UKH

Apologies for the slightly trivial post given everything that is going on at the moment.

Has anyone installed (or have knowledge) of a cell signal booster for poor mobile phone reception?

(n.b. this is not one that feeds off your land cable internet  - it boosts the nearby mobile signal)

It seems they have recently been made legal, and may be a solution if you live in an area with very poor coverage, as I do. 

Do they actually work? Are there any pitfalls I should avoid?

Thanks. 

I used one of the Vodafone Femtocells for a while at my parents house which is in a signal blackspot; it was pretty flaky but then their broadband isn't exactly brilliant. 

Call quality was barely acceptable but I don't know if the newer units are any better.

Thanks for the reply. I think a lot of the 'signal boosters' such as femtocells work through the broadband. The booster I have read about it like having a mini mast on your house (although it is actually a discreet box.)

In the grand UKC tradition of not answering your question but answering a different one...

We live in a rural area and our mobile reception is shit but we've had great success with WifiCalling. But maybe not what you need if your broadband is also terrible?

Long live great traditions! 

In this case you are right, the broadband is also very poor (that is another issue I am trying to address) so I am after an actual signal booster/increase rather than a functional alternative. 

O2 wificall works brilliant for us, but then we do have a decent fibre connection. The only downside is that SMS won't go through it, so for logging in to things that require two-step authentication with a code text to me can be a bit annoying as it means going standing by the back bedroom window.. but that's a rare occurrence, everyone else just Whatsapps.

I installed one at work due to poor signal in the office. About £100-200 iirc.

It had a square aerial unit that you installed outside where the signal was better, there is then a hardwired coaxial cable to the indoor unit.

Seems to work well. Boosting from a previous signal of zero to one bar up to about 3 bars.

Depends on the signal inside and out. If it's abysmal outside* then a booster won't help much I suspect. If it's OK outside* but you live in a faraday cage (foil insulation / massive granite walls) and its rubbish inside, then it would be worthwhile.

*in the location you'd put the aerial - signal strength can often be better at chimney height than outside at ground level.

Thanks Toerag. I think the signal is acceptable outside, you can make a call standing in the garden okay, it just vanishes inside. 

There is information on what you are allowed to do from the SpectrumPolice who do not police

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/mobile-phone-...

I live in a fairly remote corner of the Highlands - no BT line or broadband nearby and barely get one bar of mobile signal outside. House has 2ft thick stone wall so no signal indoors. I have EE 4G broadband with an external aerial and can make calls using wifi. Costs £100 to have the aerial installed and you just pay for a monthly data SIM package. I expect BT etc can provide similar service, depending on cellphone reception in the area. It is more prone to weather disruption - drops out occasionally

Hi, that sounds good.

Was the external area provided by EE, or was it something you sourced separately yourself?

Thanks again.