How to Fix Your Apartment Cell Phone Dead Zone

If you're experiencing a cell phone dead zone specifically in your apartment, here are some steps you can take to try and improve the situation:

Verizon 4G LTE Wireless Signal Booster

Verizon & AT&T 4G LTE Signal Booster

Now there’s a mobile signal booster for those using Verizon Wireless LTE devices.  The Sleek 4G-V from Wilson Electronics was announced this week.  You can boost AT&T's 700 MHz LTE (bands 12 & 17) signal as well as all carriers 3G & 2G cellular signals on 800 MHz & 1900 MHz.  The boost provides more than 20 times the power of your cell phone alone.  This booster will help you stay connected by providing a strong reliable signal in weak-signal areas indoors and outdoors in a car (1 or 2 bars), reducing lost dropped calls and speeding data rates.  It's designed for the car but will work anywhere.

The Sleek 4G-V works with all devices on all conventional 2G and 3G networks, except Nextel.  FCC type accepted.  Below is a diagram of how to set up the antenna for a typical car.

Verizon 4G LTE Signal Booster 

Related Articles: 

Which Cell Phone Signal Booster is Best for Verizon Home?

Wilson Electronics CES Interview - DeadCellZones.com

It's a bit hard to hear so try and turn up the volume. Thanks to Wilson Electronics now rebranded to WeBoost for posting this.   

How to Find The Best Indoor Signal Booster

So you're tired of poor reception, dropped calls, and drained batteries. You know it's time to find a solution and someone recommended checking out signal boosters. But how do you navigate the sea of uninformative model numbers, strange names, and new technologies to find the solution that fits your setup at the most reasonable price? Here's a guide that will outline the factors to remember when going booster shopping. You'll be a cellular amplifier expert in no time.

There's one puzzle you should try to solve first before you start your booster search: Namely, why is my reception so poor? Coverage goes hazy for a variety of reasons. You might live adventurously close to the edge of the network, a good distance from the most far-flung cell towers. On the other hand, you might live in a city skyscraper behind thick concrete walls impenetrable to the strongest of cell signals. Or it's possible you live comfortably in suburbia well within cellular range but your house happens to rest at the bottom of an imposing hill, blocking most of the good reception from reaching your residence. Determining the primary obstacle to your cellular experience is key in reaching success with a signal booster.

The second puzzle to solve (and this is a lot easier than the first) involves determining how strong your natural, unamplified signal is, both indoors and out. Just open up your phone and check the bars of reception. Signal boosters vary in the degree to which they amplify a signal. Some simply modify a mediocre signal while others totally soup up a dead zone into a powerhouse. So why not go for the biggest and the strongest? Price, of course; those powerful amplifiers come with a hefty price tag for their fancy technology. You want to find the booster that suits your needs exactly to be financially sound and energy-efficient.

So, you’ve determined why your cell signal is poor and just how strong your unamplified signal is indoors and out, as described above. Now, you'll want to know exactly how much square footage you plan on blanketing with amplified signal before hitting the stores. The signal booster kit contains multiple pieces of equipment that serve different functions. The broadcasting antenna distributes the boosted signal throughout the desired space and these antennas come in a wide spectrum of strengths, each able to cover a different-sized space. Of course, the larger space, the more powerful and more expensive the antenna. It's important to keep in mind that some websites and product descriptions advertise maximum broadcast ranges that refer to tests set in open territory. However, when those antennas are placed indoors where it must battle through walls, staircases, and other obstacles, the antenna's range reduces significantly. Be sure to get help with an expert from the store to find the true indoor range of these amplifiers.

With this easy checklist, you'll be way ahead of the game when in the market for a signal booster. Try to look for boosters with the strength you need and antennas to cover the space you want. Remember, asking for help never hurts. There are cell booster experts available to answer specific questions and assist with large-scale installations.

Cell Phone Boosters Petition to the FCC

Hear-Me.org Map of Supporters of Cell Phone Boosters

The U.S. cellular service providers have asked the FCC Federal Communications Commission to declare that boosters can be used only with the carriers' express permission, permission they have not been willing to give. This new website Hear-Me.org will assist private citizens and public safety officials who rely on signal boosters for improved cellular coverage to take the urgent action required so they can continue to operate these devices.

