The amplifier's gain–a measure of its amplification–matters less.
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The most important cell booster specification when picking an amplifier for use in a situation with strong outdoor signal is the downlink output power, in dBm. Speaker power is measured in Watts, but for cell phone signal boosters, the total downlink output power is measured in decibel-milliwatts (dBm). It doesn't matter how much your voice is amplified – the maximum volume of the speaker system you've installed is much more important. When signal outside is strong, a cell signal amplifier acts similarly to a speaker system that is being fed by a strong feed from a microphone. But no need to worry - this kind of situation is actually where cell signal boosters work best. It’s frustrating: coverage outdoors is great, but your building materials prevent signal from getting into your home or office. If you have strong outdoor signal (4-5 bars): Almost every phone sold in the last 3 years supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE), but if you have an older phone that doesn’t support VoLTE, you’ll only see a boost in data rates and no improvement for calls. Second: for Verizon users, the Cel-Fi Go X only amplifies LTE networks. Two important caveats: first, there is no support for Sprint. A single indoor antenna should get you up to 1,000 square feet of coverage, but you can use one of our multiple-antenna kits to expand coverage up to 5,000 square feet. With 13 dBm downlink power, the GO X can also cover a relatively large area with improved signal. The higher gain of the GO X compared to other cell phone signal boosters makes it perfect for areas with weak outdoor signal. The GO X is a single-carrier cell booster: it will only amplify the signal from one carrier's network at a time. Released in June 2017, the GO X is a "single-carrier" cell booster that is approved by the FCC to offer up to 100 dB of gain. If you have weak signal outside the building and only care about boosting one of either AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile, the best choice is the new Cel-Fi GO X. Our top pick: only boosts one carrier at a time, but offers 100 dB gain There’s more information on choosing antennas below. The end result is a stronger signal for your cell booster to amplify, and thus better coverage. Most cell boosters are limited to between 64 dB and 72 dB gain by the FCC, however, single-carrier devices can amplify signal by up to 100 dB.ĭirectional antennas, such as “yagi antennas,” provide higher gain by targeting signal reception in one direction. The gain of your cell phone signal booster kit comes primarily from two components: the amplifier (also called the booster) and the outdoor donor antenna. If signal is weak outside, you'll need a lot of gain to cover your entire home or office.
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This most common in more rural and remote areas. If the nearest cell tower is farther away and cell phone reception outdoors is weak, the coverage area of the cell booster will depend on the amplification, or the “gain,” of the cell signal booster kit you use. The donor antennna is usually installed outdoors, often on the roof. If you have weak outdoor signal (less than -80 dBm):Ī cellular signal booster works by amplifying signal from a “donor” antenna. If you have weak outdoor signal (less than -80 dBm), read on below. If you have strong signal outdoors of over -70 dBm, skip down to our recommendations for users with strong outdoor signal.
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If you don't know the signal strength (measured in decibel-milliwatts, or dBm for short), outside your building, start by reading this part of our guide. The cell phone signal booster we recommend for homes and small offices depends on the signal strength outside your building. Cell Signal Boosters For Homes & Small Offices up to 5,000 sq ft