What is a Cell Phone Signal Booster? An Informative Guide

Photo by Marek Szturc

Do you know how a cell phone signal booster could help you? As of last year, 81 percent of Americans own a smartphone. That’s hundreds of millions of people all vying for a signal.

Yet across the United States, many of us struggle with bad signal, leading to us asking questions like “why does my phone keep dropping calls?”

Even if your area has a good cell phone signal, you can still end up struggling due to the construction or layout of your home.

As you might have expected, there is a tech solution to this problem. A cell phone repeater can boost your phone’s signal and help you make clear calls from anywhere, so long as you can get a signal of some kind.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at this new technology and find out how it works and what kind of boosts you can expect to see. Ready to find out more? Then keep reading!

What is a Cell Phone Signal Booster?

A cell phone signal booster is a device that takes a weak cell phone signal and boosts it so that you get more bars on your phone. A stronger signal means fewer dropped calls, no more texts refusing to send, and better voice quality on calls.

The booster takes the signal and amplifies it into a stronger one in your local area. There are two main kinds of cell phone signal boosters available, ones designed for vehicles and one designed for buildings. These can amplify the signal across 7500 square feet at a maximum.

They are portable devices that are designed to be used by more than one user at any given time. Due to their small size, they’re perfect for the home or for taking with you in the car or on an RV trip.

How Does a Cell Phone Signal Booster Work?

There are three main components to cell phone signal boosters. These are a pair of antennas and a signal booster.

Outside Antenna

The first antenna is used to capture the signal. There are two kinds of outside antennae available, omnidirectional, which captures cellphone signals across 360 degrees of its surroundings and unidirectional. The second kind is best reserved for specialized cases where you only want to boost the signal for one carrier or want a very strong boost.

These kinds of an antenna are mounted on the roof of your vehicle or building. The signal is then fed down the chain to the amplifier.

Signal Amplifier

Also known as signal repeaters, these are boxes that process the initial cell phone signal and boosts it. It does this by applying gain to the signal, increasing its strength in the local area.

Inside Antenna

The second antenna is used to broadcast the stronger signal across a local area. You can think of it as a small-scale cellphone tower, yet its range is measured in thousands of feet instead of several miles.

As with the outside antennae, there are two main kinds of inside antennae. There are panel antennae, which broadcast most strongly in the area nearest to them and dome antennae, that broadcast it around an area equally.

Do They Work?

If you’re thinking of buying a cell booster, you might be wondering whether they work. Are they just a placebo?

The answer is yes, they do work. A good cell phone booster can take a small amount of signal and boost it by a factor of 10, 20, or even 30. This results in a clear cell phone signal wherever you are, be it in a large convention center or out on the road in the wilderness.

Boosters work on all kinds of cell phone signals including 3G, LTE, and 4G. This means that they can also make web browsing easier in remote areas or parts of your home where cell phone signal is at its weakest.

Set up is simple too, especially when you are using omnidirectional antennae. Simply mount them up and you’ll be ready to get started enjoying better signal. Depending on where you are mounting your antennae, you may need to run coaxial cable, but this is not a difficult task if you’re happy with some DIY.

Are They Legal?

One thing that people often ask is whether a cell phone repeater is legal. Are you not going to cause interference and get in trouble with the FCC? Does it count as an unlicensed broadcast?

The answer is no. These devices only work over a small area and don’t tend to interfere with other broadcasts or other wavelengths. For peace of mind, take a look at a cell phone repeater before you buy it and make sure that the device is approved by the FCC or their equivalent in your country.

If the device is, you can go ahead and start using it.

Cell Booster FAQs

We’re sure that you have a lot of questions, so we’re going to answer some of the most common ones.

Which Cellphone Signal Booster is Right For Me?

You might be wondering what kind of booster is right for your home or vehicle. We would recommend taking a closer look at a device’s specifications before you buy it. You can also find manuals for the devices on most store’s pages.

Is It Safe to Use a Booster?

Do boosters emit harmful radiation? The answer is no, they do not, cell phone boosters are very safe. All repeaters bought from reputable stores will comply with health and safety regulations.

Will a Booster Cover Every Floor of My Home?

Most homes will be covered by a single booster. You should not need to buy multiple ones.

Interested in More Tech Guides?

While a cell phone signal booster may not be for everyone, they can truly help to improve your life if you’re suffering from bad cell phone signal!

If you’d like to learn more about tech, we regularly publish guides to teach you more about the latest technology, and how it can help you. Follow us on social media to see our latest articles as soon as they’re published!

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