Amplify Your Voice in a Petition Now!  

Wilson Electronics is leading the charge for cell signal booster advocacy with the Can You Hear Me Campaign. We’re in this fight until the end, but we need your help.  Please fill out this petition form to tell Congress and the Federal Communication Committee (FCC) about the importance of having cell signal boosters on the market.  Thank you again for your support! 

Questions should be directed to the number and email below: 

Phone: 202-681-2002
Email: action@hear-me.org

Best Cell Phone Reception Boosters

#1 Wilson Electronics Signal Booster Review 
Extends the calling range and signal strength of any phone on any North American cell service provider (except Nextel/iDEN)

#2 Desktop Amplifier for 800/1900 MHz Band 
Compatible with all US and Canadian cellular providers, excluding iDEN, Nextel, and MIKE. Also, it supports CDMA, TDMA, GSM, and AMPS cell phone technologies, as well as data protocols such as GPRS, 1xRTT, HSDPA, EVDO, and EDGE.

#2 Wi-Ex Signal Booster for your Home or Office 
 3,000 ft Dual-band device works with 800/1900 MHz frequencies from all major carriers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Alltel, Cricket, and more (not compatible with Nextel)

Carriers Bluffing on Cell Phone Signal Booster Network Interference

Mobile operators have avoided facing the reality of consumers frustrated with congested networks and entrepreneurs who have found solutions to fix coverage problems. Now comes a report from the New York Times that the leading mobile operators in the USA are contending that wireless boosters interfere with the smooth running of their networks. What's ironic is "cell phone boosters" have been around for a few years with companies like Wilson Electronics and Wi-Ex.  This equipment is used by law enforcement and often used at stadiums to boost coverage.  Fast forward 10 years and now with an investment in femtocell made, the mobile operators are screaming stop, and seeking assistance from their trade body, CTIA and the FCC to limit or eliminate the use of the wireless boosters when in reality the solution to provide coverage in many places really has been Wi-Fi.  Here are products that have been sold directly from Amazon Wireless for many years.

Read more about the craziness of this idea at VoIP Watch.

Emergency Vehicles Need Cell Signal Boosters

Response times and emergency communication shouldn't not be compromised at the expense of poor cell coverage. Up until now, officers in Arizona have been living in an unconnected computer world taking handwritten notes during investigations and then driving to the nearest substation, often 80 or 100 miles away, to log into the computer systems. While in-vehicle computers and cellular modems are standard equipment for many law enforcement agencies across the U.S., making the department’s Mobile Data Computing Project work in Yavapai County, Arizona was a challenge due to weak cell signals provided by the carriers. The County covers 8,100 square miles, an area larger than several U.S. states, lying between suburban Phoenix and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The topography includes the Sonoran desert and mountains rising nearly 8,000 feet.  As the department researched the feasibility of implementing the upgrade, a field testing confirmed that the cellular signal in many areas of the county was too weak to allow in-vehicle modems to reliably connect with the department’s computer system.  Now their officers have the data connectivity resources in their vehicles.

The Yavapai Arizona Sheriff’s Office took it upon themselves to upgrade their data communications capabilities for more than 120 police cars installing cell phone booster systems made by Wilson Electronics. They didn't beg the carrier to upgrade their networks like so many agencies do.  To solve the problem the department installed Wilson boosters and antennas to detect and amplify faint cellular signals. The payoff has been clear and immediate enabling police officers to use on-board computers and cellular modems to access the department’s computer network and search for needed information or file reports directly from their patrol vehicles, even in remote areas of the county.

The officers recently went on a search and rescue operation in an area where the searching units had no cellular coverage according to their handheld devices, but with the air-cards in their vehicles, responding deputies had service through the Wilson booster and were able to instant message and stay in contact with the communications center.  The department also experienced another unexpected benefit shortening response times.

