Mobile phone signal booster

infomonkey

Passive i.e no power signal boosters are legal to use. Its normally just a high gain antenna on each end and a bit of coax cable.

Active i.e mains or battery powered 3g boosters are "illegal" to use in the UK unless licensed I believe the only current legal ones to use are things like vodafones suresignal which is a mini 3g femtocell which uses your broadband link for the call / connection backhaul.

sebring

Thanks for the responses so far, unfortunately 3 do not do any sort of booster and they don't really seem to care as i receive signal outside the flat and my contract is fairly new so can't get out of it , as far as a repeater goes I wouldn't really mind if it was illegal (shhhh) but can't justify £300 plus , suppose a hi gain static antenna may be worth a punt for £20 or so ,has anyone had any experiences with these????

Thanks folk and keep the solutions coming

infomonkey

Id strongly advise against using an active antenna. If you end up the wrong side of the Telecommunications act its a hefty fine. (note its still based around all the cold war stuff with regards to radio transmissions so the penalties are really severe)

If you hold the phone out the window what sort of signal do you get?

infomonkey

Oh and if you have problems with 3 then you are likely to get a problem with T Mobile AND Orange as 3 use the same network as T Mobile but roll down to Orange for 2g.

In 2011 though they are supposed to be merging the transit networks for 3 T Mobile and Orange so that might be interesting. (you may drop lucky if theres a 3g orange transmitter nearby as currently 3 can not use that)

steve237

Try this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GSM-Mobile-Phone-Signal-Booster-Repeater-O2-Voda-900mhz-/150491097775?pt=UK_Mobiles_Accessories_RL&hash=item2309f7eaaf

I bought one myself. They work on any network and I put it in my loft and went from 0-1 bar to 3-5 bar.

Obviously it will only work if you have a way of installing it higher than the area you use your phone.

Good luck!

infomonkey

they are illegal and 3 does not use the 900mhz band so you would be buying a duffer with that one.

900mhz is O2 and Voda
1800mhs is T-Mob Orange and parts of 3 most if their band is 2100mhz.

steve237

I don't think they are illegal as the dealer has struck a deal with Amazon.

However, i had no idea they were'nt compatibile with certain phones.

lozzaman

3 is all on 2100MHz, as they are a 3G only operator.
They do have a roaming agreement with Orange however, who operate an 1800MHz GSM Network.

The sellers 1800MHz version is nearly twice the price.

lozzaman

infomonkey wrote: »

Oh and if you have problems with 3 then you are likely to get a problem with T Mobile AND Orange as 3 use the same network as T Mobile but roll down to Orange for 2g.

In 2011 though they are supposed to be merging the transit networks for 3 T Mobile and Orange so that might be interesting. (you may drop lucky if theres a 3g orange transmitter nearby as currently 3 can not use that)

Or of course if a T-Mobile 2G mast is in range.

infomonkey

Good point but I was refering to the fact that "most" masts are now dual standard. And whilst he may see an orange roaming on 2g he wont get the benfit of their 3g until much later on next year.

(Thats assuming it all goes ahead and people like OFCOM and the competition comission don't stick their nose in too far) (and this is why I still believe the national infrastructures Elec, Water, Gas, Radio, Highways, Rail, TV, LandLines and now Mobile and Broadband, should be national entities South Korea do it and they have almost ubiquitous coverage) Anyway sorry I am deraling the topic.

My advice still stands try a passive antenna.