The Wilson 461104 AG PRO Quint Kit is designed for professional installation and as a full kit can provide up to 30,000 square feet. The Wilson 461104 AG PRO Quint boosts signal on 5 frequency bands; two 700MHz bands, 800MHz, 1900MHz, and AWS. The AG Pro-Quint (461104) is the most affordable five- band booster available. Wilson’s compact, integrated design is about the size of a textbook and weighs less than 3 pounds.

The Wilson 461104 has 75 dB of gain across all cellular technologies except WiMax: CDMA, GSM, EVDO, LTE, HSPA+ and WCDMA technologies. It can be paired with a variety of Wilson inside and outside antennas to create a custom signal booster system. Like all Wilson signal boosters this unit features cell site protection techniques developed through cooperative effort between Wilson and several major cellular carriers that prevent the possibility of interference with any nearby cell tower.

The Wilson AG PRO Quint Kit covers voice, 2G, 3G, and 4G data on all carriers in the USA and Canada. It covers the following networks, and many more:

• Verizon voice, 2G/3G CDMA/EVDO data and 4G LTE data
• T-Mobile voice, 2G EDGE, 3G HSPA data, 4G HSPA+ and 4G LTE data
• Sprint voice, 2G/3G CDMA/EVDO data and 4G LTE data
• AT&T voice, 2G EDGE data, 3G HSPA data, 4G HSPA+ and 4G LTE data
• Rogers, Bell, Telus voice, 2G EDGE data, 3G HSPA data, 4G HSPA+ and 4G LTE data
• All other carriers using 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1900 MHz, and 1700/2100 MHz (AWS)

The Wilson 461104 operates on 5 different frequencies: 700/850/1700/1900/2100 to cover more carriers and technologies than any other cell phone amplifier. The exact frequencies covered by the Wilson 4GDT are:<br />704-746 MHz, 746-787 MHz, 824-894 MHz,&nbsp;1850-1995 MHz, 1710-1755/2110-2155 MHz.

For more details see the product page: Wilson 461104 AG Pro Quint Kit 

Wilson 461104 AG Pro Quint

This kit comes with a directional yagi antenna. The 3G-only 801262 come in 3 versions: one with a directional antenna and one with an omni-directional antenna. It is not clear yet whether there will be an omni-direction version of the DB PRO 4G. See our FAQ page for details on yagi antennas.

As this is a new product full details are not yet available. Keep an eye on the product page for updates:
Wilson 460103 DB Pro 4G Directional Kit 

Wilson DB PRO 4G (460103)

Tech specs
Frequencies: 704-746 MHz, 746-787 MHz, 824-894 MHz, 1850-1995 MHz, 1710-1755/2110-2155 MHz
Supported networks: All voice, 2G, 3G, 4G in USA and Canada (except WiMax)
Gain: 65dB (not yet confirmed)
Kit contents: 460103 DB PRO 4G amplifier, outdoor directional yagi antena, indoor panel antenna, coaxial cable

Kit contents:
At the core of the kit is the DT4G amplifier, which has a powerful 63dB of gain. A flat panel antenna receives signal from the outside and passes it to the amplifier, and a sleek desktop antenna rebroadcasts the boosted signal in all directions. No word yet on the cable lengths included in the kit, but if it follows the SignalBoost DT it’ll be two 50ft cable (you can always add more cable).

For more details see the Wilson DT4G (#460101) product page. If you have any questions on this or any other item on RepeaterStore.com then please contact us.

The DT4G will be available within a few months with an MSRP of $379. We’ll be announcing on our blog as soon as it’s available.

Wilson DT4G 5 band booster

From the Wilson Electronics press release:

The new DT4G improves voice and data signal strength on 4G, 3G, and 2G networks in the U.S. (except Clearwire), and accommodates multiple users across multiple carriers simultaneously.

“The DT4G is the first booster that improves 4G, 3G and 2G signals simultaneously regardless of your carrier,” said Chris Rutherford, VP of sales and marketing for Wilson Electronics. “It is a breakthrough product, because in addition to being robust, it’s the most affordable and easiest to install of our in-building 4G boosters.”

The DT4G is designed to provide enhanced multiroom signal coverage in apartments, homes and offices. Benefits include fewer dropped connections, fewer no-service “dead zones,” faster data rates especially on 4G devices, and improved cellular battery life due to the reduced power required.

Delivering a maximum gain of 63 decibels (dB), the DT4G booster comes with two antennas, one that communicates with the cell tower, and another that communicates with the cellular device. Also included are two lengths of low-loss coaxial cable to connect the components. An illustrated step-by-step setup guide is included, and Wilson provides free tech support online and by phone from its Utah-based headquarters.

• SureCall Tri-Flex V has a 700MHz band covering Verizon’s LTE network
• SureCall Tri-Flex A has a 700MHz band covering AT&T’s LTE network
• SureCall Tri-Flex T has a 1700MHz band covering T-Mobiles AWS network

All 3 amps are available for shipping now! If you have any questions about which Tri-Flex amp is right for you then please contact us and we can help.

“There is a need for a tri-band booster because most 4G capable devices drop to 3G while placing a call and use 4G for transmitting data. The zBoost TRIO improves voice and data coverage, solving both choppy voice calls and slow download speeds with one device, making it perfect for your home or office,” says Frank Smith , director of sales and channel strategy at Wi-Ex.

Source: PRNewswire

How does it work?

The outside antenna is placed in the area of best signal, collects it and sends it through a cable to the 805165 amplifier. The amplifier then boosts the 4G LTE, 3G and voice signal, and then sends the boosted signal through a cable to the inside antenna. This provides an area of improved signal that can be used by phones and data cards simultaneously.

Compatibility

The Wilson 805165 will cover the following:

• Voice on all US networks except Nextel (i.e. AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-mobile, US Cellular, Cricket, MetroPCS etc)
• 3G on all US networks except T-mobile and Nextel
• 4G on Verizon

Technical Specifications

T-Mobile: We’ll prove shared 1755-1780 MHz band can be auctioned: T-Mobile USA expects that its test of spectrum sharing in the 1755-1780 MHz band will open up frequencies for pairing with the existing AWS-3 band for eventual auction long before all government entities are cleared from the spectrum, according to a company executive.

T-Mobile and MetroPCS unleash data: T-Mobile USA said it will begin offering unlimited data options without speed throttling to consumers beginning Sept 5^th, signaling a new pricing war among the nation’s “non-big-two” carriers that could put pressure on margins for those involved.

Verizon gets FCC approval for AWS spectrum deal: Verizon Wireless has gotten the final green light it needs to proceed with its acquisition of spectrum from seven different companies, including four cable companies.

New antenna could vastly increase wireless net capacity: Researchers from Rice University, and Bell Labs, have demonstrated an antenna technology that would enable mobile network operators to increase capacity without adding spectrum.

A: Observing the minimum required separation distance between the two antennae is critical. If the antennae are placed too close to each other, oscillation will occur when each antenna picks up the others’ signal. If that happens, the Wilson booster will automatically shut down as a safeguard measure to protect the cell site.

As a rule, the higher a booster’s maximum gain value, the greater the minimum required separation distance. With adjustable gain boosters, dialing down the gain can reduce the required separation distance. However, it may also reduce the indoor coverage area.

As a reminder, remember to read the instructional manual that comes with each and every Wilson booster kit, as it has detailed instructions regarding the antenna separation needed. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Q: I see in the marketing materials of various Wilson boosters there are mentions of ‘gain’ or ‘passband gain’. What is gain and why is it important in a signal booster?

A: Technically, gain is simply the ratio of a booster’s or antenna’s output power relative to its input power. Gain is usually expressed in decibels, which are abbreviated as dB. Of course, the purpose of a signal booster and antenna is to product (or output) more power than comes in (input).

In a practical sense, a gain value represents the relative level of signal enhancement a booster and/or antenna is capable of providing. All factors being equal, a booster with a higher gain value will provide a stronger signal and/or a larger coverage area than one with a lower gain value.

Gain value is only one of the factors that needs to be considered when choosing a booster. If you are unsure whether a particular Wilson booster model meets your requirements, contact us via our live chat feature at the bottom right of the webpage, via e-mail, or call us!

Starting from the top of your installation, you’ll have the outdoor antenna. Featured in these kit choices, are the 301202 Dual Band Omni-directional building antenna, and the 304411 High-gain Yagi Directional antenna. Both are excellent antennae, it’s mostly just a difference of application.

With the 301202 omni-directional antenna, it’s best in situations where you’re looking to cover multiple carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon simultaneously. The antenna is also omni-directional, meaning it’ll receive signal from all of the nearby cellular towers, ideal for situations where you’re unsure of where the nearest cellular tower or strongest signal is. Featuring a dB gain of 5-6, this makes the omni-directional antenna an exceptional choice for the exterior of your large building or home.

The above antenna is the 304411 high-gain yagi directional antenna. This antenna is superior to the 301202 in the sense that it has a higher dB gain of 9-10, and provides a stronger signal boost. However, with this antenna being directional, you’ll need to aim it in the direction of the cellular tower provider you’d like coverage from. This isn’t always easy, so there’s a few different ways you can find the direction of the nearest cellular tower. One way would be to download an Android application called OpenSignalMaps, and can be found in the Google Play store. An alternative would be to enter your location address on www.antennasearch.com.

Next, we have multiple lenghts of cable you’re able to choose from. On the drop-down menus of our website, you’re able to choose from 2′ to 100′. You’ll want to use the shortest lengths when possible due to signal loss and attenuation.

With these types of special cable, they’re significantly thicker than standard RG6 (TV cable). They’re also specially designed for ultra low loss, being called Wilson’s LMR400.

Next, we have the amplifier itself picture at the top of this page. There’s two adjustable gain dials, one for each of the frequency bands supported by the amplifier. This amplifier is currently the strongest, most powerful that we carry. We use it in installs and projects ranging from 10,000 sq ft to around 60,000 sq ft. These cellular amplifier systems are extremely versatile in the sense that you can adjust the gain to be lower if it’s too powerful, add in-line amplifiers or additional indoor antennae if you need extra coverage of specific areas.

Lastly, we have the indoor antennae. Again, there’s two different types here, the 301121 Indoor Dome antenna, and the 301135 Indoor Panel antenna.

