Cell Signal Booster

[Vette10R]

Does anyone use a Cell signal booster? I recently moved to a new house and our cell service isn't very good or non existent. We have AT&T which has always done well for us. I've started looking online for signal boosters and it looks like they are not very cheap but if they work I am willing to spend the money.

Which brands are good and which to stay away from or are they all junk?

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_9ueprp91af_b

 

[blacksporty]

Depends if you have good internet connection or not....the Weboost(wilson electronics)I hear is pretty good, they have a version that all the RV people use that doesn't require a internet connection.

 

[CompressorPros.com]

Ours worked for a few years (Verizon), although it still wasn't great, but it was enough to where we could make calls in our house.

 

[MeanGreenZ71]

We have one at work from Verizon. It seems to help from dropping calls although isn't a cure-all. I don't know how much they cost only that they hook to your internet connection.

 

[Vette10R]

I currently don't have internet at the house, they will be here in 2 weeks to install 75mbps so we should be covered for the internet.

Do these boosters require internet?

 

[firworks]

When I switched from Verizon to AT&T, I got home and found I had no cell service anywhere around my house. Basically you turn onto my street and it's dead. Where I live it's very hilly (up on a bluff) so the cellular coverage is very spotty even from street to street. I called AT&T and said I guess I need to bring these phones back then? I'd like to keep them but I can't have no cell phone coverage at home. They gave me a free AT&T Microcell (I had to go back to the AT&T store, and call the CSR back. They talked to AT&T store employees and I walked out with a free one). It connects to my home internet and my phone connects to it. I've got perfect service at my house / in my yard. You can restrict who can connect to it, and it was a pretty nice little solution. The only issue it has is, it can't hand your call off to a full tower so if you call someone at home and try to leave it will drop. Likewise if you are talking to someone as you get home your phone will stay on the big tower until the call ends. Then it will switch to the Microcell. See what they'll do for you. I've found AT&T CSR to be pretty good.

 

[SALIV8]

I have had great success with two different zboost systems.

 

[Vette10R]

When I switched from Verizon to AT&T, I got home and found I had no cell service anywhere around my house. Basically you turn onto my street and it's dead. Where I live it's very hilly (up on a bluff) so the cellular coverage is very spotty even from street to street. I called AT&T and said I guess I need to bring these phones back then? I'd like to keep them but I can't have no cell phone coverage at home. They gave me a free AT&T Microcell (I had to go back to the AT&T store, and call the CSR back. They talked to AT&T store employees and I walked out with a free one). It connects to my home internet and my phone connects to it. I've got perfect service at my house / in my yard. You can restrict who can connect to it, and it was a pretty nice little solution. The only issue it has is, it can't hand your call off to a full tower so if you call someone at home and try to leave it will drop. Likewise if you are talking to someone as you get home your phone will stay on the big tower until the call ends. Then it will switch to the Microcell. See what they'll do for you. I've found AT&T CSR to be pretty good.

Thanks for the review, sounds like this will help alot at my place. What is CSR?

 

[Thumper68]

CSR Call Center Rep, or Customer Service Rep.

I had to get a mini tower for the lake place, since I had been a good customer Verizon gave me one for free, and even with the crappy5 DSL it works well.

Same thing as Firworks has.

 

[speed bump]

Wilson /WE boost is the standard in the oil field but the one you want is going to run you at least $300-400.

I would call AT&T and see what they will do for you as well. When they had a tower down a couple of weeks I called them and they offered a to come out and install a booster that works over wifi.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ +1 for Wilson Electronics.

They ARE the go-to company if you can't get free equipment from cell provider.

 

[John in OH]

Wilson /WE boost is the standard in the oil field but the one you want is going to run you at least $300-400.

My farm in SE Ohio is in very hilly terrain and the Verizon cell phone service is/was very weak. Signal could be lost if I walked from the living room into the kitchen.

I asked one of the oil field guys working nearby how they managed cell phone service in our area and he showed me a Wilson system that he said the oil companies all installed in their vehicles. Based on that, I added a Wilson booster system for around $400 to my farm house and it "helps" but it isn't a total fix. Signal is still dicey at times. I don't recall the model number of the particular Wilson system that I have, but it does NOT require an internet connection ... it is purely a cell phone signal booster.

In fact, our only internet connection is via a Samsung "hot spot"-type system that makes its connection to the internet through the cell phone system and, hence, via the Wilson booster, not the other way around. My internet performance has improved significantly since the Wilson system was installed.