Wilson Electronics, Inc., a leader in the wireless communications industry for more than 40 years, designs and manufactures a wide variety of cell phone signal boosters, antennas, and related components that significantly improve cellular communication in mobile, indoor, and machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. All Wilson products are engineered, assembled, and tested in the company's U.S.-based headquarters. Wilson boosters fully comply with FCC regulations for cellular devices and are FCC type accepted and Industry Canada certificated. Wilson Electronics has developed and patented a variety of technologies for protecting cell sites by preventing network interference. For more information, visit weboost.com

How to Boost Your AT&T Reception Outdoors

Sleek Booster Helps Callers Hear You Now, Even With AT&T

Article By Todd Bernhard from iPhone Life, Saturday, May 8, 2010 - AT&T. Nothing inspires more conversation among iPhone owners than those few letters. AT&T has benefitted from their exclusive contract, but their coverage has been an easy target for competitors and late-night comics. What is an iPhone road warrior to do?

I had the chance to try the Sleek from Wilson Electronics, Inc. ($130 MSRP). True to the name, the Sleek is smaller than Wilson’s previous models and more portable than hardwired models. I had always been hesitant to try any device that needed to be permanently wired into my car or that worked exclusively with one phone.

The Sleek piqued my interest, as it is both universal and somewhat portable, although you may want to hide the wiring for the external magnetic antenna. Wilson offers the iBooster, specifically for the iPhone, which is a combination charger, cradle, and antenna so you don't even need to mount an external antenna. With either booster, you might have to remove your phone from its case for it to fit, depending on the bulk of your case.

Skeptical by nature, I wanted to see for myself if the Sleek could improve reception. Styling, pricing, and packaging are irrelevant if it doesn't improve reception! The good news is, Wilson Technologies' Sleek booster worked, for me and for my iPhone 3G.

Initially, I took a road trip to some diverse areas around Rochester, NY to see how it performed. I went to the airport, downtown, suburbs, and the highway where I've experienced dropped calls before. I made and received calls throughout the journey and never experienced a dropped call. Then I decided to push the limit!

With the help of DeadCellZones.com, I located some dead zones within driving distance and spent half a tank of gas (and most of my birthday!) testing these spots. I went to the end of the earth, or at least the edge of the United States, to the northern border of New York, along Lake Ontario. Sure enough, without the booster, I could watch the bars disappear as the lake approached, until there was no signal, just “Searching”. I plugged in the Sleek. Unfortunately, dead means dead, and even the Sleek couldn’t get a signal at that remote location. But I drove around for a minute and as soon as I could get a signal, I measured the results both with and without the Sleek and it was significant.  Read More.

Big Money Trying to Squash Cell Phone Boosters

Is Big Money Trying to Squash Cell Phone Boosters?

Are the big carriers "using the FCC as a puppet" to eliminate a problem that doesn't exist?  Why now after more than a decade of growth and when companies like Wilson Electronics and Wi-Ex have built quite small businesses compared to the big carriers.  Do carriers now feel threatened by the "new kid on the block" MagicJack (FemtoJack under development) who has built an incredible franchise in VoIP and not wants to get into the cell phone booster business as well. FCC Could Ban Cell Signal Boosters = Bad Idea.

Reply comments on the Federal Communications Commission’s notice of proposed rulemaking on cellphone signal boosters produced some finger-pointing between carriers and equipment manufacturers as well as renewed calls on both sides for the government agency to take action on the issue. The Federal Communications Commission is considering implementing a law that would make cellphone boosters illegal unless they are deployed by a wireless operator or with the consent of a wireless operator, a move that could impact thousands of end-users already owning such devices. The FCC could care less about consumers based on my recent conversations with them and would rather squash our efforts to provide more transparency to coverage maps.  See our post the FCC Violates our Trademark.

Perhaps one of the angrier responses came from YMax Corp., which is building the magicJack femtocell called the FemtoJack that it says could operate under Part 15 rules of low-power devices. CTIA in its comments before the FCC said devices like the FemtoJack should not be permitted to operate unless they are approved by wireless carriers.
more info at RCR Wireless »

Wilson Electronics of St. George, Utah, contended in a filing that "well-designed and -engineered signal boosters actually benefit not only wireless customers but the carriers as well." To ensure the boosters are well-designed, Wilson asked the FCC to adopt three standards for approving signal boosters during routine certification.  The FCC, Wilson said, should require all signal boosters to feature:

• effective self-oscillation (feedback) detection and automatic shutdown;
• effective cell tower proximity detection and automatic shutdown to prevent cell-site overloads; and
• bi-directional (tower-to-device and device-to-tower) signal amplification.