The 301121 dome antenna is a ceiling mounted omni-directional antenna, best at broadcasting signal in all directions. These antennae area great in situations where you have a decent to strong signal outside of your home/building, simply due to the fact that these antennae don’t have the highest of dB gain. The range that these antennae broadcast at are strongly dependent on a dozen of other factors, such as signal strength going into the antenna, placement of the antenna, and if there are any brick/metal/solid concrete walls that the signal might be transmitting through.

The 301135 panel antenna are quite versatile, and typically what we recommend in most situations. These have a higher dB gain than the 301121 dome antenna, however these are directional much like the differences between the 304411 and the 301202. The 301135 can be mounted on the ceiling, or wall as shown in the diagrams below.

The above diagrams show optimal installation setups, with the antennae and amplifiers being placed in the preferred locations. If you’ve any questions regarding the Wilson Ultimate Repeater Kit, you’re more than welcome to contact us via the live chat window at the bottom right of the website, send us an e-mail, or give us a call!

Verizon closer to wrapping LTE blitz as it hits 75% coverage: Verizon Wireless, already the operator with the most LTE customers in the world, is quickly closing in on its goal to replicate its 3G footprint with LTE.

Toll-free data: The technical details, the business model, and the skeptics: During the past six months especially, U.S. wireless carriers have increasingly batted around the concept. The most commonly discussed form of toll-free data would allow users to access a certain kind of content or content from a certain provider without dipping into their monthly bucket of data. In exchange, the content provider–most likely an over-the-top (OTT) player–would pay the carrier directly; strike a revenue-sharing deal with the operator; or form some other business arrangement.

ZTE boast first multi-standard LTE hotspot, USB modem: Chinese telecommunications equipment and mobile devices provider ZTE Corporation is lending a hand in facilitating the adoption of China Mobile’s LTE network with the launch of the world’s first multi-standard USB modem and uFi (hotspot), which support both FD-LTE and TD-LTE networks.

Verizon Wireless gains regulator approval on spectrum deals: To the surprise of few, Verizon Wireless and a handful of cable operators will need to make changes to their current spectrum deal in order to gain government approval.

What Happened?

If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer, you probably know that for a while you couldn’t find tethering apps in Google Play from your phone. Verizon had pressured Google to block access to tethering apps from Verizon Wireless devices, so if you wanted to install them you had to sideload them yourself. When the FCC got word of this (via a complaint filed by Free Press), they started an investigation.

Verizon’s 4G LTE network is built on top of wireless bandwidth that Verizon bought from the government (specifically, the C Block of 700 MHz spectrum) a long time ago. That purchase came with a restriction called the Open Access Rule, which says anyone using it to provide service “shall not deny, limit, or restrict the ability of their customers to use the devices and applications of their choice on the licensee’s C Block network.” That means as long as you’re a paying customer and using their equipment, Verizon can’t keep you from spreading the wireless love to your iPad, your laptop, or any other device you own.

Verizon contested the issue at first, but after the better part of a year, they relented, settling on a $1.25 million fine and agreeing to stop blocking tethering apps, among other penalties. So now Verizon customers can download tethering apps with impunity—but there’s more to the story.

I’m On Verizon, What Does This Mean to Me?

If you’re a Verizon customer, this is a bigger deal to you, and the news isn’t all good. Here’s what we mean:

• You can download any tethering app you want now. Congratulations! Our favorite tethering apps for Android like PDANet. Wireless Tether, and EasyTether are all available on Google Play, and you can tether for free all day long as long as you don’t go over your data cap (unless you have a grandfathered Unlimited plan, more on that in a second.)
• Customers with non-unlimited plans can tether for free. If you use Android’s built-in tethering or a third-party tethering app like the ones we mentioned, you’re in the clear—just don’t go over your data cap. If you have a new “Share Everything” plan, tethering is rolled into the base price of your plan. The upside is you can use whatever app you want. The downside is you’re essentially still paying for tethering in some fashion, it’s just obfuscated. If you already pay for Verizon’s Mobile Broadband Connect service or use Verizon’s own app to tether, Verizon says the extra bandwidth their $20/mo plan offers is worth paying for, but that’s up to you.
• Current customers with grandfathered unlimited data plans still have to pay. Unfortunately, if you want to tether with your unlimited plan, you have to either upgrade your plan to one of the new, Share Everything plans (which include tethering), or pony up $20/mo for Verizon’s “Mobile Broadband Connect” service. You can still tether off the books and hope you don’t get caught, but if they catch you, Verizon will either sign you up for Mobile Broadband Connect, put you on a Share Everything plan, or terminate your contract. Sorry.
• 3G customers can tether for free, too. Even though the ruling applies to the spectrum Verizon purchased for its 4G network, 3G smartphone owners can tether for free too. Verizon doesn’t want the overhead of applying one policy to 4G users and another to 3G users, so they’re making it an across-the-board thing. Grab your favorite app and go!
• This means nothing for the Verizon iPhone. Sorry iPhone users—even though Verizon’s policy applies to 3G phones, all they have to do is not block tethering apps. The restriction on tethering apps in the iTunes Store is Apple’s decision, not Verizon’s, so until that changes, you’re stuck jailbreaking and finding your own app, either through Cydia, or buying our favorite, PDANet.

I’m Not on Verizon, What Does This Mean to Me?

If you heard the news and thought that maybe this meant your carrier will have to make it easy for you to tether, don’t hold your breath. However, there are some upsides:

• AT&T (and soon, other carriers) now include tethering as part of their wireless plans’ base price. The folks at ExtremeTech point out that AT&T has already very quietly changed their plans to include tethering in the base price for new customers. Other carriers will likely follow suit, since it gets them out of the business of hunting people down for tethering, and ends thecat and mouse tethering game many of us play, trying to sneak it in without getting caught. Photo by Matthew Berggren.
• Other carriers will think twice about hiding or removing built-in tethering features. This especially applies to Android devices. Carriers work pretty hard with OEMs to try and obscure Android’s built-in tethering tools, or pre-load Android devices with a carrier’s specific tethering app that prompts you to sign up for an additional charge before you can use your phone as a mobile hotspot, and while they won’t be required to stop, there’s a strong disincentive now for doing it.

The Bottom Line: A Mixed Bag that Represents a Bigger Change

At the end of the day, it may seem like not much has changed, especially for non-Verizon customers—but in a few years, we’ll likely look back on this as a shift in the industry—at least in the United States—away from charging extra for tethering and letting you use your smartphone the way it was designed (and the way smartphone users abroad are happy to tell you they already can). Bonus, as carriers look to buy up more spectrum to meet our growing mobile data needs, they’ll probably all have to comply with the Open Access Rule, too. Granted, even those people who don’t tether will wind up paying for it as part of their plan, but anyone who wants to will be able to, whenever they want to, without extra fees or worrying they’ll get caught.

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5933152/the-right-to-tether-what-the-verizonfcc-settlement-means-to-you

T-Mobile USA will increase its capital expenditures through the rest of the year as it goes all in on its network modernization project while simultaneously dabbling in one-off incentives to get users to dump their 2G devices.

The operator, which lost a net 205,000 subscribers during 2012′s second quarter, said its capex will increase during the second half of 2012 as it upgrades its network, a move that should help the company become more competitive with other operators next year as it delivers improved network speeds and possibly popular devices such as the Apple iPhone.

According to Telecom Lead, T-Mobile reported its cash capex was $539 million during the second quarter, a decrease of 27.8 percent from the first quarter, and a decrease of 21.7 percent from the year-ago quarter. It credited payment timing as a contributing factor to the lower cash capex, which will soon begin to ramp up.

T-Mobile has pledged to spend around $4 billion to roll out LTE over its 1700/2100 MHz AWS spectrum and shift HSPA+ services from the AWS frequencies to its 1900 MHz spectrum, which is currently used for 2G GSM service. It has selected Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks as vendors for the modernization project.

The operator faces a tricky mission in its effort to refarm 1900 MHz spectrum, which still serves domestic GSM customers, M2M users as well as international GSM roamers. Last month, TmoNews reported the operator had initiated a “3G Device Upgrade Pilot” in five cities: Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Washington, D.C. and Miami.

The three-week-long marketing pilot, which reportedly ended July 30, offered a host of different incentives to encourage customers to give up their GSM 1900 MHz devices and upgrade to 3G or 4G devices. Only 5,000 customers in each market were sent a mailer notifying them of the incentives. Qualifying customers were on Classic or Legacy rate plans and used 1,000 or more minutes per month on a 2G-only device.

The pilot test was likely being used as a precursor to larger regional incentive offers as T-Mobile works to shift GSM users away from its 1900 MHz spectrum in order to make room for HSPA+ service.

One major benefit of bringing HSPA+ to 1900 MHz is that legacy iPhones on T-Mobile’s networks will be able to receive high-speed data services. It has been estimated that close to 1 million unlocked iPhones are operating on T-Mobile’s 1900 MHz network, even though the operator does not sell them and the devices are currently only able to receive 2G service from T-Mobile in that spectrum.

T-Mobile will be skipped over by the impending release of the iPhone 5, predicts. Eric Costa, a research analyst in Technology Business Research’s Networking and Mobility Practice. But at least the refarming effort will position T-Mobile for future iPhone sales.

“The 1900 MHz refarm will allow for future iPhone access should a deal be signed. This would boost data consumption as iPhone users consume the highest amount of data on average. Unlike the other Tier 1 operators, T-Mobile will use the iPhone as a defensive strategy to help retain subscribers already on its network, as other subscribers on other networks already have access to the iPhone without needing to switch carriers,” said Costa.

Rival operator AT&T Mobility is also busily refarming its 2G spectrum and has already announced the planned shuttering of its GSM service by early 2017 as it refarms its 850 MHz and 1900 MHz spectrum. T-Mobile has maintained that it will continue to offer 2G services to existing customers, many of which are M2M users.

Regarding AT&T’s plans, Stefan Zehle of Coleago Consulting wrote in a recent Telecom Asia column that legacy customers are an issue for operators engaged in refarming as “customers who make the least usage and have the lowest bills hang on to their old phones the longest.”

Zehle noted that in AT&T’s case, it might seem sensible to leave a few slivers of spectrum available for GSM use since any spectrum that is less than 5-MHz wide cannot be refarmed for HSPA and LTE. However, he said such thinking is a misconception because “operating the legacy 2G network outweighs the revenue made from these customers.”

