Everyone today feels the need to stay connected. Users of all ages require connectedness for business, leisure, staying in touch with loved ones, or emergencies. In this day and age, reliable cell phone service is a must-have in modern day life. 

Terrible cell reception is more common than you think. Many different conditions can cause poor signal strength leading to dropped phone calls. You might live, work, or commute through areas that are too far from the nearest cell tower. The building materials in your home, office, car or warehouse may block or weaken your cell signal. Geographical obstacles like mountains, valleys, hills, or large trees may keep you from living your best signal life.

This is where cell phone signal boosters come into play. Let's dive into the technicalities of how these devices work, in a way that is free of technical mumbo jumbo.

What is a Cell Phone Signal Booster?

A cell phone signal booster, also known as a cell signal repeater, is a cellular boosting device designed to enhance the strength of your mobile signal. It captures weak signal from cell towers outside, amplifies it, and rebroadcasts the signal within your home, office, or vehicle, providing better coverage and improved call quality.

How Boosters Work: In 3 Easy Steps

Capturing the Signal: The process begins with the external antenna, which is usually mounted on the roof or an outside wall. This antenna is designed to pick up weak signals from the nearest cell tower. There are different types of external antennas, such as omnidirectional antennas that capture signals from all directions and directional antennas that focus on a specific direction to maximize signal capture.

Boosting the Signal: Once the external antenna captures the weak signal, it is transmitted to the amplifier via a coaxial cable. The amplifier, which is the core component of the booster system, increases the strength of the signal. The amplification process involves sophisticated electronic circuits that enhance the signal's power without distorting it. The gain, measured in decibels (dB), indicates how much the signal is boosted. Higher gain values signify a stronger boost.

Rebroadcasting the Signal: After the signal is amplified, it is sent to the internal antenna through another coaxial cable. The internal antenna rebroadcasts the boosted signal within the targeted area, such as a room, an entire building, or a vehicle. This results in a stronger and more reliable signal for your mobile devices.

What Components Are Included in a Cell Phone Signal Booster kit?

A typical cell phone signal booster system consists of three main components:

External Antenna: Captures the weak cell signal from the nearest cell tower. You can choose from yagi or omnidirectional (omni) antennas. 

Amplifier: this is the brains of the operation and the hardware that boosts the weak signal. We have many different boosters for vehicles, homes, offices, and large commercial spaces so understanding the specifications for each amplifier/booster is the best way to ensure you’re getting the product that works best for your situation.

Internal Antenna: this rebroadcasts the boosted signal within the desired area and you can choose from panel, dome, or low-profile domes. The most popular antennas, domes and panels, fit within the aesthetic and layouts for most homes. Dome antennas mount on your ceiling and more or less resemble a smoke alarm. Panel antennas resemble a doorbell in shape and size and are most commonly installed on a wall, but can also be installed on a ceiling if you don’t have above ceiling access via attic, etc.

Types of Cell Phone Signal Boosters

Cell phone signal boosters come in various types, each designed for specific applications and environments:

Home and Office Boosters: These boosters are designed to improve signal strength within residential and smaller commercial buildings like restaurants or the spaces you would find in strip malls. They typically cover a range of square footage, from small homes to large office buildings. Our smallest home booster, the Flare 3.0 covers around 3,000 sq ft, but our most powerful small business signal booster, the Fusion5X 2.0 will cover spaces up to 20,000 sq ft under the right conditions. 

You will install the external antenna on the roof and the internal antenna is placed in a central location where you need your signal broadcast for optimal coverage like a home office or production area. If your system has more than one indoor antenna, you can split the signal into multiple areas. 

Vehicle Boosters: These boosters are tailored for use in cars, trucks, RVs, and boats. The external antenna is mounted on the vehicle's roof, while the internal antenna is placed inside the vehicle. Depending on which vehicle kit you purchase, there are a few different antenna mounting options including magnet mounts, adhesive mount, or the non-magnetic mounting option used on our fleet product with a more permanent installation. For these, the antenna is bolted to the roof of the vehicle for more rugged applications like law enforcement, first responders, etc.

The OTR/trucker kit includes an outside antenna that includes mounting hardware so the antenna can sit up higher than the highest point of the truck to ensure you can receive and rebroadcast signal, even when driving through areas with weak signal.

Commercial Signal Boosters are designed for large-scale applications: warehouses, hospitals, hotels, and other large buildings. They often require professional installation due to their complexity and the need for precise antenna placement. Cellular system (RF) designers will commonly configure projects that require multiple indoor antennas to adequately cover low-signal areas. In many modern commercial buildings with heightened energy efficiency requirements, the construction materials used will reduce cellular signal capacity to almost zero.

Technical Considerations For Your Signal Booster

When choosing and installing a cell phone signal booster, several technical factors should be considered:

1. Gain and Power Output: The gain of the amplifier and the power output of the internal antenna determine the coverage area. Higher gain and power output result in larger coverage areas. However, it's essential to balance gain with the potential for signal oscillation, which can cause interference.

2. Signal Quality: The quality of the captured signal affects the performance of the booster. A weak but clean signal can be amplified effectively, while a weak and noisy signal may result in poor performance even after amplification.

3. Cable Length and Quality: The coaxial cables used to connect the antennas to the amplifier should be of high quality and as short as possible to minimize signal loss. Long or low-quality cables can degrade the signal before it reaches the amplifier.

Signal Booster Regulatory Considerations

In many countries, the use of cell phone signal boosters is regulated to prevent interference with cellular networks. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States, requires that all signal boosters be registered with the user's wireless carrier. Additionally, boosters must meet specific technical standards to ensure they do not cause network interference. Note: all SureCall signal boosters have cleared these FCC requirements. If you do choose to purchase a signal booster from us, you would need to register your kit with your carrier:

AT&T Booster registration
Verizon Booster registration
T-Mobile Booster registration
U.S. Cellular Booster registration

Common Myths and Misconceptions

1. Boosters Create Their Own Signal: 

A common misconception is that signal boosters create their own signal. In reality, boosters only amplify existing signals. If there is no signal to amplify, a booster will not work.

2. Signal Boosters Can Harm Your Devices or Cause Havoc With Cellular Networks: 

Some people believe that signal boosters can damage their cell phones. However, boosters are designed to comply with safety standards and do not harm mobile devices. All SureCall equipment available through our site is FCC approved and has been tested rigorously to ensure that there isn’t any harm caused to cellular devices or the networks that power them.

Additionally, we strongly recommend avoiding cheap, knock-off boosters commonly sold on Amazon, as these devices often lack FCC certification and would not meet quality or legal standards.

3. All Boosters Are the Same: 

Not all signal boosters are created equal. Different models vary in terms of gain, coverage area, and compatibility with frequency bands. It's essential to choose a booster that meets your specific needs.

Conclusion

Cell phone signal boosters are invaluable tools for improving mobile connectivity in areas with weak signals. By understanding how they work and considering the technical aspects of their installation and use, you can make informed decisions to enhance your communication experience. Whether you're in a rural area, a large building, or on the move, a well-chosen and properly installed signal booster can ensure you stay connected when it matters most.