Walt Brooks from Wilson Electronics contends that feedback detection and automatic shutdown would prevent inaudible RF-noise-generating over-modulation that "can knock a tower down." Proximity detection would prevent ambient noise from being amplified when close to a cell site to such an extent that it drowns out other calls being made through the site, he added. Such an overload reduces a cell site's capacity to handle calls.
more info at Wilson Electronics »

RV Cell Phone Signal Booster

An RV (aka Recreational Vehicle) on the move can have significant cell phone coverage problems depending on the location it's traveling in. A good way to minimize dropped calls and increase reception to cellular phones/broadband data cards is to install a Cellular Repeater Kit on the roof. A Cellular Repeater Kit will allow you to make calls when very little cell phone signal exists or one or two bars. This booster will also reduce dropped calls and increase internet speeds. We have heard of lots of success stories with Wilson Electronics Repeater kits customized for use in Motorhomes & RVs. Wilson Electronics is well regarded in the industry because of its high quality.

Cell Phone Boosters or Repeaters are very simple to set up and they do not require expert installation. A Repeater kit consists of 3 major components; an external antenna, an amplifier or booster, and an internal antenna that gives cellular coverage inside the RV.  Kits can range from $300 Single Phone Booster for a single-phone style amp to $600 Multiple Phone Booster for a more powerful amp that can support multiple cell phones and/or broadband data cards.

  A few of these kits are listed below for a Single Cell phone and Multiple Cell Phones or Data Card:

Sleek Car Cell Phone Signal Booster Review

Published by Dan Cohen from GearDiary.com

Every now and then you come across a product that promises to do things exceptionally well for a lower price than you would otherwise expect and… it actually exceeds your expectations. That’s the case with the Sleek cell phone booster for Wilson Electronics.

We had a chance to meet with representatives from the company when we were in Las Vegas for CES and, thanks to them, I’ve been using a review unit of the Sleek for the past week or so. The unit is small, surprisingly inexpensive and it works phenomenally well. I live in a part of New Jersey where the cell reception can drop off to nothing at a moment’s notice. It is beyond frustrating to be in the midst of a call and constantly worry that you’re about to be disconnected. Since I started using the Sleek I haven’t had any of these issues. In addition, I have found the unit to be the best window mounted car cradle I have ever used with my iPhone. It holds the phone securely, doesn’t require you to “click” the phone into place, and it can be used with the iPhone of whether the phone is in a case or not. Moreover, it is great when I am using my iPhone as a GPS.

Yes, I’m raving about this product… but only because it is that good. Let’s take a look…

From Wilson Electronics–

The Wilson plug-and-play Sleek™ helps users reduce dropped calls, increase data rates in weak signal areas and originate calls from those dreaded “dead spots”. The Sleek™ and its external vehicular antenna increases any phone’s output power to the cell site while improving its ability to hear signals it normally cannot, keeping the user more reliably connected. Designed for simple set up, the Sleek™ can be easily moved from vehicle to vehicle.

Built into the Sleek™ cradle is a Wilson tried and tested bi-directional signal amplifier and battery charging port. The cradle is ideal for hands free operation in conjunction with a user’s headset or Bluetooth device.

Features:

• Reduces dropped calls, extends signal range, and increases data rates
• Built in amplifier boosts signals to and from cell site
• Up to 20 TIMES more output power to cell site when in a vehicle
• Receives weak signals the phone alone may not
• Built-in port for battery charging
• Extends battery life – Amplifier enables phone to work at reduced power
• Simplifies hands free operation
• Installs in minutes – no special tools required
• Package includes everything needed — plug-and-play
• Attractive, compact design
• Adjustable arms to fit most any phone

My thoughts –

The Sleek’s amplifying electronics are right in the cradle itself. That keeps the unit small and makes setup as simple as finding the right spot in your car for the cradle, figuring out how you want to attach the base, and then running the antenna from the cradle to the roof or hood of the car. The kit comes with everything that you need in order to make this happen.

The cradle –

On the bottom of a cradle there are two connection points. The first allows you to screw in the antenna. The second is a mini USB port for powering the device. The unit ships with both a car adapter and a wall adapter. Because the unit is so small and comes with both power sources it can easily be moved from the car to a home office if need be. On the side of the cradle is a second mini USB port. This is used to charge select devices if you have the appropriate additional accessory connectors. Using an extra cable that I had lying around I was able to set it up so that the Sleek now charges my iPhone when it’s in the cradle as well.