For more:
- see this Telecom Lead article
- see this TmoNews blog article
- see this Technology Business Research post
- see this Telecom Asia article

Wireless device testing company Anite announced that its test solutions are being used by NIST to assess the U.S. LTE public-safety network and associated devices. NIST “is working with government agencies and device manufacturers to ensure that any LTE enabled public safety device operates effectively on the soon to be deployed U.S. public-safety LTE network,” said Anite.

The company claims to be responsible for more than 80 percent of all LTE test case verification submissions to 3GPP RAN5 for the PTCRB certification requirements. PTCRB is the certification forum used by North American cellular operators.

Meanwhile, the FCC recently announced the 21 jurisdictions that received public-safety broadband waivers in May 2010 allowing them to lease 700 MHz spectrum from the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) will see those rights expire on Sept. 2, after which the entities will need to acquire a six-month special temporary authority (STA) from the FCC to continue operating. The FCC said in its order that STAs will be awarded “in very few instances, and only where deployment clearly serves the public interest and will not be detrimental to the Public Safety Spectrum Act’s goals or jeopardize the mandate to deploy a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network.”

Of the 21 jurisdictions that received broadband waivers, the two most likely to receive the STAs, if they want them, are Charlotte, N.C., and the state of Texas. The commission approved both of those entities’ interoperability showings, which would enable them to deploy and operate public-safety LTE networks under their existing spectrum leases with the PSST.

Before the FCC officially announced its plan, the city of Charlotte deemed the temporary authority scenario as being too risky for the city to continue making investments in its public-safety LTE network. Charlotte has since indicated it is studying the FCC’s order. Texas–in particular Harris County, to which much of Houston belongs–appears bullish on continuing its public-safety LTE effort.

The FCC said it will only issue STAs for existing 700 MHz public-safety broadband spectrum, not the reallocated 700 MHz D-Block spectrum. The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, enacted Feb. 22, established the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to develop the nationwide public-safety LTE network under an FCC license for both the existing public-safety broadband spectrum (763-769 MHz/793-799 MHz) and the spectrally adjacent D Block (758-763 MHz/788-793 MHz), which the act reallocated to public safety.

In its recent order, the FCC also dismissed all pending 700 MHz broadband waiver requests. The order did not specify procedures for transferring the existing 700 MHz spectrum license from PSST to FirstNet.

For more:
- see this Anite release
- see this FCC order (pdf)
- see this Urgent Communications article
- see this Radio Resource article

Fresh from launching the world’s first multi-carrier mobile service last month, Korea’s SK Telecom has claimed another new landmark as the first operator to introduce an HD voice over LTE service.

The all IP-based ‘HD Voice’ network goes live tomorrow (August 8th) and it will feature high definition quality voice calls and “dramatically” reduced connection times and latency, the operator says.

As the network launches, so the operator will pre-load Samsung Galaxy S III LTE devices with technology to enjoy the benefits of HD Voice. It is also slated to introduce an update for those that already own the flagship Samsung smartphone, though plans for other LTE devices are unclear at this stage.

SK has pledged to keep the cost of the network level with its 3G voice network, while HD Voice customers will also enjoy the same per-second billing rates.

As well as providing superior calling quality, the move to an all IP-based network is one that could present future service and content opportunities for SK. The company says that the service will “evolve and develop into diverse services in the future”.

While that comment is pretty open and vague, it is an important move that comes at a time when SK is under more pressure than ever before.

A smartphone boom in Korea, thanks to high profile devices like the Galaxy S III and Apple’s iPhone, has taken smartphone ownership beyond 50 percent of the country’s mobile phone owners.

While that growth provides obvious revenue generation opportunities for operators looking to push data bundles and value added services, it has placed considerable strain on Korea’s mobile networks. It has also put pressure on operator revenues by enabling the rise of mobile messaging services which compete against operators for SMS and calls.

KakaoTalk, which has more downloads (35 million) than Korea has smartphones, leads the domestic players, ahead of similar services from NHN (Line) and Daum. The apps allow users to send free messages and make free calls through their platforms and that threat is thought to be behind the throttling of the KakaoTalk service.

With call quality on the app affected by the operators’ actions, the timing of SK’s HD Voice service is particularly interesting and given the timing — deliberate or not — it is a play to regain its threatened voice revenues.

Source: http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/3968/perfect-platform-demonstrate-latest-technology-convergence

Researches expose severe security flaws in Verizon hotspot from ZTE: ZTE’s 890L mobile hotspote device, marketed by Verizon Wireless, has a host of critical security flaws, according to researchers at Lift Security.

T-Mobile pushes hotspots instead of shared data: T-Mobile USA, which has registered its disdain for multi-device service plans offered by rivals, is adding Smith Micro Software’s connection manager to mobile hotspot devices and smartphones it markets in a bit to encourage customers to connect their Wi-Fi devices to T-Mobile’s 3G and 4G networks.

AT&T continues spectrum spree, picks up various 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz licenses: AT&T’s lust for wireless spectrum knows no bounds as the carrier today filed petitions with the Federal Communications Commission seeking various 700 MHz licenses from a handful of small license owners.

T-Mobile: 95% of our backhaul is fiber: T-Mobile’s prescience in deploying fiber to the vast majority of its cell sites over the past five years has given the company’s LTE rollout a significant head start, according to a company executive.

72% of cellphone owners said they experience dropped calls at least occasionally. And 32% of cellphone users say they experience this problem at least a few times a week or more. If you’re a smartphone owner versus a basic cellphone user, the list of problems with your mobile device is likely to be longer — smartphone owners reported more problems with their phones.

Dropped calls have been an issue for a number of phone makers, but they plague one carrier in particular — AT&T. Apple’s iPhone 4 on AT&T would reportedly drop calls if held in a certain way which became known as the “death grip.” Apple offered its customers a free bumper case to prevent dropped calls, after a class-action lawsuit was filed. Verizon’s iPhone 4 also developed a reputation for easily dropping calls, so much so that it failed to make Consumer Reports list of recommended phones. The same publication named AT&T “the worst carrier” in 2010.

Spam texts and slow download speeds on mobile devices are also common complaints of cellphone users. 69% of cellphone users say they receive unwanted spam text messages, and more than three quarters cite slow Internet speeds as keeping them from getting the most out of their device.

Some other interesting stats from the Pew study include:

• 68% of cell owners receive unwanted sales or marketing calls at one time or another. And 25% of cell owners encounter this problem at least a few times a week or more frequently.
• Of the 69% text message users who said they receive unwanted spam or text messages, 25% face problems with spam/unwanted texts at least weekly.

It would seem consumers are expecting better. “The big change that mobile connectivity has brought to users is the instant availability of people and data,” Jan Lauren Boyles, a Pew Internet and American Life Project researcher who authored this report, said in a statement. “As mobile owners become fond of just-in-time access to others and as their expectations about getting real-time information rise, they depend on the cell phone’s technical reliability. Any problems that snag, stall, or stop users from connecting to the material and people they seek is at least a hassle to them and sometimes is even more disturbing than that in this networked world.”

Are you still having issues with your cell reception? Let us know in the comments!

THE BENEFITS OF DUAL-BAND

The 2.4GHz is the most commonly used wireless bandwidth. It also has a limited number of bandwidth for multiple activities, such as sending emails, video chatting, streaming movies, playing games, etc. In addition, the same 2.4GHz frequency is also shared between different devices (i.e. laptops, tablets, smartphones, TV, gaming consoles, and other common household devices like microwaves and cordless phones). This causes interference and major backlog with your online activities. The Dual-Band technology provides maximum flexibility for your Dual-Band compatible devices to connect to the popular 2.4GHz frequency and also off-load traffic to a faster less-crowded 5.0GHz frequency.

While the 5.0GHz runs at a higher throughput rate, its wireless strength is limited.  The HD45X increases the signal strength and provides doubles the wireless distance for you dual-band network. As a result, it provides a stronger and more solid wireless connection to improve overall performance, such as improving the data transfer speed and reducing lag while streaming or downloading multimedia content (video, music, etc.).  Seamless Roaming is a unique feature that mirrors existing network settings for ultimate mobility with all your Wi-Fi devices.

In addition, Hawking Dual-Band Wireless-N Range Extender promotes data speeds of up to 300Mbps for 2.4GHz frequencies and 450Mbps for 5.0GHz frequencies. This means users can have more bandwidth and transfer more files in less time.

EASY UPGRADE FOR LONG RANGE ENVIRONMENTS

The HD45X combines Dual-Band technology with removable external antennas to upgrade your overall wireless experience.

Head on over to our product page to see the product details and installation manual.

Sprint has revealed that it’s aiming to axe the Nextel platform in its entirety by June 30th, 2013. The company has already moved well ahead of schedule in deactivating 9,600 iDEN sites — a third of its network. The company admitted that it’s battling with Verizon Wireless to coax former Nextel users onto its service, but hopes that since it’s got a shiny new Direct Connect platform, the Now Network will be able to keep hold of far more of thjem than it has done so far.

So, if you’re currently a Nextel/iDEN user on the Push-To-Talk network and have poor signal, head on over to our dual band repeater kit page and take a look a dual band amplifier!

PCAST’s nearly 200-page report urged the Secretary of Commerce to immediately identify 1000 MHz that could be opened up for fresh wireless users, but it also recommended that the spectrum be used to implement a new architecture that would “create the first shared-use spectrum superhighways.”

The advisory council wants the White House to issue a memorandum stating it is the policy of the U.S. government to share underutilized federal spectrum to the maximum extent possible.

PCAST justified its recommendations by declaring that clearing and reallocation of federal spectrum for exclusive use is not a sustainable basis for spectrum policy due to high cost, length of time to implement and disruption to the federal government’s mission. Further, the council said the fragmented partitioning of spectrum “leads to inefficiency, artificial scarcity and constraints” on current and future federal and non-federal users.

Spectrum sharing “would provide the basis for economic and social benefits,” said the council.

PCAST’s recommendations raised red flags for incumbent mobile industry players, however. On AT&T’s Public Policy Blog, Joan Marsh, the operator’s vice president of federal regulatory, expressed concern about PCAST’s statement that “the norm for spectrum use should be sharing, not exclusivity.” The council’s report failed to recognize the benefits of exclusive-use licenses, which enabled “creation of the mobile Internet and all of the ensuing innovation, investment and job creation that followed,” she said.