 

[Zeke]

When I switched from Verizon to AT&T, I got home and found I had no cell service anywhere around my house. Basically you turn onto my street and it's dead. Where I live it's very hilly (up on a bluff) so the cellular coverage is very spotty even from street to street. I called AT&T and said I guess I need to bring these phones back then? I'd like to keep them but I can't have no cell phone coverage at home. They gave me a free AT&T Microcell (I had to go back to the AT&T store, and call the CSR back. They talked to AT&T store employees and I walked out with a free one). It connects to my home internet and my phone connects to it. I've got perfect service at my house / in my yard. You can restrict who can connect to it, and it was a pretty nice little solution. The only issue it has is, it can't hand your call off to a full tower so if you call someone at home and try to leave it will drop. Likewise if you are talking to someone as you get home your phone will stay on the big tower until the call ends. Then it will switch to the Microcell. See what they'll do for you. I've found AT&T CSR to be pretty good.

Same story here with Sprint. However, the satellite delay is a lot worse. I tell people to pretend they are using a CB and say "over."

 

[Git]

Do you have internet at home?

The reason why I ask - is there is any easier/cheaper way for phone calls

GOOGLE VOICE.

Get a free Google Voice number or port over your current phone number.

Buy a simple OBI200 device for around $50, and you now have a free internet phone at home. You can connect any phone to it, cordless, corded, etc
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUV7C9A/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ISKW7IC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

So instead of giving out your cell phone number - you tell people to call you on your Google Voice number. You can set up Google Voice to ring your cell phone or the OBI 200 or both devices. I have been doing it this way for years, and it really works well

 

[Thumper68]

If you decide to go with a Weboost don't just order one, I called them and explained my situation and they came right out and told me to not get one as with the nearest tower being close to 13 miles away that the distance was just to far.

 

[Thumper68]

Here is a link to where cell towers are.

http://opensignal.com/network-coverage-maps/att-coverage-map.php

 

[My Old Tools]

Our house won't let cell signals in through the radiant barrier and windows. We tried the ATT micro cell. It kind of worked for awhile, then died completely. When it did work you could hear a delay and echo. Went to a Wilson whole house amplifier with a yagi antenna outside. It has been running several years. You don't even know its there unless the power fails.

 

[nafterclifen]

In my experience, traditional cell signal boosters don't work very well if there is poor signal to start. They will only repeat the same crappy signal that they are able to receive. Yes, the signal strength will be high but the quality will be poor. Been there, done that and will likely never do it again.

Now if you have good signal outside and not inside (due to materials, construction, etc) then they work. But I'm willing to bet that is not the case. So the next best thing is to purchase a Microcell/Repeater from your wireless provider. I have both the ATT and Verizon devices in my house and both work great. Both need internet access to function and although their range is limited, they will likely give you signal throughout most of your home.

 

[Wanna Ride]

We too recently got an AT&T micro cell, and they gave it to us (originally wanted to charge us about $100), and they set it up for us. Works great. I didn't handle it, my wife did, so I'm not familiar with the details.

Made a big difference in cell service at the house.

 

[firworks]

I should add for the people who are saying that they get echo / delay on their Microcells. It is probably dependent on the quality of your internet. I have Gigabit internet so... I'm good to go!

 

[Majordisorder]

After steel siding over foil faced rigid insulation, my cell phones didn't work very well. I did get 2 or 3 bars in a couple of window so I purchased an inexpensive Panasonic answering machine with 3 handsets that has blue tooth capability. We leave our cell phones in the window and the cordless handsets work beautifully throughout the building and then some.

Getting away from the cell phone burning sensation in my fingers and side of my head is another benefit .

 

[nehog]

My new cell phone supports WiFi calling--solved that little problem of not being able to call from inside the garage nicely!

 

[TedU]

+1 for Microcell for AT&T.
It was given to me by a friend so can't beat the price.
It works pretty well but it has to be able to receive a GPS signal which meant near a window for me. The model I have has a connector for an external GPS antenna, so found one on one ebay and now the unit doesn't have to sit in the window to work (but the antenna does).

 

[gumbellion]

this is the one we installed in 2014. Part of the problem is were surrounded by mature trees then to ad to it we have a steel roof and new windows
We would get enough to make a call if you stood in the exact right spot on the deck or when the leaves fell in the fall we would get better cell
now were at full bars, no dropped calls, use our phones for internet
in my mind it was worth the $400 and some



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