Did not have this issue before.

I am also experiencing another issue where after about 10-15 minutes of being on a call, the person on the other end can no longer hear me clearly. I notice this more on my BB9700 as I use it more for work. I guess I'll look at another topic similar to that and post.

What I find interesting is that although AT&T owns this forum, I see no pro-active activity from AT&T regarding these issues at least in the 3G MicroCell Topicis?. The flip side to that is, every person posting here isn't just a forum member, they are also PAYING customers.

nsayer · ‎06-16-2009

The only AT&T employees who do anything here in any official capacity are the censors.

chasd · ‎03-08-2011

During my working days, I ran two small telephone companies. I can GUARANTEE you that there is a techie somewhere within AT&T that knows exactly what is going on. I bet the techie is even reading this forum. Problem is, that techie doesn't have the power to fix the problem (expensive) or respond to us on the forum (financial exposure). That is old world thinking but that it AT&T. Just check out some Google forums--there is a Google employee regularly participating on almost all of them. Sooner or later, customers like us will find an alternate solution and disappear.

acMcLean · ‎03-28-2011

Q. When I dial a 7 digit number using the 3G MicroCell, I get a message the number cannot be completed as dialed. Does the 3G MicroCell support 7 digit dialing?

A. 3G MicroCell requires 10 digit dialing for domestic calls in most areas.

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/3gmicrocell/faq.jsp?locale=es_US

acMcLean · ‎03-28-2011

Just curious, but do you have the option to remove your router from the equation and connect your microcell to your modem? That might help troubleshoot the issue.

jefe · ‎01-31-2004

acMcLean wrote:
Q. When I dial a 7 digit number using the 3G MicroCell, I get a message the number cannot be completed as dialed. Does the 3G MicroCell support 7 digit dialing?

A. 3G MicroCell requires 10 digit dialing for domestic calls in most areas.

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/3gmicrocell/faq.jsp?locale=es_US

Seems to me the key pat of that answer is "in most areas." As I reported earlier 10 digit dialing withing the 631 area code is not required here.

It also seems to me that if 10 digit dialing is required in a particular area, dialing only 7 digits will never go through. It would likely yield the "cannot be completed" message rather than just delaying the call.

But again...if 10 digit dialing solves the delay issue for you, great. Use it.

E the P · ‎10-26-2005

chasd wrote:
After getting better for a week or so, this problem is as bad as ever. One clue: it seems the system needs to "warm up". By that, I mean the first attempt at an outbound call always produces 30-40 seconds of silence followed by "call fail". An immediate redial of that number usually connects reasonably quickly. Does anyone else observe this behavior? What does it mean?

I've experienced that as well. Or just hang up after waiting 10-15 seconds and redial. Call usually goes through quickly the second time.

ipv6 · ‎10-22-2007

I'm also getting a delay connecting outgoing calls. Can't say I'm surprised given the checkered history of these devices , and I'm not even going to waste my time calling support .....

hamguy69 · ‎04-01-2011

I have the same problem. I also drop out of the Microcell and have to go in and out of airplane mode to get back in. It's more hastle than it's worth.

erikita · ‎08-13-2004

Im adding my hat into the ring....long long delays on the first attempt and then it goes through a little quicker on the second.

thively · ‎10-16-2003

This COULD be coincidence, but I setup port forwarding on my router for ports 500 and 4500. After that I have yet ot have this delay. Before I was getting delays of 15-30 seconds trying to call out and even 10-15 when trying to call in to a phone on the MCell. Now every call seems to be going through immediately. Also I was having intermitent 3G data. Basically data would not work when I'd switch off WiFi (or when I'd get out of range of Wifi and I'd fall back to MCell outside) until I'd go airplane on/off to force a reconnect. Now, so far no more intermittent data.

So I was thinking that the MCell sitting idle for long periods of time, maybe my router was being a little agressive and closing the ports down. Then when a call was going to come in or out, it would have to re-establish the connection to AT&T's server which would take 10-15 seconds or so. By using port forwarding maybe it was keeping the ports open?

I don't claim to really know what I'm talking about here. All I can say is try it. It seems to have worked for me. Either that or something else changed coincidentally around the same time which (so far) has fixed this issue for me (knock on wood.)