“While we should be considering all options to meet the country’s spectrum goals, including the sharing of federal spectrum with government users, it is imperative that we clear and reallocate government spectrum where practical,” said Marsh.

Marsh said AT&T is encouraged by PCAST’s interest in exploring ways to free up underutilized government spectrum for mobile Internet use. The 1000 MHz that PCAST wants made available for expanded use is twice as much as President Barack Obama directed federal agencies to identify for commercial use in a 2010 memorandum promoting the expansion of mobile broadband opportunities.

In a statement that echoed AT&T’s, Chris Guttman-McCabe, CTIA vice president of regulatory affairs, said “the gold standard” for deployment of ubiquitous mobile broadband networks is cleared spectrum.

“Cleared spectrum and an exclusive-use approach has enabled the U.S. wireless industry to invest hundreds of billions of dollars, deploying world-leading mobile broadband networks and resulting in tremendous economic benefits for U.S. consumers and businesses. Not surprisingly, that is the very same approach that has been used by the countries that we compete with in the global marketplace, who have brought hundreds of megahertz of cleared spectrum to market in recent years,” said Guttman-McCabe.

Many politicians are likely to join with the mobile industry to oppose the use of shared spectrum, because that would mean billions of dollars raised from auctioning exclusive spectrum rights would be lost in the future. But PCAST’s recommendations fall right in line with suggestions from other entities, such as the World Bank, whose recent report on mobile adoption pushes governments to “focus on expansion of network coverage rather than on spectrum proceeds.”

The PCAST report suggested numerous methods to accomplish sharing, including geographic sharing where federal spectrum may be available for commercial use in one location but not another. Secondary usage that automatically switches off when a primary federal user enters the spectrum was also mentioned.

The advisory council’s members include tech luminaries such as Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft. Google and Microsoft are both part of the Wireless Innovation Alliance, which includes think tanks, consumer groups, and education organizations as well as white-space players Aviacomm, Carlson Wireless and Spectrum Bridge. Not surprisingly, WIA applauded the PCAST report.

“Unused capacity on federal bands can be shared utilizing new technologies, such as geolocation databases, that guarantee federal users have access to spectrum when it is needed for critical public services while ensuring private users access to the frequencies when it is not needed by government users,” said WIA.

The group singled out for praise a PCAST suggestion that the TV White Space database approach to shared spectrum “holds immediate promise for opening the underutilized 3550-3650 MHz band for unlicensed devices.” WIA encouraged the FCC and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to make implementation of this plan a priority.

PCAST’s report is not the first time the concept of spectrum sharing has been broached in the United States. For example, NTIA found in late March that 95 MHz of spectrum currently in federal hands, the 1755-1850 MHz band, could be repurposed for commercial use, and the agency recommended then that sharing the airwaves might be a way to get the spectrum into the wireless market.

Marsh at AT&T noted the company fully supports NTIA’s effort to determine which government bands can be cleared for commercial use.

For more:
- see the PCAST report (PDF)
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this GigaOM article
- see this AT&T blog post
- see this CTIA release
- see this Wireless Innovation Alliance release

Sprint: Clearwire’s LTE will ‘pinpoint’ high-traffic areas: Sprint Nextel’s Iyad Tarazi said the company’s work with Clearwire on LTE will be more efficient and targered than its work with Clearwire on mobile WiMAX.

HLR-driven outages causing network headaches: Recent mobile service interruptions might be a sign of things to come as networks succumb to traffic overloads that disrupt signaling, or they might just reflect the intricacies that can sometimes trip up engineers conducting network tweaks and upgrades.

Rumor: Sprint’s LTE launch perfectly timed for iPhone 5 debut: Sprint Nextel drastically trails the two largest U.S. mobile operators in terms of LTE coverage, but Sprint’s LTE launch, combined with its marketing promise of unlimited data service for smartphones, may have it sitting in the catbird seat over the longer term.

“With the breadth of T-Mobile’s nationwide 4G network well established, we recently moved to a network claim that reflects the network’s performance and reliability, particularly with the $4 billion investment we’re making and recent accolades like the PC Magazine Fastest Mobile Networks Test, which showed T-Mobile’s 4G network to be very competitive with current LTE networks,” wrote T-Mobile spokesperson Danielle Hopcus in response to questions from Fierce Wireless. “T-Mobile became the first nationwide 4G network and began using ‘America’s Largest 4G Network’ in marketing more than 18 months ago. Since that time, competitors have worked to catch up as we’ve continued to expand and strengthen our 4G network. We don’t care to believe these last few POPs, and the numbers are constantly changing.”

FierceWireless reported in April that T-Mobile’s claim of owning the nation’s largest 4G network was becoming increasingly dubious based on its rivals’ network rollouts. For example, T-Mobile’s claim was based on coverage of 215 million people with HSPA+ network technology–but AT&T Mobility  recently announced it covered 250 million people with its “4G” network (which spans HSPA+ and LTE technologies).

Hopcus said T-Mobile ended its “America’s Largest 4G Network” claim on July 10, when it launched a new advertising effort highlighting the number of towers T-Mobile operates across the country (35,000). AT&T still claims that its network is “the nation’s largest 4G network.” Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless on its website claims it offers “America’s fastest 4G network” and that it provides “more 4G LTE coverage than all other networks combined.”

Read more: T-Mobile drops ‘America’s Largest 4G Network’ claim – FierceWireless http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-drops-americas-largest-4g-network-claim/2012-07-18#ixzz216rCyYz8

The study, which queried more than 900 U.S. smartphone users and more than 1,000 British smartphone users, also found that more than half (57 percent) of U.S. smartphone owners watched video in the past month and 86 percent said that when their mobile connection is poor, they care more about seeing standard definition video rather than high definition video with slow starts, stuttering and re-buffering.

Not surprisingly, the study found that 76 percent of smartphone users in the age group of 18-34 watched video in the past month as compared with 58 percent of those in the 35-44 age group. Only 52 percent of those 45-54 watched video and just 24 percent of those 55 and older watched video in the past month.

Households with an income of less than $35,000 also were more likely to have watched video on their smartphones (66 percent) compared with those smartphone users with household incomes of more than $75,000 (just 54 percent). This stat is telling because video consumption is considered a major factor in “bill shock” and those with less income would likely be charged overage fees if they consumed more data than their wireless plan allows.

Indeed mobile video consumption is on the rise. According to Cisco’s 2012 Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast, by 2016 video is expected to make up 71 percent of all mobile data traffic.

Source: http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/study-data-speed-more-critical-voice-coverage-smartphone-users/2012-07-13

The new Home Phone Connect service will launch with a $20 per month plan that is cheaper than plans offered by AT&T, the primary landline provider in C Spire’s markets.

“There’s no reason for consumers to continue to pay expensive monthly landline bills when they can switch to C Spire Wireless, keep their same phone number and get unlimited local and nationwide calling and all the usual custom calling features they’d expect from a phone service,” Wade Smith, vice president of products and innovation, said in today’s announcement.

The Mississippi-based regional wireless operator says comparable landline service from AT&T runs about $42 per month, though AT&T’s website lists its unlimited long distance plans at $33 per month, which doesn’t include local calls.

Customers who sign a two-year contract must pay a one-time $50 fee for the home phone device, and customers who opt to go without a contract must pay a $160 one-time fee.

The move into the landline business marks a change of tack for C Spire, a provider that has historically focused exclusively on the wireless market.

Competitors AT&T and Verizon Wireless offer a variety of fixed and wireless services ranging from home phones to broadband Internet, so the addition of a landline-type offering could help C Spire broaden its appeal to subscribers looking to get all their services from a single provider.

The new device is targeted at customers who use cell phones but aren’t ready to cut the cord entirely, such as senior citizens, C Spire said.

The Axesstel-manufactured landline replacement unit plugs into a subscriber’s current landline phone and includes two standard phone jacks. The device also comes with built-in battery backup supporting up to 2.5 hours of talk time, so it will continue to work in the event of a power outage.

Minneapolis, Minn.-based cellular distributor GetWireless has been hired to distribute the device, available through C Spire’s website, retail stores and phone sales.

Source: http://wirelessweek.com/News/2012/07/c-spire-gets-into-landline-replacement-business/

Downtown Chicago could become a giant Wi-Fi zone: Chicago’s downtown area could become a gigantic Wi-Fi mega-hotspot under plans reportedly being laid out by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Canada assailed over its 700 MHz licensee R&D rule: Industry Canada’s proposed requirement that new 700 MHz licensees must invest 2 percent of their adjusted gross revenues in eligible research and development activities related to telecommunications is “an artifact from a previous era that Is no longer appropriate or required,” according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.

U.S. Army’s new battlefield network relies on Android apps: The U.S. Army finally rolled out the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical, or WIN-T, which has been in development in one form or another since 1996.

Mozilla preps launch of Firefox Mobile OS: Mozilla today confirmed plans to launch a new open mobile operating system based on HTML5 and it has the support of some big names in the industry, including Sprint, Telefonica, and Deutsche Telekom.

The 700 MHz devices are available for various bands, the GSA said. Market leader Verizon Wireless holds 700 MHz spectrum mainly in Band Class 13, while AT&T uses 700 MHz spectrum in Band Class 17. “The majority of LTE user devices operate in the 700 MHz band since LTE networks using this spectrum are the most extensively developed today, driven by market developments in the USA,” said the GSA.

There are currently 90 devices available for Europe’s 800 MHz digital dividend spectrum, all designed for Band 20. In addition, there are also 98 LTE devices designed for the 1800 MHz Band 3, 120 devices for the 2600 MHz Band 7 and 75 devices for 800/1800/2600 MHz, according to the GSA.

The group noted that European operators are primarily using 2600 MHz, 1800 MHz and 800 MHz digital dividend spectrum for LTE–in many cases using all three bands–and manufacturers have rapidly responded with products for these markets. For example, the number of user devices capable of operating in the 2600 MHz Band 7 increased by 85 percent since January 2012, said the GSA.