The system for holding the phone in the cradle is rather unusual and is probably the best solution that I have yet encountered. (Best understood in the above video.)

There are two “arms” that come out from either side of the cradle at an angle and create a space in front of the cradle where the iPhone can slip in. Because of the angle, however, the opening at the front is smaller and therefore holds the iPhone, once in position, in place. Each arm is to attach to the cradle in one of three positions thus providing a number of different options from a size perspective. If you’re using a small feature phone using the brackets into the first slot on either side of the cradle and create the smallest “compartment”. If you’re using a large phone you should remove the brackets to the frontmost slot on either side and create a large ‘compartment”. For the iPhone I position the brackets in the middle slot on both sides and it works perfectly. In fact, it’s exactly the right size for me to use my iPhone either in the case were not in a case without having to move the brackets again.

Running the antenna outside of the car was a bit more challenging. this isn’t intended to be a permanent solution that is built into the car so having the antenna professionally run to the outside doesn’t make a lot of sense. In addition, the first attempt to position the antenna at the back of the car didn’t work because the court was a little bit too short for my needs. In the end I ran the court through the hinge on the driver side and positioned the small antenna right next to the hood of the car. It’s unobtrusive and quite secure in its home now.

Once the cradle was attached to the windshield and the anttenna was run outside the installation process was done. Really it’s that simple.

I then plugged the Sleek into the cigarette lighter, dropped my iPhone into the cradle, and saw my cell reception improved dramatically. In places where I would have one bar I now have four or five bars. in places where I had four bars I now consistently have a full five. Best of all, why don’t have any scientific data to prove this, it certainly seems as if my iPhone is getting far better battery life thanks to the strong signal it’s receiving.

I have the cradle set up so that I can charge my phone if need be but I really haven’t found myself needing to.

What really amazes me about this device is not just that it works so incredibly well but that it comes in at an MSRP of just $130. To my mind, the increase in cell reception, the superb iPhone cradle it offers and the apparent better battery life make this a technology bargain. It is so good, in fact, been thinking about buying one to using my home study. (As bad as the drops are when I’m driving the cell reception when I’m home is even worse.)

The Sleek cell phone signal booster is an MSRP of $130 and is available from a wide variety of authorized Wilson product dealers.

What I like –

It works beautifully and boosts signals significantly, installation is easy, it comes with both a windshield mount and adhesive mount so you have a wide range of choices, the cradle itself comes in more than a bit handy even when you aren’t using the signal booster as a signal booster

What needs improvement –

I would love to see the products ship with a wide range of adapters for charging everything from a Motorola Droid to an Apple iPhone, the entire court was too short to make it all the way to the back of my Subaru Outback’s roof (although ultimately a forced me to find a far better location for the antenna)

For more information visit Wilson’s site.

Cell Phone Signal Booster FCC Certification Standards

Published by Quantum-Wireless on February 04, 2010

Wilson Electronics has asked the Federal Communications Commission to raise its certification standards for cell phone signal boosters to prevent interference to service providers’ networks and equipment while increasing customer satisfaction.

In November 2009, Wilson submitted a ‘Petition for Rulemaking’ to the FCC recommending additional tests that cell signal boosters must pass in order to meet FCC certification standards. Some details include more testing on feedback detection and auto-shutdown to prevent interference with cell towers. Wilson also wants more stringent controls on proximity detection and auto shut down to prevent signal overload of cell towers.

“At the root of this issue is that we’re all trying to provide customers with better cell phone coverage and service,” said Joe Banos, Wilson's chief operating officer. “We strongly believe that raising the FCC certification approval standards for cell signal boosters would protect the performance of cell towers and prevent service disruptions that can be caused by some unsophisticated cell phone signal boosters in service today.”

Wilson also called for bi-directional signal amplification. Some signal boosters amplify only the incoming signal but do nothing to increase the phone’s weak signal transmission back to the tower where amplification is needed most and bi-directional signal amplification would remedy this problem.

