# Is there any way to boost mobile telephone reception within your house?



## TremulousTetra (Mar 21, 2011)

Is there any way to boost mobile telephone reception within your house?

My house is right by the coast, and in a dip, so it seems to have really stuttering reception. Is there any way I could improve it? Are there telephones which are better at reception than others?

Any help appreciated.


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## mr steev (Mar 21, 2011)

Some phones are definately better than others. 

I had a crap samsung which only recieved messages when I was in the kitchen and I had to go on the garden to make a call. I'm now using my gf's blackberry (same sim, same network) and it works fine. Likewise my mate can't get a signal at all in his boat on the canal whereas mine works 90% of the time.


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## dessiato (Mar 21, 2011)

I don't know if they are still available, but there used to be aerials available to boost reception.  They had a magnetic base and you could stand them on a biscuit tin. They were designed to be dis-mountable car aerials, but worked equally in the home.


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## kained&able (Mar 21, 2011)

surely you can construct something with tin foil

dave


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## wreckhead (Mar 21, 2011)

on vodafone you can get a "Sure Signal" femtocell box to plug into your broadband router, for which I reluctantly paid £50 when I couldn't put up with the crap signal in my flat.  It does work (most of the time), and gives me a constant full bars 3G signal.  Not sure if the other networks offer anything similar.  20 months and counting left of vodafone contract hmmpph.....


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## dessiato (Mar 21, 2011)

kained&able said:


> surely you can construct something with tin foil
> 
> dave



Like this?


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## dessiato (Mar 21, 2011)




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## TremulousTetra (Mar 21, 2011)

TANX everybody.


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## cybershot (Mar 21, 2011)

Pringles tube can be quite efficient too!!


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## Sunray (Mar 24, 2011)

wreckhead said:


> on vodafone you can get a "Sure Signal" femtocell box to plug into your broadband router, for which I reluctantly paid £50 when I couldn't put up with the crap signal in my flat.  It does work (most of the time), and gives me a constant full bars 3G signal.  Not sure if the other networks offer anything similar.  20 months and counting left of vodafone contract hmmpph.....


 
I think this the only one available and its a great idea.


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## wreckhead (Mar 24, 2011)

Indeed, it fucking works.  I'm very disappointed in vodafone signal wise and of course for being massive tax avoiding scum, but they seem to be the only ones to have sorted this out.  Presumably it's not a technological barrier getting this thing working for any network.....


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## Private Storm (Mar 24, 2011)

I have a Vodafone Sure Signal box. It seems to have made my reception worse and slowed my Internet connection down.

I suspect there may be some user error involved though.


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## Radar (Jul 2, 2011)

Are Voda still the only UK telco with a domestic femtocell offering ??


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## Pingu (Jul 2, 2011)

some also can make use of your wireless to route calls over your net connection ( think orange do this)


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## Coffee (Jul 2, 2011)

Just returned from sorrento and was getting a good signal all over the area even on some smaller islands, returned home (Brighton) to find the usual weaker signal. why is Vodafone Italy much better than here? even in the high rise, well seven storie areas of napals it was better? X


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## Greebo (Jul 2, 2011)

Make sure that your router isn't overheating, as that can make your internet access suddenly cut out (don't ask how I found that out).  The same goes for modem sticks etc.: Unplug, allow to cool, then start up again.  Tiresome, but it often works.


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## Sunray (Jul 3, 2011)

ResistanceMP3 said:


> Is there any way to boost mobile telephone reception within your house?
> 
> My house is right by the coast, and in a dip, so it seems to have really stuttering reception. Is there any way I could improve it? Are there telephones which are better at reception than others?
> 
> Any help appreciated.


 
If you are with Vodaphone and get OK broadband then you can buy one of those femtocells. 

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-accessories/vodafone-sure-signal

Unfortunately its just Vodaphone that sell these, can't understand why that is, its not like its complicated to implement.


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## TremulousTetra (Jul 5, 2011)

Sunray said:


> If you are with Vodaphone and get OK broadband then you can buy one of those femtocells.
> 
> http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-accessories/vodafone-sure-signal
> 
> Unfortunately its just Vodaphone that sell these, can't understand why that is, its not like its complicated to implement.


tried that, but it only works with 3g phones, and none of us have one.


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## WWWeed (Jul 5, 2011)

ResistanceMP3 said:


> tried that, but it only works with 3g phones, and none of us have one.



Thats crazy! That means that those femtocells are effectively an expensive wireless router! Even if your using a 3G phone with a 3G connection voice calls are still made via 'circuit-switched' 2G GSM connections, meaning that femtocells can only work with data (not voice!).

Since femtocells appear to be a con the only other thing I could suggest is to get a handset with UMA. UMA allows you to connect to your phone network and make calls over wifi (much like the femtocells should). You do not need any special equipment, just a activated handset with UMA and a wifi connection. As for as I am aware the only network that supports this is orange.

Your existing handset probably wont have UMA but it might be something to think about when upgrading...


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## WWWeed (Jul 19, 2011)

I have just received a HTC Desire S with UMA and its amazing! Anyone with signal issues at home should avoid femtocells get a handset with UMA. I was able to make a call with no 2g/3g signal!

Unfortunately as far as I can tell orange is the only UK network that supports UMA: http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/446533


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