The group’s latest report on the status of the LTE ecosystem also revealed that 67 manufacturers have announced 417 LTE-enabled user devices, 68 of which can operate in TD-LTE mode. The breakdown of LTE user devices by form factor includes:

• 45 modules
• 31 tablets
• 19 notebooks
• 1 PC card
• 3 femtocells
• 83 smartphones
• 157 routers
• 78 dongles

“The number of LTE user devices announced in the market has more than tripled over the past year,” said Alan Hadden, GSA president.

The GSA said 267 LTE devices also operate on HSPA, HSPA+ or DC-HSPA+ networks. Within this figure, 109 LTE devices can operate on 42 Mbps HSPA+ systems. Further, 126 LTE devices support operation on cdma2000 EV-DO networks.

A total of 327 operators in 99 countries are currently investing in LTE, and 144 LTE networks are expected to be in commercial service in 59 countries by the end of this year, the group said.

Source: http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/gsa-us-700-mhz-spectrum-leads-193-lte-devices/2012-07-04

Product Page: CM2500W

Technical Specifications

The RF Signal Detector helps you find the strongest available signal for your cellular devices!

The RF Signal Detector from Wilson Electronics is a quad-band detector that finds the available cellular signals in any location and displays signal attributes on the detector’s LCD screen. This signal detector can be paired with a variety of Wilson antennae to map the local cellular frequency environment and find the direction of the cell tower that provides the strongest signal. This allows you to precisely point a directional antenna, so that a Wilson signal booster can maximize indoor cellular coverage.

The Signal Detector’s LCD screen displays the frequency of a detected signal, the range of pass bandwidth in megahertz (MHz) and the signal strength in decibels (dB). Easy-to-use button controls located just under the screen allow t he user to move between frequency bands and channels. This devices works with the 800 MHz (Cellular), 1900 MHz (PCS), 2100 MHz (AWS), and 700 MHz LTE (bands 12 and 13) frequency bands. The RF Signal Detector is the perfect tool to help you optimize a Wilson signal booster installation, or tune a directional antenna.

FEATURES
• Detects and displays available signal
frequency, bandwidth and strength
• Works with 700, 800, 1900 and 2100 (AWS)
MHz spectrum bands
• Configurable with a variety of Wilson
antennas
• Detects available signal indoors or
outdoors
• Switches easily between frequency
bands and channels

INSTALLER BENEFITS
• Determine which cellular signals,
including 3G & 4G, are available for any
location
• Find the strongest available signal
• Map the local cellular frequency
environment
• Precisely position directional antennas
for optimum performance
• Maximize signal coverage indoors

PURPOSE
The purpose of the RF Signal Detector is to assist the installation
of a Wilson Electronics Signal Booster, specifically for:
• Mapping the frequency environment
• Pointing directional antennas
• Maximizing Wilson® Electronics Signal Booster coverage

RF Signal Detector Specifications
Model Number: 867501
Antenna connectors: N-Type
Antenna impedance: 50 ohms
Dimensions: 5.7 x 4.2 x 1.5 inch
14.0 x 10.8 x 3.9 cm
Weight: 1.24 lbs
0.56 kg
Maximum detectable in-band
signal: (dBm) -38
Minimum detectable in-band
signal with 1.5MHz BW (dBm): -110
Minimum detectable in-band
signal with 10MHz BW (dBm): -105
Maximum recommended RF
input (dBm): -38
Power Requirements: 110-240 V AC, 50-60 Hz,

The LTE launch will place the carrier on equal footing, at least in basic marketing, with larger rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility, which have been aggressively expanding their respective LTE coverage. The move also puts Sprint Nextel into the LTE game ahead of an expected fall launch of Apple’s latest iPhone device that most predict will include LTE capability.

The launch also keeps Sprint Nextel on track for its planned mid-2012 launch, followed by 250 million potential customers covered by the end of 2013. The carrier announced earlier this week that it was set to re-hire 240 employees that had previously been moved to Ericsson as part of a network reorganization plan. A Sprint Nextel spokeswoman said the transfer should be complete by the end of July. Ericsson, which is handling the Network Vision work with Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung, is on the hook for the network upgrade for most of the initial LTE launch markets.

Sprint Nextel’s LTE network will initially rely on 10 megahertz of spectrum in the 1.9 GHz G-Block spectrum band. The carrier said it plans on eventually re-farming other spectrum bands in support of the service, including plans to use its 800 MHz spectrum. The band is currently supporting its iDEN network, which is set to be shuttered by mid-2013, as well as recently launched CDMA2000 1x-Advanced services.

The carrier has already been seen seeding the market with LTE-enabled devices, including smartphones and wireless modems.

Sprint Nextel’s LTE network is crucial to its ability to compete at least on a marketing level with larger rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility. As was seen with its initial move into the “4G” marketing space with its WiMAX offering, a significant segment of wireless consumers are drawn to the latest and greatest technologies, even if they have no idea what they are or how they benefit them.

Sprint Nextel’s next battle will be to prove that its LTE service is on par with its larger rivals despite the use of approximately half the spectrum assets. Improving coverage will also be key in terms of marketing and customer satisfaction, which could prove a challenge in the short term due to the carrier’s use of 1.9 GHz spectrum for the initial LTE rollout.

Source: http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/20120627/carriers/sprint-nextel-lte-launch-set-for-july-15/

The two operators said today they will swap AWS spectrum in 218 markets, a deal giving T-Mobile a “net gain” of spectrum to use for its forthcoming LTE network.

“This is good for T-Mobile and good for consumers because it will enable T-Mobile to compete even more vigorously with other wireless carriers,” T-Mobile CEO and President Philipp Humm said in a statement, calling the spectrum “critical.”

T-Mobile has repeatedly asked the FCC to stop Verizon from purchasing a nationwide swath of AWS spectrum from four cable operators, arguing the deal will prove anticompetitive by concentrating too much spectrum in the hands of a single company. T-Mobile has also attacked Verizon for not using AWS spectrum it purchased in 2006, and says Verizon isn’t using its spectrum as efficiently as it claims.

The agreement between the two companies will likely remove T-Mobile as an opponent to Verizon’s spectrum deal with the cable providers, since it is contingent upon FCC approval of the larger AWS transaction.

The agreement includes licenses Verizon is working to purchase from the cable operators and spectrum from a separate deal with Leap Wireless International. The contract also depends on the closure of the Leap deal.

Verizon is working to close the transaction with its cable partners by late summer.

Some critics of Verizon’s AWS purchase from cable operators have asked the FCC to force Verizon to divest some of the licenses. T-Mobile may have been able to benefit from the forced divestitures, but its arrangement with Verizon gives it an amount of certainty it would have otherwise lacked.

If its new deal with Verizon goes through, T-Mobile will gain spectrum covering 60 million people in Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Detroit; Minneapolis; Seattle; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee; Charlotte, N.C.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Rochester, N.Y.

In turn, Verizon will gain spectrum covering 22 million people and an unspecified “cash consideration.”

The contract between the two operators also includes spectrum swaps in a number of markets “to create more contiguous blocks of spectrum and re-align spectrum in adjacent markets.”

Verizon previously offered to sell off its 700 MHz A block and B block licenses if the AWS deal closes, an offer T-Mobile rejected on the grounds that the A block licenses faced too many problems with interference to be viable.

Source: WirelessWeek

AT&T Mobility’s spectrum focus turns to 2.3 GHz band; challenges remain: AT&T Mobility’s desire to secure spectrum resources has turned to the 2.3 GHz band, which is currently dominated by satellite radio operator Sirius XM.

FCC may open cell phone radiation inquiry: The FCC is considering opening an investigation into cell phone radiation standards, a controversial issue that has yet to find consensus within the scientific community.

4.9 GHz band could open up for limited commercial use: The FCC is scrutinizing the 4.9 GHz band and is seeking input on efforts to promote greater use of the band, including opening it up for commercial applications and finding ways to complement the nationwide interoperable LTE public-safety safety broadband network currently in development.

Nextel Mexico gears up for Q3 launch of HSPA+: Nll Holdings, which delivers mobile services in Latin America under the Nextel brand, expects to launch its WCDMA/HSPA+ network in Mexico during this year’s third quarter.

Though they are taking different approaches, both companies are looking to limit the amount of power used by voice communications over WCDMA so there is more spectrum available for HSPA and HSPA+. “There is a huge amount of data coming and the voice is occupying most of the spectrum,” said InToTally’s CEO Alvaro Lopez-Medrano.

The mobile communications industry is migrating toward VoLTE and VoHSPA, “but it will take some time before those services have the quality and ubiquity of circuit-switched voice,” said Rasmus Hellberg, Qualcomm’s senior director of technical marketing.

“4G is frequently promoted as the way to meet the huge demand for mobile capacity. But by 2016 only about 26 percent of subscribers will have moved to 4G networks and a hybrid solution with 3G will be essential to ensure adequate coverage for voice and data,” said Sue Rudd, director of service provider analysis at Strategy Analytics.

While InToTally and Qualcomm agree on the need to improve WCDMA voice efficiency, they are tackling the issue from different angles. Further, while InToTally’s proprietary approach is already available for licensing, Qualcomm is working to get its approach included in the planned Release 12 of specifications for 3GPP technologies.

Going after the outer loop

InToTally’s solution is based upon solving outer loop power control issues found in CDMA and WCDMA. According to Lopez-Medrano, the OLPC sets the appropriate signal to interference ratio (SIR) target to maintain a given quality criterion, but traditional OLPS approaches based upon the Block Error Rate (BLER) are too slow to accommodate real-time power adaptation to different radio conditions, thus leading to voice communications inefficiencies.

For example, in a standard WCDMA voice call, the initial end-user device’s power is set high at the beginning because the handset and base station are not yet aware of the radio conditions impacting the device. That high setting can causes unnecessary interference with other users, said Lopez-Medrano, and it takes a long time for the power loop to measure the call quality and instruct the device to power down. “We have developed a new technique that looks at a different metric that gathers and processes information much more quickly,” Lopez-Medrano said.

InToTally’s ToT-OLPC technology is aimed a providing faster convergence speed for the radio link between network antennas and mobile handsets, thus improving overall voice efficiency and capacity,” said Lopez-Medrano. Field tests have shown a 20 percent capacity gain on average and 40 percent gain in highly saturated areas, said Lopez-Medrano, adding, “The room for improvement in the outer loop is huge.”

