Mobile Phone reception booster

hjr

Hi all,

Just wondering about a device to boost the signal of my mobile phone inside my house. I have one room of the house which has good signal, but no coverage in the other rooms. I am on Vodafone and my wife is on 02 so we have both options covered!

Is there something I can plug into the room with coverage which would boost the coverage around the rest of the house?

Thanks in advance.

Davy

My understanding that you are not allowed do anything with the operators signal. You would be rebroadcasting their signal which is illegal. Despite that they are easily available online.

Rsaeire

hjr wrote: »

Hi all,

Just wondering about a device to boost the signal of my mobile phone inside my house. I have one room of the house which has good signal, but no coverage in the other rooms. I am on Vodafone and my wife is on 02 so we have both options covered!

Is there something I can plug into the room with coverage which would boost the coverage around the rest of the house?

Thanks in advance.

What you are referring to is possible, however, such devices are generally only provided by mobile operators to large companies for their respective buildings. Unfortunately I'm not aware of any cell booster that you can source legally for your home.

hjr

Davy wrote: »

My understanding that you are not allowed do anything with the operators signal. You would be rebroadcasting their signal which is illegal. Despite that they are easily available online.

And what would they be called if one wanted to research such a thing!??

cojomo2

hjr wrote: »

And what would they be called if one wanted to research such a thing!??

make your own!

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-a-Coffee-Can-Cellphone-Booster-2388107

Tom Dunne

hjr wrote: »

And what would they be called if one wanted to research such a thing!??

Do a search - there have been quite a few threads on this topic over the past while.

helimachoptor

I know a guy who has an o2 cell repeater in his house. Its just plugged into the mains. You can buy them from o2 (not sure of the price as this guy got his for free).

mobius42

I would be really interested in getting one of those. Are you sure he got it from O2?

helimachoptor

mobius42 wrote: »

I would be really interested in getting one of those. Are you sure he got it from O2?

Yep his brother is in the higher echelons in o2 and got a few of them. Gave them to friends and family.

In saying this the guy who has it lives in dark spot and actually needs one.

As said not sure on the cost of one of them

mobius42

helimachoptor wrote: »

Yep his brother is in the higher echelons in o2 and got a few of them. Gave them to friends and family.

In saying this the guy who has it lives in dark spot and actually needs one.

As said not sure on the cost of one of them

Thanks. I'll ask about them over on the O2 forums, once the iPhone madness has died down.

helimachoptor

mobius42 wrote: »

Thanks. I'll ask about them over on the O2 forums, once the iPhone madness has died down.

they may/may not be available but worth a try asking.

My OH works for VF and is looking to get one for her family home out west too.

Tom Dunne

helimachoptor wrote: »

I know a guy who has an o2 cell repeater in his house. Its just plugged into the mains. You can buy them from o2 (not sure of the price as this guy got his for free).

Just to clarify - are you talking about a phone call repeater, as opposed to an O2 broadband repeater?

I always thought a call repeater was illegal, whereas a data repeater wasn't.

helimachoptor

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Just to clarify - are you talking about a phone call repeater, as opposed to an O2 broadband repeater?

I always thought a call repeater was illegal, whereas a data repeater wasn't.

Nope its a GSM repeater, they dont have a MBB dongle.
Again i'm not sure on specifics.. but AFAIK o2 are to begin/have already begun trialing them.

Target market are customers who have bad coverage, pretty much just plug into a standard power socket and away you go.
Have seen the actual device.

Just to expand on the call repeater. A lot of the larger companies would have these on site. For example AIB with 2000 staff in Ballsbridge would have such a device*

I'm just using them as an example and not saying they have one.

Tom Dunne

helimachoptor wrote: »

Nope its a GSM repeater, they dont have a MBB dongle.
Again i'm not sure on specifics.. but AFAIK o2 are to begin/have already begun trialing them.

Target market are customers who have bad coverage, pretty much just plug into a standard power socket and away you go.
Have seen the actual device.

Just to expand on the call repeater. A lot of the larger companies would have these on site. For example AIB with 2000 staff in Ballsbridge would have such a device*

I'm just using them as an example and not saying they have one.

That's interesting, as I said above, I always thought they were illegal - or at least in the case of large companies, had to be licensed.

I didn't think they were becoming available for the home user. Great news if they are, I know several people who have to make/receive calls outside their house, reception is so poor indoors.

I think I'll PM Daryll from O2 for the craic and see if he can shed any light on it.

helimachoptor

Tom Dunne wrote: »

That's interesting, as I said above, I always thought they were illegal - or at least in the case of large companies, had to be licensed.

I didn't think they were becoming available for the home user. Great news if they are, I know several people who have to make/receive calls outside their house, reception is so poor indoors.

I think I'll PM Daryll from O2 for the craic and see if he can shed any light on it.

