Although today almost the entire territory of Great Britain is practically covered by the cellular signal of most operators, there are still areas where there are problems with mobile communication coverage. Fortunately, however, there is a solution and it is through the use of so-called indoor mobile signal boosters, or devices capable of capturing (even a small) cellular network available in a given area and greatly expanding it, so that it appears wider and, of course, more powerful than usual.
Table of Contents
What is an indoor mobile signal booster?
The aforementioned indoor or outdoor mobile signal booster, almost similar to modems that will be installed at home, obviously also comes with an antenna, basically capable of capturing and extending 2G, 3G, and 4G connections. However, an important premise must obviously be made. Even the best mobile signal boosters must be able to connect, even with low performance, to the corresponding line and cannot generate it on their own, so it is necessary that one way or another, the line is present in the same area.
Also, as we’ll see when looking at individual products, support is expanding across the board and, depending on supported bandwidth, some less popular media may be disabled. Of course, when possible we will also include a list of all service providers compatible with this product, for example from UCtel.
How does a signal booster work?
An indoor booster of mobile signal comes with a complete package of various accessories, all of which will be necessary to start installing the kit. The two most important components are obviously the indoor repeater, which must be located in the home, and the outdoor antenna, which takes care of picking up the line outdoors and sending it to the repeater previously installed in the home.
Obviously, all these installation steps can be done by yourself, but if you want to be sure that you are not making mistakes or in any case you cannot do it, we advise you to seek help from an expert in this field, for example, UCtel, who will do it without serious problems and in the shortest possible time.
How to choose an amplifier?
To choose the appropriate model, you need to understand how the cellular amplifier works and what technical characteristics it has. Before buying equipment, it is recommended to pay attention to several parameters.
Type of External Antenna
The principle of operation of a cellular amplifier is similar to the operation of an antenna. The device receives a radio wave from the source and converts it into high-frequency oscillations. There are 2 types of external amplifier antenna:
- Directed – the signal should be directed only towards the base station, as in this case the signal will actually be amplified. Models with a directional antenna are used in cases where the station is located at a long distance.
- Omnidirectional – differs in a small “capture” of the beam by the signal, but it receives reflected waves better. Such a device is suitable for areas with dense urban development.
Antenna protection
When learning how to choose a GSM repeater, you should pay attention to the protection of the external antenna. A plastic or metal box is usually installed. The design looks more attractive, and also receives protection from any external influences. Usually, directional antennas are used in such models.
There are also devices that do not have a box. As a rule, these are omnidirectional antennas. They are cheaper, but lose in terms of aesthetics. In addition, the lack of protection leads to rapid wear and corrosion. When considering how to choose a communication amplifier, this point must be taken into account.
Degree of Protection
The best cellular towers serve without complaints for several years, because they have reliable protection. You can define it in the model description according to the IP standard. The minimum requirement is IP40, although it is better to consider equipment from IP55. Compliance with the standard can be clarified by a qualitative description of the protection in the table.
Cables And Connectors
If you understand which cell signal booster is better to give, you need to pay attention to completeness. As a rule, the kit contains several connecting elements, including brackets and cables. Models must also be equipped with TS9 or CRC9 connectors. Adapters-connectors are also included in the set.
When deciding which cellular amplifier to choose for giving, it is better to stop at a radio cable with a resistance of 50 ohms and SMA type connectors. The connection of such a device is carried out according to the given scheme.
Compliance standards
Having understood how the cellular signal amplifier works, it will not be superfluous to pay attention to the communication standard that supports:
- 2G: receive voice calls only to phones;
- 3G: in addition to calls, provides access to the Internet, but only at a low speed;
- 4G: provides both calls and Internet and high speed.
A cellular amplifier for giving must have a sufficiently large gain. This indicator is measured in dB:
- For models that amplify the Internet signal, the optimal value of the coefficient is from 7 to 20 DB;
- For Mobile Signal Amplifiers – From 25 to 50 dB.
- There are models with a higher ratio. They are installed in rural areas. In addition, if the signal is weak both at home and on the street, it is better to take the maximum – from 75 to 85 dB. And if the signal is good on the street, but weak in the house, you should consider devices with 60-70 dB.
Prices for a cellular signal booster
And in conclusion, we want to make a small discourse on prices. Amplifiers actually sell for a variety of prices, starting at £100, and can even go over £200. For this reason, before proceeding with the purchase, we suggest that you check whether the line in question actually somehow reaches your home (perhaps by contacting the telephone operator and asking for information), or also consider changing operators and testing other types of connection. In fact, all operators have a section of their website where there is a coverage map, from which you can make sure everything is in person. In general, therefore, we always recommend using a line with greater coverage in the area, and then extending it through the cell phone repeater amplifiers.