Source: http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/wcdma-voice-gets-another-look-hspa-takes/2012-06-13

The publication’s annual test found that while AT&T’s LTE network tended to outpace Verizon’s on download speeds, Verizon beat AT&T by a mile on upload speeds.

Across nationwide markets, Verizon’s LTE network had an average download speed of 8.9 Mbps, slower than AT&T’s average LTE download speed of 13.7 Mbps. But on the upload side, Verizon scored average speeds of about 6.5 Mbps, with AT&T coming in at just 2.9 Mbps.

The slow download speeds lowered AT&T’s overall score, and Verizon came out on top.

That’s where AT&T disagrees.

AT&T claimed in a statement published by PCMag.com that the publication’s testing app has a “technical flaw that understates our 4G LTE upload speeds when a particular version of the Android software is used.”

“This flaw disparately affected AT&T’s upload and overall results,” AT&T said, calling the test’s conclusions “inaccurate.”

PCMag.com said AT&T was “highly involved” in the testing process and that it used “well-established testing software.” All of the smartphones used in the tests of Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile USA ran Android 2.3 instead of a newer version of the operating system.

“It appears that consumers may see faster upload speeds with different versions of the Android operating system,” PCMag.com said.

The tests used Android 2.3 smartphones with dual-core Cortex-A9 processors and the fastest modem offered by the carrier. Software from Sensory was installed on the phones to glean information on connection speeds.

The methodology allowed PCMag to give each operator an even playing field during the testing process. AT&T smartphones used in the tests included the Samsung Galaxy S II and its LTE-capable Samsung Galaxy Note. For Verizon, the tests ran on the Motorola RAZR MAXX, which is compatible with Verizon’s CDMA and LTE networks.

The test spanned 30 cities across the country ranging from New York City to San Francisco. Verizon won speed tests in 19 cities, AT&T came out on top in 10 cities and T-Mobile USA scored highest in suburban markets.

Verizon’s LTE network is available in nearly 260 markets, more than six times the approximately 40 cities covered by AT&T’s LTE network.

Source: http://www.wirelessweek.com/News/2012/06/report-vzw-lte-scores-fastest-network/

Verizon launches ‘Share Everything’ family data plans: Verizon Wireless unveiled its shared data plan pricing, bringing to a close months of speculation about how its plans would be structured and potentially ushering in a new wave of competition over how data plans are priced.

WCDMA voice gets another look as HSPA+ takes off: Both Qualcomm and InToTally are developing methods to make WCDMA voice more efficient so operators can wring out additional spectrum capacity to make room for HSPA and HSPA+ data services.

AT&T’s Stephenson calls for ‘use it or lose it’ provisions on spectrum: AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said the FCC should require spectrum holders to deploy their airwaves more aggressively and should speed up the transfer of spectrum between carriers. He also pushed for federal rules that would allow carriers to more quickly build new cell sites.

Apple adds cellular data support for FaceTime video chatting: Apple said that for the first time, iPhone and iPad users who use its new iOS 6 software will be able to make video calls using its FaceTime service over cellular data connections. Previously, FaceTime had been limited to Wi-Fi connectivity.

“Using 4.9 GHz spectrum, public safety users can set up temporary mesh networks that support data, voice and video communications at scenes of emergencies; monitor sensitive locations remotely with point-to-point video links; and set up city-wide Wi-Fi networks to give first responders dedicated broadband access,” the FCC noted in a statement.

The agency also added that the spectrum holds “great potential” for providing backhaul services for a nationwide, public-safety broadband network.

In its request, the FCC is looking at whether to establish formal coordination requirements in the 4.9 GHz band that could also be administered by the 700 MHz Regional Planning Committees; whether expanding use of the band to commercial entities would promote more efficient use of the spectrum; and whether the First Responder Network Authority should be granted a license for that spectrum to facilitate backhaul services.

Source: http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/20120614/fcc_wireless_regulations/fcc-asks-for-comments-on-4-9-ghz-band-use-public-safety-commercial-uses-on-the-table/

Speaking at an event held at the Brookings Institution, Stephenson said that “of course” AT&T is interested in the spectrum. “The Spectrum that Verizon has commented on that they’d be selling pairs perfectly with ours,” he said during a question and answer session. “If we were to have access to that spectrum we could put it to work in 60 days. In 60 days that would be up and running and hot.”

The statement marks the first time AT&T, which already owns Lower B Block spectrum, has publicly declared that it is interested in the spectrum – though analysts have suspected it might be a buyer. U.S. Cellular, which owns Lower A Block spectrum, is the only other carrier to so far publicly state its interest. In an FCC filing in late May, Verizon stated that it had attracted interest from 36 potential buyers of the spectrum.

During the event, Stephenson said that the government needs to find ways to push spectrum holders to make the most effective use of the spectrum they own–or to encourage them to sell it to a company that will. “This is not an industry that is lacking for capital investment. The thing that’s going to cause it to slow is just the availability of spectrum,” he said.

The AT&T chief also said that the incentive auctions for TV broadcast spectrum Congress authorized in February are a positive step, but that it will take six to eight years to get that spectrum into the market with suitable devices. In the meantime, he said, the FCC should generally approve spectrum transfers between companies within 60 to 90 days.

Finally, Stephenson said the regulatory and zoning process for deploying cell sites needs to be smoothed. “It is like a bad trip to the doctor to get zoning and permitting for a cell site,” he said. “It is no less painful to get zoning and permitting for a smaller cell site. That’s where the cost and the delay for all of this comes to a grinding halt.”

Source: http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-interested-verizons-700-mhz-lower-and-b-block-spectrum/2012-06-12

IPv6 is here, will impact all industry players: The worldwide commercial launch of IPv6 on June 6^th, an event sponsored and organized by the Internet Society, was called a major milestone by several players and consultant firms. The launch of the new internet protocol version follows the successful 2011 test day, however at the moment, only some IPv6 deployments are expected for the participants’ products and services.

Virgin Mobile iPhone official, debut set for June 29: Virgin Mobile USA has confirmed it will carry the iPhone two days after rumors surfaced that it was set to become the second U.S. provider to offer the device on a prepaid basis.

FCC strikes spectrum deal with Mexico that helps Sprint: The Federal Communications Commission today announced that the U.S. State Department and the government of Mexico have come to an agreement over the use of 800 MHz and 1900 MHz spectrum near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Qualcomm devising multiband 700 MHz chip, revises S4 line: Qualcomm recently indicated through a filing with the Federal Communications Commission that it is working on a new chip that will support multiple frequencies in the 700 MHz spectrum band.

Verizon said that it will redeploy PCS spectrum for LTE “as soon as it is possible,” but that “PCS spectrum cannot accommodate the dramatic growth in customer LTE demand and is instead needed to further supplement” the AWS spectrum Verizon is seeking to acquire from cable companies. The disclosure was part of a filing Verizon made defending its pending $3.9 billion purchase of AWS spectrum from SpectrumCo, a joint venture of cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, as well as Cox Communications.

The arguments Verizon marshals in the filing are similar to ones the company made to the FCC earlier this year. Verizon expects the deal to receive regulatory approval by mid-to-late summer, and has offered to sell its Lower 700 MHz A Block spectrum–which it has said is less valuable than the AWS spectrum it wants to acquire–if it gets regulators to sign off on the deals.

In the filing, which is heavily redacted and was filed last week but just posted on the FCC’s website, Verizon noted that it plans to redeploy PCS spectrum, currently reserved for its 3G CDMA network, beginning in 2015. The company said that at least a 5X5 block of PCS spectrum will be required to meet “service quality objectives” but that this spectrum will not be sufficient to meet LTE demand.

Many carriers, including T-Mobile and MetroPCS, which oppose Verizon’s AWS deals, have turned to spectrum refarming to help them increase capacity as they offer LTE services.

In the filing, which is heavily redacted and was filed last week but just posted on the FCC’s website, Verizon noted that it plans to redeploy PCS spectrum, currently reserved for its 3G CDMA network, beginning in 2015. The company said that at least a 5X5 block of PCS spectrum will be required to meet “service quality objectives” but that this spectrum will not be sufficient to meet LTE demand.

Just announced from Wilson Electronics, comes the brand new 804080 iDEN amplifier! Featuring adjustable gain as most of the newer Wilson cellular amplifiers do, you’re able to adjust and dial the gain controls for uplink (device-to-tower) and download (tower-to-device).  The new Wilson 804080 iDEN cellular booster also features a massive 70 dB gain, making it the premiere choice for mid to large sized buildings, supporting connections of multiple iDEN devices simultaneously.

The benefits of using an in-building wireless booster include: greatly reduced dropped calls and lost data connections, a strong and reliable signal inside of a building, extended device battery life, as well as no physical connection required to your devices. The 804080 is compatible with all iDEN carrier networks operating on the 806-821/851-866 MHz frequency band, and is also configurable with a variety of Wilson antennas to fit virtually any building installation requirements.

Technical Specifications

Part Number 804080
Frequency 806-821 / 851-866 MHz
Gain 70 dB
Max Output Power 3.1 watts
Max RF (up/down) 34.9 dBm / 26 dBm
Noise Figure (typical
downlink/uplink) 3.5 dB nominal / 3.5 dB nominal
Flatness ±3 dB
Isolation > 90 dB
Power Requirements 100-240 V AC, 50-60 Hz,
21 W
Connectors N-Female
Dimensions 5.7 x 4.2 x 1.5 (inch)
14.0 x 10.8 x 3.9 (cm)
Weight 1.27 lbs / 0.544 kg

Verizon to acquire Hughes; looks to bolster M2M: The telecom giant announced this morning that it has plans to acquire Hughes Telematics for $12 per share, or a total of $612 million, in a move to bolster its presence in the automotive and fleet telematics space. The price premium over Hughes closing price of $4.35 yesterday shows the level of interest Verizon has for the space, an amount not lost on Hughes’ management.

South Korea’s SK Telecom opens era of 100 Mbps wireless data speeds: SK Telecom, a South Korean wireless telecommunications operator, announced the successful development of Heterogeneous Network Integration Solution, which enables simultaneous use of different types of networks including 3G, LTE and Wi-Fi to ensure high-speed data service of up to 100 Mbps.

