# Mobile phone signal boosters



## madzone (Jan 18, 2012)

Do they work? I've seen one from Vodafone but I don't really understand it 

We get no mobile phone signal here at all so would anything be able to boost it enough?

I'm paying £35 a month just for calls to mobiles from the landline. On the bill there's stacks of calls where the kids have obviously rung someone and it's gone straight to voicemail and it's cost me 25p every time they've done it. All of us are on contract phones so it's frustrating that we can't use our free minutes instead.

eta - we're all with different phone providers.


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## BoatieBird (Jan 18, 2012)

I've got a mate who lives in the Forest of Dean, in a slight valley, with no mobile phone reception at all.
She's just got one of theose Vodaphone thingys and it works well (but don't ask me _how_ it works).
She was already with Vodaphone


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## Pickman's model (Jan 18, 2012)

get a satellite phone


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## mrs quoad (Jan 18, 2012)

It's at times like this that the wiki blackout affects us all


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## mauvais (Jan 18, 2012)

If you're on about femtocells, they are basically mini cell towers that plug into your broadband, and yes they do work. You would need one per provider, and I don't know how they inter-operate.

It's a bit of a con because you start lending the network operator your internet connection that you already pay for, but if you're in a poor coverage area there is an advantage.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 18, 2012)

madzone said:


> Do they work? I've seen one from Vodafone but I don't really understand it
> 
> We get no mobile phone signal here at all so would anything be able to boost it enough?
> 
> ...



Do you mean you just can't get reception in your house or the whole area?

Can't you call people on their landlines or have they all got rid of them, or are you talking about contacting your kids who obviously aren't in the house and only have mobiles?


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## madzone (Jan 18, 2012)

It's the kids phoning other kids and me and mr madz contacting each other when one of us is out of the house. I'm not stupid enough to call someone's mobile when they're sat next to their landline - especially seeing as I get free calls to landlines.


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## madzone (Jan 18, 2012)

mauvais said:


> If you're on about femtocells, they are basically mini cell towers that plug into your broadband, and yes they do work. You would need one per provider, and I don't know how they inter-operate.
> 
> It's a bit of a con because you start lending the network operator your internet connection that you already pay for, but if you're in a poor coverage area there is an advantage.


I'm not sure what I'm on about really. Mr madz's daughter works for vodafone and she suggested it. It confused me because she knows none if us are with vodafone.


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## xxxx7 (Mar 19, 2012)

There is a solution provided you do have smartphones that are 3G signal enabled and you have at least 1 bar of 3G signal. Remember to check for signal in the highest points of your house by the windows as this is where the signal is usually the strongest. The solution is called cel-fi rs2 from nextivity. Their UK website is www.cel-fi.co.uk . Please read their blog and all the info on the home page to make sure it's what you need. The box is Orange, T-Mobile and O2 compatible but works only for one network at  a time. Good luck! Hope that helps. Ithelped our offices a LOT.


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## joustmaster (Mar 19, 2012)

ah I see, the solution to having no signal, is to use a solution that needs some signal.

I hear a new series of the apprentice is starting soon, are you going to be on it?


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## peterkro (Mar 19, 2012)

I have this problem where I live (part time),no mobile,terrestrial TV or radio.There are solutions where if you can get a signal outside,top of roof for instance these gizmos pick up that signal and via a cable and another gizmo broadcasts it inside house.Don't know how good they are and they aren't cheap.Wouldn't work for me because no signal even standing on top of chimney,yet if I walk 250yards down the road I get a signal.If it's any use Orange seems to have the best coverage at least around here.

http://mobilerepeater.co.uk/shop/home.php


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## Kanda (Mar 19, 2012)

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


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## peterkro (Mar 19, 2012)

Kanda said:


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


 
That sounds interesting,presumably it uses broadband to connect to Vodaphones servers and streams both ways.If O2 can get their act together and unlock my phone I'll give it a go.Bit of a hassle changing SIMs when I go out and changing back when I get home.Strange thing is I've got VOIP although haven't really set it up,I think it's possible to get incoming calls to my mobile transferred to VOIP, that would solve the problem.Guess I need to do some work on it.


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## mauvais (Mar 19, 2012)

O2 have a similar product called Boostbox, but I believe it's currently only available to enterprise customers and consumer testers. Won't be long though.


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## peterkro (Mar 19, 2012)

Just found out O2 have a thing called O2 connect which they say is imminent,it's apperently being trialled at the moment.It's an app for iPhone and Android which uses VOIP to the servers,sounds good and will be cheaper than having to buy a box.I fear however by imminent they mean next year.
(if you go to the O2 labs site you can ask for an invite to Connect,I'm not sure how up to date it is as they've got the latest iPhone firmware as 5.01 and 5.1 has been out for a while,worth a shot)


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

Kanda said:


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


That's the one I was talking about in the OP. None of us are with Vodafone.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 20, 2012)

xxxx7 said:


> There is a solution provided you do have smartphones that are 3G signal enabled and you have at least 1 bar of 3G signal. Remember to check for signal in the highest points of your house by the windows as this is where the signal is usually the strongest. The solution is called cel-fi rs2 from nextivity. Their UK website is www.cel-fi.co.uk . Please read their blog and all the info on the home page to make sure it's what you need. The box is Orange, T-Mobile and O2 compatible but works only for one network at a time. Good luck! Hope that helps. Ithelped our offices a LOT.


 
That's some very targeted spam!


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