Boosting a Mobile phone signal

RNCFAN

Does anyone know of any products or any way to boost a mobile phone signal?

I moved into a new apartment and Vodafone, 02 and Meteor have little or no coverage. The apt is not remote at all and I have been advised it may be because of metal lining in the wall??

Just looking to see if there is anything I can do to boost the mobile signal in the apartment.

Thanks!

askU

no

helimachoptor

OP the only way is to a buy "cell repeater" now I know some large companies have these on the premises as they will have a lot of staff and it reduces congestion, dropped calls etc but they arent really a runner for you average joe soap.

lucernarian

Surely it's possible to get a phone with a separate large antenna?? That would work better than the limited built-in antenna most mobiles have.

RNCFAN

Seems like no real alternatives.

cojomo2

this phone has a built in repeater so it claims..but on the chunky side tho...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/418020928_4095e45bce.jpg?v=0

eirlink

years ago i set up a carkit with phone cradle for a friend who had goodish signal near one window. i got an external gsm aerial and extended the lead.
he then could place his phone in the cradle and had handsfee via the carkit in his office ( where he used the cellphone most )worked brilliantly.

i placed the antenna outside on the wall using a plastic waterproof box for the connections and just glued the aerial to the top of the plastic enclosure. Ran the extended cable into the attic and down to carkit.

However, nowadays, most phone cradles do not incorporate aerial connections and furthermore, be aware that if you have NO gsm signal in your apartment, then no booster will work! cause there is no signal to boost in the first place

Bob the Builder

Where there's a will there's a way. Not for me tonight (having a shiate night), but there are products out there to help you...

€26 - http://cgi.ebay.com/3G-GSM-Mobile-12-dB-Gain-Signal-Booster-Antenna_W0QQitemZ170284524655QQcmdZViewItem
(excl. P+P)

$200 (approx)
http://www.ipaccess.com/

Research: http://www.panorama-antennas.com/shop/index.html

New Zealand: http://www.cellutronics.co.nz/

Mooore Research: http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/March07/4468.htm

cormac_byrne

try searching for 'GSM repeater' on ebay

those devices have 2 antennae, One for outside (possibly directional type) to contact the GSM tower and a smaller one for inside to rebroadcast the signal to your mobile.

drunkmonkey

RNCFAN wrote: »

Seems like no real alternatives.

What phone are you using, are you sure there's no fault with it, one of the networks must have some kind of 2G or 3G signal there...when you do a manual network search does any network show up?

RNCFAN

Turns out it something to do with the brick used in the apartment block.
Short answer - get a landline.

Tsk - ****ty f'cking apartment! :mad:

nulabert

Its prob foil back plasterboard. It will even keep the fm radio signal out!

mobius42

They've started to launch femtocells in America, so maybe they'll consider launching them here eventually. They're a good idea except that you have to pay to make up for your providers bad coverage!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtocell

towel401

and they use a GPS to make sure you don't use them where you're not supposed to. freaking rip off if you ask me. get a huge ****er of an external antenna I think a lot of phones still have a connector for one although they starting to take them off to make the phones look more sleek and iPhoney

pa990

Poor Signal is prob due to Foil lined Insulation used in a lot of modern construction

I have been barely able to get a signal (1 or 2 bars) in a hotel room, even though the nearest Cell tower was less than 1mile away (line of sight)

If i stepped outside the hotel, my signal went up to full

RNCFAN

nulabert wrote: »

Its prob foil back plasterboard. It will even keep the fm radio signal out!

QFT.