An Inexpensive Solution for Improving Cell Phone Reception Inside

By Gerry Morris

A lot of us have become dependent on our smartphones and cell phones for calls, emails and other functions. Most of us can take for granted that we’ll have an adequate signal to allow us to use the functions on our Treos, Blackberrys, iPhones, etc., that require network access. But, there are exceptions to signal availability even in areas serviced by your carrier.

There are times when the signal may be degraded by the building that you are in to the point where it is unreliable, or terrain features such as hills may block the signal. My wife and I recently moved to a home in a hilly area of Travis County. Our house sits on the side of a hill and is of stucco construction. The net effect of the location and construction was that we received only a very weak Sprint signal inside our home. The signal was so weak that almost all calls of any length were dropped. It was also difficult to download email or use the other web enabled functions on our Treos. Like many of you, we use our cell phones as our primary means of placing and receiving calls even at home, so this was a problem.

We had adequate signal strength outside and at the height of our rooftop, so I looked at ways to bring that signal into our home. There turned out to be a simple, inexpensive solution. Several companies make devices most often referred to as signal extenders or signal repeaters. They all work basically the same. An antenna is placed in an area where there is adequate signal, usually outdoors or in an attic. The antenna is connected, usually by coaxial cable, to a device located inside a structure that receives the signal and rebroadcasts it into the area where the signal is weak or non-existent.

I looked at a few of these devices and decided to purchase the zBoost YX500 PCS manufactured by Wi-Ex. You can read more about their products at www.wi-ex.com. The zBoost is available in three models. There is a model that works with PCS (1900 MHz) phones except Nextel. Basically, it works with CDMA, GSM and TDMA networks operating at that frequency. That is the model I purchased for my Sprint phones. This model also works with T-Mobile, Metro PCS, Cricket and Suncom. There is a model that works only with CEL phones in the 800MHz range used by Cingular, Verizon and Altel. It supports the associated networks, CDMA, GSM, TDMA AMPS, GPRS, EDGE, 1xRTT and EVDO. This model is designated YX500-CEL. There is also a model that works with both in case you want to provide coverage for phones on different frequencies. That model is designated YX510-PCS-CEL.

If all this alphabet soup of networks is confusing, there are a couple of ways to determine which model is the correct one for your phone to save you from having to spend about $100 dollars more for the model that covers both band ranges. Most phones have an info screen that tells you on which frequency the phone operates. For instance, on my Treo 755p pressing the dropdown menu button from the phone screen and selecting “Options” gets you to a menu selection called “phone info.” There, a screen lists the operating frequency of the phone as 1900 MHz. You can also call your carrier if you have the time and patience and find out the operating specs of your phone or visit their web site. Fry’s Electronics, where I bought my zBoost, had one of the dual band units set up so that I could place a call on my cell phone near it and the indicator lights on the unit would reveal which model would work with my phone.

As I said, the single band units are less expensive. I paid about $210 for my YX500-PCS. The reason I chose this brand was primarily because of its review on CNet.com. I’ve come to rely on CNet over the years to help me pick a product out of the competitors. CNet gave zBoost an “excellent” rating scoring it as 8.6 out of a possible 10. Also, the product appeared to be easy to set up. It proved to be so.

The product comes with a small antenna and mounting bracket that can be placed inside an attic or outside in an area where there is sufficient signal. The antenna connects to the indoor repeating unit via high quality coaxial cable of the type used in most homes now for cable or satellite TV. It comes with a 35’ cable. Of course, it is often a challenge to figure out how to get the cable from the outside to the inside of the structure with the least amount of damage to the wall. Wi-Ex sells an accessory that is basically a piece of thin, flat coaxial cable with connections on either end. This piece can be placed at the bottom of a window to allow the cable to enter through the closed window. Fortunately, our house was constructed with wiring for both satellite and cable TV. I hooked the antenna to the unused satellite TV input on the outside of the house and hooked the repeater to the satellite TV connection inside.

Once the cable has been run and connected to the unit on the inside, all you have to do is plug in the AC power cord for the repeater unit. The extended signal radiates out from the unit so I placed it more or less in a central location in the living area of our home.

The product works as advertised. The Sprint signal in our home is much improved. I haven’t had a single dropped call when I’m in range of the repeater unit. If I am out of range I can walk into the area that is covered without interrupting my call. The manufacturer says that the coverage can be up to 2500 sq. ft. That can only be achieved under ideal conditions and with outdoor antenna upgrade. The range also depends on the strength of the signal at the location of the antenna. In my case, the signal, even outside, is average, so my unit out of the box probably covers about half that area. I intend to upgrade the antenna and possibly add another unit in a different area of the house.

The bottom line is the zBoost is a quick fix for low signal strength inside of a building where there is adequate signal outside or in the attic area. Make sure you get the right model for your phone. The only installation challenge is bringing the cable inside to the repeater unit. Other than that it’s just a matter of connecting the cable and plugging it in.

E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a small firm practitioner and has practiced law for over 29 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.