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If you’re noticing a lot of dropped calls, delayed texts and slow data speeds in your home or office, there’s a quick and easy solution – a cell phone signal booster.
Signal boosters increase the bars on your phones and tablets. They’re excellent for rural areas, or even apartments where a cell signal is lacking. Using powerful high-gain antennae and low signal-loss cables, these can also be known as signal amplifiers, repeaters, and network extenders. Here’s what to know when searching for the best cell phone signal boost for you.
How Do Cell Phone Signal Boosters Work?
There a few things to consider when looking for a device to boost your cell phone signal, both in terms of speed and strength.
Coverage: How big is the area that you’re looking to cover? These range from hundreds of square feet up into the thousands, so first get an idea of the space that needs a boost. Also note that providing a boost to a weak signal is very different than if you have zero signal to start with. If you’re completely off-grid with no signal at all, a booster may not provide much help. You’ll also want to consider how many devices will be used, and if the booster is designed to handle all that bandwidth.
Antennae:Most of these will come with an antennae component meant for your roof, a window, or somewhere equally high up, since they’ll need to communicate the nearest cell towers. A directional antenna will require you to point it in the direction of the nearest tower, while omnidirectional antennas free you up to point it in any direction, sometimes up to 10 miles away. These are better if you’re not sure where the nearest tower is, so you can adjust accordingly to wherever you’re getting the strongest signal. Dome antennas spread the signal out in all directions, and are best placed inside a ceiling, while panel antennas send a signal straight out, and are better for walls.
Installation: Many of these offer tool-free installation, making the process of setting it up easier. You’ll also want to consider the weather in your area, and invest in a weatherproof antenna to handle whatever nature can throw at it.
Extras: Other perks like monitoring your booster signal remotely via the company’s app, or even on the unit itself with a built-in screen are a big help too.
With coverage, always underestimate. If a booster says it can cover 1000 square feet, assume it’ll actually be half of that, just to be on the safe side. Make sure it works on 5G, or at least is 5G-ready, so you won’t need to buy another one as soon as the 4G network is obsolete. You’ll also want to clarify if the booster you’re eyeing works with your carrier. Most, in North America anyway, work with the big providers, but it’s always best to check, and if you’ll need to register the booster with the carrier too.
