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Mobile phone boosters repeaters thingys
Johneturbo - 10/8/11 at 06:02 PM

Has anyone used these?, basically a antenna like a tv style which plugs into a booster/repeater then out into an internal antenna

http://www.gsmbooster.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=89_94&products_id=183

We've always had real bad signal indoors, even though the mast is only about 1/2 mile away, the problem is we live in a old cottage with thick walls and no windows in that direction

i'm able to get about 2 bars with my nokia 5800 depending where in the house i am, so went for an upgrade with 3 to a samsung galaxy S2
but could only get 1 bar or none mostly so took the phone back so reverted to my old nokia.

[Edited on 10/8/11 by Johneturbo]

hillbillyracer - 10/8/11 at 06:56 PM

I've wondered too as we only have signal in spcific spots (almost all outside!) but I could'nt find anyone who really sounded like they knew what they were talking about so thought better of spending money on one.
Talking to my neighbour* at a BBQ last weekend he's recently put one up & has the arial on top of a large shed & it does work, but not fantasticly, he needs to be standing fairly close to the booster box to get it to work. But even if he has the phone where the arial is it only gets a couple of bars so conditions are not ideal, mabye if you have good signal outside your house it'll work better?


*neighbouring farms, he's over 1/4 of a mile away & in a bit of a hollow!

Johneturbo - 10/8/11 at 07:48 PM

Outside i get about 4 bars so i'm sure if i stood on the roof i'd get full signal wgich is where the outside arial would be

but like you say could be a waste of money, google doesn't seem to bring that much feedback on them, i've read a couple of threads on forums one with great reviews and one with not so great

Hmmmm what to do

mad4x4 - 10/8/11 at 08:09 PM

We have this

nick205 - 10/8/11 at 08:13 PM

What network are with?

I changed from O2 (full bars at home) to Vodafone (1 to none bars at home). I've since got a Vodafone suresignal box which connects to my ADSL router. Full bars everywhere at all times.

UncleFista - 10/8/11 at 08:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mad4x4
We have this


Orange have the same kind of thing, i think..

MikeR - 10/8/11 at 08:58 PM

Do they? I'm on orange and looked a couple of times but found nothing that I could use with my nokia 5800.

ChrisW - 11/8/11 at 08:34 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mad4x4
We have this


I've just bought one of those. After suffering with poor signal since I lived in this house I now have 5 bars everywhere. Fantastic bit of kit.

However, it only works with Vodafone, and no other companies have them yet. I switched networks just to get it.

Chris

Johneturbo - 11/8/11 at 09:28 AM

I really would rather stay with three as you get a lot more for your monies ie all you can eat data with the galaxy S2 for £35pm

for the same £35pm with other networks you only get 500/750MB which is pants!

as yes it's only Vodaphone that use ADSL for the connection at home

mr_pr - 11/8/11 at 09:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Johneturbo
I really would rather stay with three as you get a lot more for your monies ie all you can eat data with the galaxy S2 for £35pm

for the same £35pm with other networks you only get 500/750MB which is pants!

as yes it's only Vodaphone that use ADSL for the connection at home


I don't know if you use your phone as a internet gateway for laptop/PC but on my iPhone I am constantly using the net/emails etc and I don't even get close to my 500Mb a month cap.... It might be worth checking how much data you actually use.


On a side note, Signal repeaters are illegal in the UK. Just worth noting, especially if you go ahead and install on and then tell everyone on here how you did it. I

MikeRJ - 11/8/11 at 09:52 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mr_pr
On a side note, Signal repeaters are illegal in the UK. Just worth noting, especially if you go ahead and install on and then tell everyone on here how you did it.


We had one professionally installed at work to boost the Orange signal, so presumably they can be legally installed.

britishtrident - 11/8/11 at 10:01 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Johneturbo
I really would rather stay with three as you get a lot more for your monies ie all you can eat data with the galaxy S2 for £35pm

for the same £35pm with other networks you only get 500/750MB which is pants!

as yes it's only Vodaphone that use ADSL for the connection at home


Thats a bit OTT 3 are usually quite competitive but unless you are using your phone continuously 24/7 you are unlikely to use more that 500Mb data in a month.

Even on PAYG Orange give you 100mb if you top up by a tenner then you can swap £5 of the credit for 500mmb, that is more than enough.
I am switching to 3 sim onlly because they have a more extensive 3g coverage but won't be paying more than £10 a month including 1gb .

mr_pr - 11/8/11 at 02:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by mr_pr
On a side note, Signal repeaters are illegal in the UK. Just worth noting, especially if you go ahead and install on and then tell everyone on here how you did it.


We had one professionally installed at work to boost the Orange signal, so presumably they can be legally installed.


Passive repeaters, no signal boost are legal, they simply 'direct' the signal.

Active repeaters (powered and boost signal) are legal to sell, distribute and own. Illegal to use unless you have the correct license. Your work one may have been installed with permission from Orange under their license but that would be quite unusual.

From Ofcom...


quote:

11. Cellular repeaters/boosters
(http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/enforcement/jammers/)
Repeater devices transmit or re-transmit in the cellular frequency bands. Only the mobile network operators are licensed to use equipment that transmits in these bands. Installation or use of repeater devices by anyone without a licence is a criminal offence under Section 8 of the WT Act 2006. Any person found guilty of installing or using such devices without a licence would be liable on conviction to a fine of up to £5000 and/or up to 51 weeks’ imprisonment (Six months in Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Should you require advice about the coverage or signal strength in any location, this should be discussed with the cellular provider(s) concerned, whose contact details are given below in this information sheet.

Johneturbo - 11/8/11 at 03:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
quote:
Originally posted by Johneturbo
I really would rather stay with three as you get a lot more for your monies ie all you can eat data with the galaxy S2 for £35pm

for the same £35pm with other networks you only get 500/750MB which is pants!

as yes it's only Vodaphone that use ADSL for the connection at home


Thats a bit OTT 3 are usually quite competitive but unless you are using your phone continuously 24/7 you are unlikely to use more that 500Mb data in a month.

Even on PAYG Orange give you 100mb if you top up by a tenner then you can swap £5 of the credit for 500mmb, that is more than enough.
I am switching to 3 sim onlly because they have a more extensive 3g coverage but won't be paying more than £10 a month including 1gb .


Well i thought that untill i looked at my allowance for this month. i'm on sim only with three with a rolling montly contract i
i get 2gb a month for £15 and i'm shocked to find i've used half already it re sets on the 17th.

i only do general browsing, sometimes with a piccy or two upload on FB, but that still seems a lot as i don't download mp3's or anything
are websites now becoming high on Mb's due more flashy content.


also i received a free PAYG sim from Vodaphone to try in my phone, and i've good signal 4/5 bars all the network masts are together which is about 1/2 mile away. i wonder if the 3G that three use for everything voice and data struggles to get though as its 2100mhz :confussed:

[Edited on 11/8/11 by Johneturbo]

MikeRJ - 11/8/11 at 06:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mr_pr
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
We had one professionally installed at work to boost the Orange signal, so presumably they can be legally installed.


Passive repeaters, no signal boost are legal, they simply 'direct' the signal.

Active repeaters (powered and boost signal) are legal to sell, distribute and own. Illegal to use unless you have the correct license. Your work one may have been installed with permission from Orange under their license but that would be quite unusual.


Whatever it is, it's definitely active. I know this as every so often it stops working and they have to power cycle it. It also only works for voice and text, data connections don't work. I'm wondering if it could be some kind of VOIP system, but you don't need any kind of Wifi connection to use it, any Orange phone works.