Cell Phone Repeaters/Amplifiers
Cell phone repeaters are an emerging technology of bi-directional cellular amplifiers. If you are suffering from weak cellular signal, then a cellular repeater system can help you by improving the cellular reception that you experience. It does this in two ways:
1. A cellular repeater system will include an antenna which sits outside your building, where the cellular signal is stronger, and feeds this strong signal into your building through a low loss cable.
2. The cellular repeater system actively boosts this signal through the bi-directional amplifier. It is a bi-directional amplifier because both incoming and outgoing signals are boosted.
After a rocky start, cellular repeater technology has much improved and now there are a variety of repeaters which are licensed by the FCC, the body which monitors the communications industry. Be sure to look for this endorsement when buying a repeater, but rest assured that all cellular repeaters from the established manufacturers such as Wilson Electronics, Clear Voice and Wi-Ex zBoost have this accolade included. Cellular Repeaters come in a number of different flavors e.g.. In-Vehicle versions, Large building versions and standard home/small office versions.
Top Cellular Repeaters
For Standard home/small office:
Budget: Wi-Ex zBoost YX-510  Dual Band Wireless Amplifier
Premium: Wilson 801245 SOHO Amplifier, or the Digital Antenna DA4000SBR - 50U 60dB Wireless Cell Phone Amplifier.
For In-Vehicle Use:
Budget: Wi-Ex zBoost YX-200 or Wilson 801201 Dual Band Wireless Amplifiers
Premium: Wilson 801245 SOHO Amplifier (customized for in-vehicle use e.g.. shorter cable runs and antennas with suitable mounts.)
For Large building Use:
Standard: Digital Antenna DA4000SBR - 50U 60dB Wireless Cell Phone Amplifier.
Buying Considerations
Frequency Information
All the cellular repeaters quoted in the Top Products section are 'dual band', which means they are compatible with all networks other than Nextel. However, single band repeaters are also available. These work with only one of the cellular frequencies (800 or 1900 MHz) so if you wish to get one of these, you must first make sure that you know which frequency your network uses. For example, T-Mobile and Sprint PCS users can go for single band 1900 MHz repeaters because these networks only use the 1900 MHz frequency. These people might want to do this because single band users will usually be a bit cheaper than their dual band counterparts. Be warned, however, that some of the big networks like CIngular (AT&T) and Verizon use both 800 and 1900 MHz frequencies and the best advice is usually to go for a dual band repeater. Dual Band repeaters are obviously required if you have a number of different users in your building who have contracts with different networks.
Direct Connect or Wireless
Most cell phone amplifiers are 'wireless' which simply means that you will be able to use your cell phone wirelessly in the normal way. Some amplifiers, known as 'direct-connect', will actually plug in to your cell phone with a wired connection. This obviously limits your cell phone repeater to only one user at a time and can lead to problems in finding the correct connection to your cell phone. Wireless repeaters can usually support up to 20 simultaneous users. The loss in functionality of direct-connect repeaters usually gets you a reduction in price over the wireless versions.
Function
The only other consideration is the function of your repeater and this is pretty self-explanatory. If you wish to use your amplifier in your vehicle, be sure to find a repeater which states it is for in-vehicle use (see Top Products section for examples). The main difference between standard home/small office amplifiers and large building amplifiers is the dB gain. In general, a cell phone amplifier with 50-55 dB gain is suitable for a residence or small office, and for a larger building a gain of at least 60dB is recommended. Another option is to use a 50 - 55 dB gain system with a high powered antenna such as a 'Yagi-Antenna'.
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