I'm not sure on the legalities, but as long as the repeater is operating inside the parent area at the same frequency as the BTS its connecting to then there shouldnt need to be any licences, but its not my area so i stand to be corrected.

If Daryll comes back with something can you post up here Tom?

Tom Dunne

helimachoptor wrote: »

If Daryll comes back with something can you post up here Tom?

I will certainly.

Though I think he has his hands full today with the announcement of the iPhone pricing details.

helimachoptor

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I will certainly.

Though I think he has his hands full today with the announcement of the iPhone pricing details.

Yes just a had a quick look and he seems to be doing a lot of firefighting with Iphone threads

towel401

just get a massive ****er of an aerial and connect it to your phone

Davy

Apparently Vodafone Uk are the first in europe to offer such a device. They are launching it on July 1st. I dont think it will be much to us, as you need to register the four numbers with vodafone you want to use with it.


Press Release

Quick and easy to install, the Gateway works with all 3G handsets and can support up to four voice calls at any one time. Customers will no longer need to worry about missed calls on their mobiles due to inconsistent indoor coverage. With the new Vodafone Access Gateway customers will be able to take advantage of the full range of Vodafone services via their handset anywhere in the home.

The Gateway is available from free or as part of an inclusive price plan from as little as £15 a month. It is also available as a one off purchase for £160 or a monthly charge from as little as £5.

O2_Daryll

Thanks for the nudge Tom. I am not too sure about this myself, I was aware they were illegal too but I will do a bit of asking around and I will see if there is someone that can answer this for us.

Walkman

I heard today 3 will be offering these to some customers under the NBS and they can be used to boost mobile signal. Only to specific areas outlined by the government though.

Gryzor

was looking for something like this aswell...signal in my house is brutal.

came accross this crowd, bit on the pricey side though...

D'Peoples Voice

Gryzor wrote: »

was looking for something like this aswell...signal in my house is brutal.

came accross this crowd, bit on the pricey side though...

I like to buy for the present and to future proof things, but this quote scares me

The MR Mini Dual Band Personal Repeater Kit is compatible with all European mobile phone carriers (except 3G)

Surely everyone will have moved from a 2.5G phone to a 3G phone within the next 5 years, so is this aerial really worth it?

Gryzor

maybe this is the one then....even more pricey!! :eek:

Seems u can get the same item for €50 less on their UK site...typical...:rolleyes:

we'llallhavetea_old

I seen one of these booster thingys in a shop in mullingar. It was seven or eight hundred euro, yikes!

jimbling

Any update on these things people? I've recently switched to 02 and cant get a signal in my office at all. Other networks are fine. Damn iPhone.

crótach

Would something like this help?
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Mobile-Phone-Signal-Booster-Nokia-Samsung-iPhone-Sony_W0QQitemZ260463703378QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MobilePhones_MobilePhoneAccessories_MobilePhoneBatteries?hash=item3ca4d8b552&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Unless all of their feedback is fake, this cheap sticker seems to be doing the job?!

jimbling

crótach wrote: »

Would something like this help?
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Mobile-Phone-Signal-Booster-Nokia-Samsung-iPhone-Sony_W0QQitemZ260463703378QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MobilePhones_MobilePhoneAccessories_MobilePhoneBatteries?hash=item3ca4d8b552&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Unless all of their feedback is fake, this cheap sticker seems to be doing the job?!

wow, that looks too good to be true. Anyone on here ever tried using one of these?

One point all right though :

Easy to install - simply peel and stick to the inside of your battery compartment.instructions included.

em, I have an iphone... can't get inside the battery compartment

silliegillie

Hmmm , Im interested in this. There is no coverage in my apartment so Id love something to boost the reception. Cant understand why they would be illegal though. On a similar note, Im trying to get internet access at home, If I go down the Eircom, BT route ect... I have to get a land line which I dont want,(every thing is Bundle this ect... Just cant afford it) so Im more than interested in any way to boost reception in the house so I can use a Dongle.

ardmacha

The landline will get you infinitely better Internet than fiddling around with boosters and the like, or get Internet over the cable tv, if you have it. Get the Vodafone landline service and you even get some cheaper mobile calls to Voda numbers.

D'Peoples Voice

hjr wrote: »

Hi all,
Just wondering about a device to boost the signal of my mobile phone inside my house. I have one room of the house which has good signal, but no coverage in the other rooms. I am on Vodafone and my wife is on 02 so we have both options covered!

Hjr, did you ever find anything as I'm still looking for such a device.
I came across this - http://www.dtech.ie/ourshop/prod_1074338-3G-Mobile-Call-Data-Booster-Repeater.html & http://mobilephonerepeater.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=35
seems very pricey though, but don't want to buy something cheap and it not work.
So, if you got something to work, please enlighten me