Broadcom launches first gigabit speed 802.11ac chips: Broadcom Corp., a semiconductor solutions provider for wired and wireless communications, introduced its first family of 802.11ac (5G Wi-FI) chips designed for a broad variety of product segments. The new IEE 802.11ac chips are three times faster and up to six times more power-efficient than equivalent 802.11n solutions, the company said.

SK Telecom set for LTE spectrum aggregation: South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom said it has launched a multi carrier pilot service allowing the carrier to use its 800 MHz and 1.8 GHz spectrum holdings to offer LTE service. The carrier said the move will result a wider frequency bandwidth and a commercial offerings by July.

The Sleek 4G-V is a brand new tri-band amplifier from Wilson Electronics designed for mobile use on all 2G/3G (minus Nextel) networks, as well as Verizon’s super-fast 4G LTE network. The new revolutionary device helps you stay connected by providing a strong reliable signal in weak-signal areas, reducing dropped calls and boosting data speeds. It boosts both voice and data communications on the 800/1900 and 700 MHz bands – making it perfect for phones and wireless WiFi hotspots like the Verizon JetPack.

Featuring a dB gain of 20, it makes the Wilson Sleek 4G-V one of the most powerful mobile kits to date. Being one of the very first tri-band amplifiers, the Sleek 4G-V is perfect for consumers who are in areas of both weak 3G and 4G coverage. Wilson cellular amplifiers feature cell tower protection technologies refined over more than a decade of research and development.

* Sleek 4G-V expected shipping date: Monday June 11th, 2012

Sprint announced yesterday (Tuesday May 29^th, 2012) that it has plans to decommission its iDEN push-to-talk network as early as June 30^th of next year. The carrier had already announced plans to convert the 800 MHz spectrum that is used for iDEN services to 4G LTE by 2014.

The carrier has begun actively encouraging existing iDEN users to migrate to its new CDMA-based push-to-talk service called Direct Connect. Notices will be sent to iDEN users on a regular basis as the proposed shutdown date for the network service gets closer. Additionally, Sprint says it has already stopped selling iDEN devices in a number of its channels, and it will cease to offer them altogether within a few months. Sprint currently offers a line of CDMA-based Direct Connect devices for those that are moving off of iDEN and still require push-to-talk features.

Sprint’s plans to convert the iDEN spectrum to 4G LTE are part of its greater Network Vision improvement strategy. The carrier recently received approval from the FCC to offer LTE on the 800 MHz spectrum band.

On the customization page, you’ll have the option of full customization with antennae, an adapter cable specific to your data card model, and the amplifier itself. The multiple tabs on the page have a plethora of information, ranging from technical specs and installation to a buyer guide.

With your 3G/4G data card booster, you’ll see massively increased download and upload speeds at an affordable price, with kits starting at just $33!

Verizon, AT&T dominate in global data revenues: Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility continue to dominate the U.S. mobile market, combining for 66% of the nationwide subscriber base and 68% of mobile data service revenues. Verizon Wireless leads all operators worldwide in data revenues, with AT&T surging past Japan’s NTT DoCoMo to claim the number two spot.

Nvidia’s LTE modem validated on AT&T’s network: Tablet makers now have a new chipset option when configuring devices for AT&T. Nvidia says its Icera 410 LTE multimode data modem chipset is good to go on AT&T’s LTE network. The modems are for tablets and notebooks, but Nvidia still does not have a smartphone LTE modem for AT&T’s network.

Verizon: 36 buyers interested in our 700 MHz spectrum: Verizon Wireless has so far attracted interest from 36 potential buyers for its 700 MHz Lower A and B Block spectrum, according to the carrier.

In its filing, Verizon Wireless defended the plan, explaining that is has a history of rationalizing its spectrum holdings, specifically pointing to previous deals where it has exchanged it’s a- and B- block 700 MHz spectrum assets for licenses in higher spectrum bands.

Tackling perhaps the most contentious issue, Verizon Wireless reiterated that its offer to sell the 700 MHz licenses if it gains approval of the AWS spectrum sales shows that it has no interest in “warehousing” spectrum as has been claimed by opponents. However, if the AWS deals are not approved, the carrier said it would re-evaluate its position.

“With limited amounts of spectrum and growing mobile broadband data demands, today’s networks are increasingly becoming stressed to capacity,” said Chris Pearson, 4G Americas president. “More spectrum is the ultimate answer for network congestion as growth in mobile broadband will come to a hard stop without it.”

The group recently issued a report addressing some short-term and long-term solutions that can be implemented by application developers, mobile OS vendors and end users to address increasingly signaling and network data traffic congestion while the industry awaits new spectrum allocations.

Wilson’s brand new 803570 AG Pro Quint is coming soon! The AG Pro Quint is a new cellular booster/amplifier product from Wilson which covers an incredible 5 different signal bands. It’ll boost signals on 800 MHz, 1900 MHz, AWS and both AT&T and Verizon 4G LTE networks. The only network that isn’t supported is Nextel, which is currently being phased out. The AG Pro Quint has a massive gain of 75 dB and 630mw output power, allowing it to cover up to 80,000 sq ft with a good signal outside of the building. Offices, warehouses, hospitals, fire stations, and government buildings are all well suited.

The AG Pro Quint has a compact design, smaller than a textbook with a weight of less than 3 lbs. It’s the first Wilson amplifier with an LCD display and push button controls. This aids installation, allowing the gain to be finely tuned on each of the 5 frequency bands.

Product Page: Wilson 803570 AG Pro Quint

Technical Specifications:

Verizon to Expand LTE-based Broadband Service Nationwide: Verizon Wireless is set to expand its recently unveiled HomeFusion Broadband offering nationwide beginning tomorrow. The service relies on the carrier’s LTE network and was initially announced earlier this year.

Backhaul Issues May Slam Small-cell Plans: Backhaul issues are threatening to curtain small-cell deployment, according to a study from research firm iGR. Wireless operators are increasingly turning to small-cell architectures to improve capacity and coverage on their networks and reduce networks costs.

Intel Puts Its Money Where the LTE is: Computer chip kingpin Intel is investing heavily in LTE, buying patents and initiating a collaborative effort on TD-LTE with Huawei.

Could Apple become the world’s biggest handset maker? It’s no secret that Apple is doing well in the smartphone market. The iPhone vendor became the world’s largest smartphone maker in the fourth quarter of last year due to the massive success of its iPhone 4S launch. However, in the first quarter, Apple lost that position to Samsung mainly due to Samsung’s continued strength with its Galaxy line of Android phones.

So, you just bought a brand new Apple iPhone 4S, and notice at the top left the signal shows ‘4G’ as noted in the above image. You try searching online to see if there’s actually ‘4G’ in your area, and there isn’t. You also try downloading apps or surfing the web and notice the speeds aren’t quite what you’d call ‘4G’. What gives? Well, the difference is you’re on the HSPA+ network, not true 4G LTE.

What’s HSPA+? HSPA stands for “High Speed Packet Access”, and provides extended and improved network speeds. Unfortunately, the HSPA+ “4G” speeds aren’t available in all locations. AT&T’s 4G LTE network however, is among the fastest with a recent third party speed test with the source article here. As for the availability of AT&T’s blazing fast 4G LTE network, it’s currently available only in select markets as well as development being ongoing.

If you’re unfamiliar with 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G refers to “Fourth Generation”. 4G follows 3G as the latest edition to AT&T’s mobile broadband network. When combined with enhanced backhaul, 4G LTE means significantly increased speeds, where data transfers take much less time to complete. In some areas and cases, 4G LTE speeds exceed home broadband services.

With 4G LTE in the very near future, Cellphone-Mate has just released their newest addition to their 4G lineup with the Cellphone-Mate 700A. The Cellphone-Mate 700A is the only amplifier currently available for use with AT&T’s 4G LTE new blazing fast network. With the CM700A cellular amplifier/booster, you’ll be able to boost AT&T 4G LTE signal in your home, office, or warehouse. With that amplification, you’ll benefit from massively increased data download and upload speeds.

AT&T’s 4G LTE network is very new and currently only available in select locations. AT&T occasionally brands their fast 3G network “4G”, so make sure you are getting their LTE signal before purchasing. One way to make sure you’re getting an LTE signal is to look at the network icon near the bars or battery icon right on your device, as shown below:

With a dB gain of 70, that makes the CM700A cellular amplifier the strongest booster currently available here at RepeaterStore. These kits will be available early next week (starting May 7^th, 2012) so be ready to have your already blazing 4G LTE speeds boosted even faster!

 Product Page: Cellphone-Mate AT&T 4G LTE Amplifier

Technical Specifications:

FCC approves AT&T’s AWS spectrum transfer to T-Mobile: AT&T giving some of their spectrum to T-Mobile, could be an improvement for T-Mobile users.

Study: AT&T and T-Mobile are among top networks in speed tests: The HSPA+ network of T-Mobile USA and the LTE Network of AT&T were the nation’s fastest “3G and “4G” networks, respectively, among tier 1 USA carriers.

Rumor: Sprint’s Boost and Virgin units to offer WiMax: Sprint sub brands Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA may finally join the 4G marketing arena as they gain hand-me-down access to the WiMax service Sprint is shifting from, in order to launch their LTE network.

Vodafone launches into global services market with Cable & Wireless purchase: Vodafone says it will pay £1.04 billion (€1.27 billion) in cash to acquire Cable & Wireless Worldwide (C&WW) in a move that will add a UK and worldwide fibre network to its portfolio.

Bill Aims to Put 1755-1780 MHz Band on Auction Block: Rep. Cliff Stearns and Rep Doris Matsui, today unveiled what they’re calling the “Efficient Use of Government Spectrum Act,” which would require the FCC to pair the 1755-1780 and 2155-2180 MHz spectrum blocks, which are already set for auction, for reallocation and auction for commercial wireless use.

With an astounding dB gain of 75, the 801285 is the most powerful amplifier here at RepeaterStore.  When combined with antennae and cables, the Wilson 801285 will cover up to 30,000 sq ft of wireless coverage.  The 801285 is dual band, meaning it’ll provide coverage and amplification of all US networks’ 3G data and voice services (excluding Nextel).

