Galaxy Note 3 not connecting to AT&T MicroCell

[BobWire]

Has anyone succesfully connected their Note 3 to an AT&T MicroCell?
This Saturday and last I ran through numerous checks with AT&T support.
When searching for AT&T MicroCell from Connections > More Networks > Mobile Networks > Network operators I get:
"Unable to search for networks wile data service in use. Stop using current data service and search for other available networks?"
I've turned of Mobile data, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and cleared memory but still get the same message.
We've rebooted the MicroCell and removed and readded my number.
The guy at the AT&T office I was in contact with said I was the 7th case he knew of and was not aware of any success with the Note 3.
He indicated there is a posibility that my May 2010 microcell may be older and not compatible with LTE.
AT&T opened a case and said I would hear back after Tuesday evening.

 

[Dave Ohara]

I've gone through the same efforts and no success. On the same microcell I had a Galaxy Note 1, and iPhone 3GS, 4S, 5, and 5S.

Seems like there is a bug in the Galaxy Note 3.

 

[futballer9684]

I have the same problem, changed to galaxy note 3 from iphone 4 last week. I use a att 3g microcell that i believe was purchased in 2010, some time in the summer. I initially had microcell service and have been able to achieve it intermittently.

I don't have a whole lot of useful information to add at this point but here are my own experiences:
1.I initially moved my sim from iphone 4 to my galaxy note 3 and didn't activate the phone with att. During this 2 day period my microcell service worked fine and I was receiving text messages from iphone users (a separate issue).
2. After I activated my galaxy note 3 via att phone service, I lost microcell service and the ability to receive texts from iphones.
3. I went through the steps recommended by ATT: This gave me microcell service until this morning
3a. restart microcell
3b. Turn off cable modem, router, and microcell. Turn on modem, then router, then microcell and connect in that order.
3c. I did not have to use this step, but the next step was to deactivate the microcell and reactivate through the ATT website
4. I woke up this morning to see that although my microcell status has not changed since yesterday, my galaxy note 3 no longer recognizes the Microcell service.

I'm currently seeing if I can search for the microcell service via my phone's settings (but doubt this will yield any results), then I'm going to try resetting all my services like I did yesterday. Frustrating!

Edit 2pm, same day: After resetting may modem then router then microcell and connecting them in that order, followed by powering down my phone and restarting I have Microcell service too. It took about 3 minutes after powering on to see the microcell service pop up. Now If only I could figure out how to receive texts from iphones again!

 

[Angie Whiddon]

I was on hold with AT&T 3G Microcell tier 2 support for 2 hours while they connected to Samsung 2nd level support. According to samsung, this is an android ios issue and supposedly Google is working to fix it. No ETA. How could Samsung have released a product hat did not work on 2 million microcells?

 

[Angie Whiddon]

UPDATE: Galaxy Note 3 version 4.3 not connecting to AT&T 3G microcell. It turns out there are two SIM's being used on new device activations. The newer one has an Orange end and has the new NFC mobile wallet capability, one has a Blue end. The blue is the older one without the new NFC capability. The Note 3 will only connect to the AT&T Microcell using the older BLUE SIM. The SIM shipped with the Note is the New Orange one so they need to be swapped.

 

[beadsmith]

Angie, have you done this , and are you now connected to your microcell?

 

[Dave6996010]

My microcell is probably 3 plus years old too. My Note 3 connected with it and worked fine for 9 days. Then yesterday it stopped working. Will not work with the wife's iPhone 5 now either. My sim is the orange one.

 

[Almeuit]

My microcell is probably 3 plus years old too. My Note 3 connected with it and worked fine for 9 days. Then yesterday it stopped working. Will not work with the wife's iPhone 5 now either. My sim is the orange one.

If both phones stopped connecting to it I'd say it's safe to say it's the microcell... Might want to get another one.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[Angie Whiddon]

Bead - I spoke too soon. It worked fine all last night. When I got home today, the same issue came up and the Note 3 wont connect. All my other devices work fine on the microcell - Iphone 5, Iphone 4, Galaxy S4.

 

[Bdyctchr]

UPDATE: Galaxy Note 3 version 4.3 not connecting to AT&T 3G microcell. It turns out there are two SIM's being used on new device activations. The newer one has an Orange end and has the new NFC mobile wallet capability, one has a Blue end. The blue is the older one without the new NFC capability. The Note 3 will only connect to the AT&T Microcell using the older BLUE SIM. The SIM shipped with the Note is the New Orange one so they need to be swapped.