Weak Home Cell Phone Signals

1. Rural areas

In many rural areas, the housing density is too low to make the construction of a new base station commercially viable. In these cases it is unlikely that the service provider will do anything to improve reception, due to the high cost of erecting a new tower. As a result, the only way to obtain strong cell phone signal in these areas is usually to install a home cellular repeater. In flat rural areas the signal is unlikely to suffer from multipath interference, so will just be heavily attenuated by the distance. In these cases the installation of a cellular repeater will generally massively increase signal strength just due to the amplifier, even a great distance from the broadcast towers.

2. Building construction material

Some construction materials very rapidly attenuate cell phone signal strength. Older buildings, such as churches, which use lead in their roofing material will very effectively block any signal. Any building which has a significant thickness of concrete or amount of metal used in its production will attenuate the signal. Concrete floors are often poured onto a metal pan which completely blocks most radio signals. Some solid foam insulation and some fiberglass insulation used in roofs or exterior walls has foil backing, which can reduce transmittance. Energy-efficient windows and metal window screens are also very effective at blocking radio signals. Some materials have peaks in their absorption spectra which massively decrease signal strength.

3. Building size

Large buildings, such as warehouses, hospitals and factories, often have no cellular reception further than a few meters from the outside wall. Low signal strength is also often the case in underground areas such as basements and in shops and restaurants located towards the centre of shopping malls. This is caused by both the fact that the signal is attenuated heavily as it enters the building and the interference as the signal is reflected by the objects inside the building. For this reason in these cases an external antenna is usually desirable.

4. Multipath interference

Even in urban areas which usually have strong cellular signals throughout, there are often dead zones caused by destructive interference of waves which have taken different paths (caused by the signal bouncing off buildings etc.). These usually have an area of a few blocks and will usually only affect one of the two frequency ranges used by cell phones. This is because the different wavelengths of the different frequencies interfere destructively at different points. Directional antennas are very helpful at overcoming this since they can be placed at points of constructive interference and aligned so as not to receive the destructive signal.

5. Diffraction and general attenuation

The longer wavelengths have the advantage of being able to diffract to a greater degree so are less reliant on line of sight to obtain a good signal, but still attenuate significantly. Because the frequencies which cell phones use are too high to reflect off the ionosphere as shortwave radio waves do, cell phone waves cannot travel via the ionosphere.

Do Cellular Signal Boosters Really Work?

You might often experience the inability to talk on your cell phone due to weak signals in a particular area, as a result of which you get irritated especially when important calls are lost. A person might try to call you up but the network is unavailable as the signal in your area is weak. What do you in this case?

The Signal Booster Works : You can now install a cell phone signal booster. A signal booster is a device that will lead to reduced dropped calls and even help you to extend your cell phone range. Many manufacturers claim that a signal booster can increase the signal strength of your mobile by up to 500%.

Connection: The cell phone booster can be connected between your cell phone and the car kit that is provided with the antenna. The cell phone booster intensifies the signal level as well as the power output of your cell phone up to the maximum FCC limit that is permissible. Most of the current cell phones are capable of an output of 250 milliwatt of power. In the past, cell phones were capable of an output of 3000 watts. What the cell phone booster does is increase your current cell phone power similar to cell phones used in the past.

Improving Long Distance Calls: Cell phone boosters help us to achieve long distance and more reliable communications. The antennas with the magnetic mount or the glass mount can be used in the car as well as in boats and trucks. The indoor cell phone coverage can also be increased to cover an area of 2500 square feet. The booster is also used to enhance wireless applications such as cell phone internet use as well as text messaging. The booster works easily with all PCS based cell phones in the range of 1900MHz.

Dual Band Cell Phone Boosters: Whether you use your cell phone for business or just social communication at home, a booster is very necessary. With a booster, you will never have to lose signals in places or environments which are very important for communication. There are dual-band cell phone signal boosters available for use with a dual-band phone. There is also the wireless extender system cell phone signal booster that is capable of improving the signal strength of the PCS phone through signal amplification up to an area of 2500 square feet.

In case you need additional coverage, you can simply introduce a wireless extender PCS indoor antenna which is sold separately. You can place the antenna on the roof and then run the RG-6 coaxial cable to your room where you will place the base. Once it is connected there will surely be fewer dropped calls. The signal booster can also be used for other wireless applications, as well as cell phone internet use and messaging through PDA. The signal booster is easy to install, it just needs to be placed below the phone battery.