A cell phone signal booster (also known as a cell signal booster) is just what it sounds like; a device that boosts weak cellular signals for use by cell phones, smartphones, tablets, hotspots, and other cellular-connected devices. By amplifying the existing cell signal, cell phone boosters help:
Regardless of which U.S. carrier network you use, everyone has experienced weak cell signal.
Cell phone signal boosters fall into two main categories: Home Boosters, Vehicle Boosters, Commercial/Industrial Buildings
Home cell signal boosters are designed to improve indoor signal conditions within spaces ranging from one room to an entire home. Most home boosters support multiple users and multiple devices simultaneously and across multiple carrier networks.
Vehicle cell signal boosters (or mobile signal boosters) are designed to enhance cell signal within a car, truck, van, or SUV. We also have models specially designed for RVs, towable trailers, semi-trucks, or fleet vehicles. Most weBoost vehicle boosters support multiple users and devices, while some like our Drive Sleek products, boost signal for only one cell phone.
The stronger the outside signal strength, the more effective a cell phone signal booster will be at amplifying the signal strength indoors. Remember, the signal bars on your phone only provide a relative measure of the existing signal strength in your area. It’s possible for one phone to show full signal bars while another phone shows two signal bars while receiving the same signal from the nearby cell tower.
Although several factors can contribute to the quality of cell phone reception, below are some primary causes of unreliable cell signal.
As long as there is an available signal outside your home or vehicle, then the booster can amplify it inside your space to give you improved talk, text, data, and more.
We offer boosters that vary depending on your cell coverage needs. For example, If you only need a booster for a single phone in your car, the best cell signal booster for you will be different from someone whose situation might require a multi-user booster. Likewise, cell signal boosters can vary depending on the size of your home. By checking the existing signal strength inside your home (as well as outside), you can better determine which type of booster will work best for you. Since signal bars only provide a relative measure of signal strength, check out our blog on testing signal strength using free apps and online resources.
The cost of a cell signal booster can range from $199.99 to $1199.99. The cost depends on a number of factors, including the overall performance of the booster kit, installation, the number of users or devices the booster can support, and how many carrier networks are compatible with the booster.
As a general rule:
EKHO COMM installs cell signal boosters that are a one-time investment with no ongoing fees.
Generally speaking, vehicle cell signal boosters can be installed more quickly than home boosters. Installation of a vehicle cell signal booster usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
The installation of a home booster might take as long as 3 hours, as it involves running coax cable into your home as well as mounting an outside antenna on or near your roof. Every weBoost product includes detailed instructions to guide you through the process.
Professional installation is handled by EKHO COMM, whose technicians are trained, certified, and insured to fulfill our installation requests in the Mountain West.
Yes! Because cell towers tend to be farther away in rural areas and remote locations, we recommend using the strongest booster within the home or vehicle category to achieve the best possible results.
Finding the closest cell phone tower in your neighborhood, or even on the go, doesn’t have to be a difficult task. It all starts by familiarizing yourself with some helpful, easy to use, and free resources for locating cell towers that can be found online.
READ ARTICLE:How to Find Cell Phone Towers Near You
Cell signal boosters amplify voice and data signals on all North American carrier networks and for all cellular-connected devices; including phones, tablets, and hotspots. Typically, the range of frequencies spans between 700 MHz and 2100 MHz. To view the specific frequency bands covered by your booster, go to the product page spec sheet.
Cell boosters are compatible with all North American carrier networks and work on all cellular-connected devices; including phones, tablets, and hotspots.
Anyone within range of a weBoost home booster’s indoor cell signal can enjoy enhanced coverage without pairing their device or logging into a network. With the exception of our single-device, cradle-booster Drive Sleek products, every weBoost vehicle booster can also handle multiple users, phones, and cellular devices; regardless of carrier.
Yes. Since mobile carriers are planning to use the existing 4G LTE networks to carry the majority of cell service to consumers well into 2030, our current boosters will continue to work for years to come. The 5G network is being built alongside today’s 4G LTE network and will rely on the 4G LTE network as part of its failover or redundancy plan.
No, an internet connection is not required. A cell phone booster works by amplifying the available cell signal in your vehicle or home. It will improve cellular coverage for tasks like phone calls and text messaging. Cell coverage is more reliable and secure than WiFi. Some users may use cellular coverage due to its faster data speeds, uninterrupted streaming, and improved hotspot capabilities.
Because they operate at different frequencies, cell phone signal boosters will not interfere with WiFi. However, it is still recommended to mount the inside antenna for a cell phone signal booster at least 12 inches away from a WiFi router to avoid any interference.
5G is the latest generation of cellular networks. What makes 5G so exciting for so many people is its lightning-fast speed. It’s important to understand the coverage area of a 5G cell site is measured in feet instead of miles. Because of its limited range, 5G won’t replace 4G LTE, but it will provide faster speeds in major metropolitan cities where 5G coverage is more concentrated.
Although it’s getting a lot of mention in the media, 5G of today is actually the bundling of current spectrum to deliver higher speeds. These recent improvements to the existing 4G LTE signal are an important step in the ongoing transition to the 5G network. mmWave—the technology responsible for the extremely high bandwidth and lightning-fast speeds often associated with 5G—is only one part of the 5G spectrum. mmWave won’t become widely available or in use until much later, and even then, primarily in smaller, densely populated areas.
Yes. Since mobile carriers are planning to use the existing 4G LTE networks to carry the majority of cell service to consumers well into 2030 our current boosters will continue to work for years to come. The 5G network is being built alongside today’s 4G LTE network and will rely on the 4G LTE network as part of its infrastructure.
As long as natural and man-made barriers to cellular signal exist, cell signal amplification technology will remain crucial to any future cellular network—regardless of latency or speed.
Given the higher frequencies of 5G, the physics of going through building materials like concrete, brick, metal, and energy-efficient glass will only worsen—further increasing cell signal decay.
5G will effectively provide fiber optic network speeds over a wireless network.Peaking at a 20 gigabit-per-second (Gbps) data speed, 5G makes it possible to download a movie in 3.6 seconds
5G will dramatically reduce a lag known as latency on cellular devices. By cutting response time from 100s of milliseconds down to only a few, the real-time data transfer required by self-driving cars becomes a reality.
5G will satisfy the rising connection density demands of the Internet of Things (IoT). It’s expected to support 1 million devices per .38 sq. miles compared with 2,000 devices with 4G; rapidly growing our connected world.