So where would one get the blue SIM? Having same frustrating issue. Tried everything mentioned on this thread.
Thank you everyone for the info.

 

[cdd543]

On a side my G2 also didn't connect automatically to my micro cell, but I now have an option under settings/mobile networks to "search for a microcell". That connected it. I didn't have my note 3 long enough to see it it had the same connection issue. I wonder if they are doing something different with the newer devices--frustrating. Maybe it's something to do with the new snapdragon 800...

 

[Alexander_Kevin]

UPDATE: Galaxy Note 3 version 4.3 not connecting to AT&T 3G microcell. It turns out there are two SIM's being used on new device activations. The newer one has an Orange end and has the new NFC mobile wallet capability, one has a Blue end. The blue is the older one without the new NFC capability. The Note 3 will only connect to the AT&T Microcell using the older BLUE SIM. The SIM shipped with the Note is the New Orange one so they need to be swapped.

Wow! Thanks Angie! I've been on the phone with AT&T Business Data Support all morning now. (I'm on hold now). Their tech claims that according to her research -- "there are a small number of Note III phones that have a software issue preventing them connecting to the microcell". She is suggesting that I take the phone back to my local AT&T store and exchange it under the 14-day "Buyers Remorse" policy. They didn't mention anything about blue and orange SIM cards. This will be my second exchange @ $35 restocking fee per exchange and there's no guarantee that the next Note III will work either. All four of our other phones are connected to the microcell and work perfectly -- (including a Note II). I've just shared your info with the tech and she's looking into the possibility and alternatives for getting me a "Blue" SIM card without having to go through the exchange process. They are going to order/mail me a new card -- but can't guarantee what color it will be. They are also going to put a note on my account so I can go to the local store today and get a free replacement SIM card -- (if they still have the blue SIM cards in stock). Yippee! I get to spend my whole day driving from AT&T store to AT&T store until I find one that has the elusive "Heisenberg Blue" SIM card. It's "Breaking Bad" all over again! ;-) I hope this works. Thanks for your help Angie.

 

[Alexander_Kevin]

Oh noooo! Are you serious? Is it working today? Have you found another solution?

 

[futballer9684]

So after initially getting microcell service back after resetting my microcell+modem+router, I lost service the next day again and now I cannot get it back by those means. After following this thread and one in the AT&T support forums I saw the sim swap posts and went to try its myself. I just got back from the AT&T store and got the blue non-NFC capable SIM card. This did not fix the problem for me. Back to square one. Att opened a support case for me and have tried to call me to discuss it but we can't ever get in touch due to my lack of service!

 

[Dave6996010]

If both phones stopped connecting to it I'd say it's safe to say it's the microcell... Might want to get another one.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

You could be right. There is a lot of chatter on the net about this problem. I will wait a few days and then open a support ticket with AT&T.

Cheers
Dave

 

[sheelah]

I am having the same problem and it also goes into Emergency Call mode and won't use the phone. The guys at Best Buys don't want to see me anymore and don't care what my problem is, their attitude is get another phone B****! I'm frustrated because I was so looking forward to this phone.

If anyone has any clues? I'd be really grateful. Thanks!

 

[levispottedcorn]

AT&T microcell was connecting fine to my Samsung Galaxy III, then stopped connecting. Tried lots of the suggestions - none worked. Then I removed my battery for 3 seconds, replaced it, restarted phone - picked up microcell right away. (I have the orange SIM card.)

 

[Alexander_Kevin]

Sorry for the delay ... I finally found time to revisit this site and let you all know that I was successful in recovering Microcell service on my Note III. As indicated in the thread above by several others ... I went back to the corporate AT&T store where I got the phone and they replaced the SIM card that came with the phone with one of their new SIM cards. (Yes, it has the "Heisenberg" Blue/Grey rings around the globe instead of the Orange/Grey rings). I took it home ... rebooted the phone and...Voila'! -- It's been working perfectly for nearly three weeks now. I hope this post prevents someone from spending hours on the phone with AT&T tech support. [P.S.1 - I'm loving the Note III !, P.S.2 - Special Thanks to Denise @ the AT&T store on the corner of Route 951 & Davis Blvd. in Naples, FL]

 

[smoke20#AC]

I unregistered and then reregistered my microcell and have been able to connect fine since then.

 

[Benjamin Ng]

Could someone please upload pictures of the GOOD sim and BAD sim ?

Thank you.