 Product Page: Wilson 801285 AG Pro 75 Installer Edition

Technical Specifications:

Wilson Electronics has just released a new cellular adjustable gain in-line amplifier, for use in larger systems or even as a direct connect amplifier. As a direct connect amplifier, you’d connect it directly to your cell phone or laptop data card via an adapter cable. We have adapter cables for most phone models – to check which one you need see our adapter cables page and check your phone/data card manufacturer. For in-line use, you have the freedom of placing it wherever you’ll want a strong signal boost – after long runs of cable, and/or splitters that reduce signal.

By using the Wilson 806215 as a direct connect or in-line amplifier, you can greatly increase your signal with a dB gain of 3 to 17. This amplifier is dual band, as well as having an adjustable gain meaning it’s compatible with all US networks both voice and data (except Nextel) and has two dials for each of the bands for precise tuning. The 806215 kit contents include the amplifier itself, a 12V DC power adapter (car charger), and the instructional manual. With the amount of dB gain from this cell phone booster, it makes it the ideal candidate for an in-line amplifier or direct connect booster.

Product Page: Wilson 806215 Adjustable Gain Amplifier

As for the exploit, it appears users can connect to the WAN port and execute Linux commands with root access without any sort of authentication required. If you use the MicroCell behind a firewalled router, it wouldn’t be a big as an issue as you’d think, mainly because malicious hackers won’t have an easy way to connect to the MicroCell remotely.  If you use the device directly connected to your modem, it might be something you’d want to keep in the back of your mind. The hacker group hasn’t yet unveiled what they’re able to do with the ability to gain root access, but AT&T and Cisco should definitely be looking to get it fixed as quickly as possible.

We’ve also got a number of trained representatives to help suit your needs, ranging from amplifier/repeater application suggestions to large building quotes. With this system, we’ll be able to help you faster than ever before.

Talking to us is extremely easy! To do so, simply click on the blue ‘Chat with us!’ box located at the bottom right of the website and type in your message. Voluntarily, you can enter your name and an e-mail to help us better serve you. If an operator is unavailable at any time, your messages will be sent to us via e-mail and we’ll be able to email back to you with an answer – so there’s no missed questions!

Recently our good friends over at OpenSignalMaps launched a new version of their website at the MWC2012 (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona, Spain showcasing a new feature called NetworkRank. Simply put, NetworkRank is a tool that enables consumers to see which network is providing the best service in their area, giving them the opportunity to make smarter decisions when purchasing a new mobile contract.

NetworkRank brings transparency to the opaque world of network coverage, where consumers historically have only been able to make decisions based on limited amounts of data.  Consumers can now use the NetworkRank product on OpenSignalMaps.com to browse to their area and see a rank of which networks are performing the best in their area. It’s based on a sophisticated algorithm that leverages OpenSignalMaps’ large crowd-sourced data set of network performance information.  The algorithm compares network service across several key indicators such as signal coverage, data speeds, responsiveness and reliability. Consumers can also use the website to see if 4G service is available yet in their area.

For those readers who don’t know who the guys at OpenSignalMaps are, they’re the largest independent evaluator of mobile network performance, with data from over 200 countries.  The data is based on user submitted contributions from over one and a half million downloads of the OpenSignalMaps Android application. The Android application is a dashboard for your signal that helps you find better cell signal nearby, run speed tests, and find open wi-fi hotspots. An application for Apple’s iOS is also in development. OpenSignalMaps, founded in 2010 by four University of Oxford Physics graduates, helps consumers compare cellular networks by building independent coverage maps based on data crowd-sourced from mobile phones. The company has offices in San Francisco, as well as London.

If the information above has sparked an interest and you’d like to check out where the strongest signal strength in your area is, or see where the nearest cell phone tower for your carrier lies, head over to OpenSignalMaps.com!

As well as UPS Ground we also ship by other UPS methods (UPS 3 Day, 2 Day and Next Day). International orders are handled by UPS and USPS International Priority.

If you have any questions about shipping methods or anything else, please contact us.

With the zBoost YX545 4G-V you’ll get a strong increase in download speeds, making the most of your 4G contract. The zBoost YX545 4G-V can be used if your current signal is weak or strong. Even if you currently have great performance with Verizon 4G you can make it even better with the 4G-V.

The setup of the 4G-V is the same as the standard YX545. There is an external antenna which can be placed either inside in a window or attic, or for best results outside on the roof. From there a 50ft cable runs to the amplifiers, which has a screw-on internal antenna. The internal antenna tramists the boosted signal, over an area up to 2,500 sq ft. With its great performance and good coverage area, the 4G-V is ideal for home or office.

Product page: YX545 zBoost 4G-V for Verizon 4G LTE

The SOHO YX545x Xtreme is a dual band amplifier, and so covers all US networks both voice and 3G (except Nextel and T-mobile 3G. The Xtreme is a complete kit and can cover up to 5,500 sq ft, making it perfect for home or office.

Additional benefits of a YX545x Xtreme:

• Increases indoor signal coverage-up to 5500 sq ft
• Decreases dropped or missed calls Increases signal strength for better voice and data transmission
• Extends phone battery life (uses less power when signal is stronger)
• Supports multiple users simultaneously
• No cradle or connections to your phone
• Easy to set up – comes complete with everything you need
• Compatible with all U.S. carriers and mobile devices using 800 & 1900 MHz (except Nextel/iDEN or 4G)

Product Image

Setup

The zBoost z-Force is easy to install and can be set-up in minutes.

• Step 1. Position zBoost Ampli?er Cradle. With the standard kit the cradle is mounted to the dash using the included Velcro strip. With the optional Gooseneck adapter the cradle attatches directly to the in-car cigarette power supply via a flexible neck.
• Step 2. Position Exterior Magnetic Mount Antenna – Place the magentic mount antenna on the roof of the vehicle, and thread the 10ft cable through the door seal to the inside of the vehicle. Connect the cable connector to the Ampli?er Cradle Unit
• Step 3. Connect DC Power
  NOTE: The left side of the z-Force Cradle features a USB power connection so that you can charge your cell phone while using this product.
• Step 4. Check the LED is green and your unit is functioning!

Kit contents

The Wi-Ex zBoost z-Force comes with the following:

1. zBoost Amplifier Cradle and Mounng Adhesive
2. Exterior Magnetic Mount Antenna with 10ft Cable
3. 12v DC Cigarette Power Adapter with 3ft Cable -OR-
4. Gooseneck Adapter

Availability – Coming Soon!

The amplifier is 50ohm, so you can use it with any of the Wilson 50 ohm antennas, cables and accessories.
We’ll post more details when we have them.

Wilson 801865 4G Amplifier

Everyone can use a 4G booster

With signal for voice calls you don’t care if you get 2 bars or 5 – as long as you can make a call. With data speed any extra boost can increase your productivity and save you time. A 4G repeater from RepeaterStore.com will increase everyone’s data speed – even if you have 4 bars you can increase your speed using one of our kits.

4G Boosters available

4G networks are new, with some already online and some in the works. We currently only have kits for two: T-mobile’s 3G/4G AWS network and Verizon’s 4G LTE network. We hope to bring amplifiers for AT&T’s 4G LTE network and Sprint’s 4G WiMax network later in the year.

For all 4G amplifiers see our 4G booster store.

4G Antennas available

If you only need a small increase in signal then a 4G antenna might be for you. When connected to a 4G data card antennas can increase broadband speeds quickly and cheaply.

All of our antennas compatible with 4G are on our 4G antenna store.

For available kits please see the product page:
Wilson 801245 SOHO 55db/60db

For more details see the product page:
Wilson Sleek Battery Back (859984)

The DB Pro can be purchased as a complete kit with an omni directional exterior antenna, kit # 841262. Additionally, the new DB Pro Repeater Kit when purchased with a wide band agi directional antenna, kit #841263, will give the strongest possible signal to a remote location setting without adding additional cost. This may be just the solution to bring in weak voice or data signals at increasingly further distances.

In the next couple of days we will begin shipping the upgraded and more powerful DB Pro!
For more information, please see: Wilson 801262 Amplifier and Wilson 841262/841263 Repeater Kits

The Wilson 801265 AG PRO is going to be 65dB on the 800MHz band and 70dB on the 1900MHz band. As 800MHz can travel twice the distance the extra dB on the 1900MHz band means that both bands will get the same coverage area. Like many of Wilsons’ recent products the AG PRO 70 is going to be 75 ohm, allowing you to use cheap low-loss satellite coaxial cable you can source locally or buy from us. This gives create flexibility for home installers while keeping costs down.

Available from: end of May!

You can pre-order your 801265 AG PRO amp here, or contact us to be contacted once kit configurations are announced.

Well-designed, properly operating, and properly installed signal boosters have the potential to improve consumers’ wireless network coverage without harming commercial, private, and public safety wireless network performance

This is part of the ongoing initiative to promote and improve voice and broadband services in the United States with the FCC also noting that signal boosters can aid public safety first responders, residents, businesses and students get the adequate cellular coverage that they require to function. The key motivations and points in the NPRM are quoted as follows:

“Police departments and emergency medical personell rely on signal boosters to extend land mobile coverage in areas of limited service and to improve communications during disasters and other emergencies.”

“Malfunctioning, improperly installed, or technically deficient signal boosters, may cause harmful interference”

“Our goal in this proceeding is to facilitate the development and deployment of well-designed signal boosters that do not interfere with wireless networks.”

So how exactly would the new regulations work? Well, the FCC is proposing a license-by-rule framework, whereby operation of signal boosters would be permitted by the agencies authority and thus “obviate the need for burdensome individual licensing requirements”. This would involve the establishing of a new Signal Booster Radio Service under Part 95 of the Commission’s Rules. The FCC is also considering an alternative approach whereby signal boosters would be licensed under existing laws for subscriber equipment, much like cellular handsets are today.

In short, the FCC is formalizing what most of us have known all along: cellular coverage is not good enough. In the modern age we are ever more reliant on our phones for important calls and increasingly data services. The FCC recognizes that the task of providing this service cannot fall on the carriers alone and is moving to make cellular signal boosters part of the solution.

The full document can be read here: FCC Signal Booster NPRM

T-Mobile 3G/4G Covered

The Nextivity Cel-Fi T-Mobile booster covers the T-Mobile 3G/4G band, and is the first consumer repeater available. This band is called the AWS Band, and operates on the frequencies 1710 to 1755 MHz, and from 2110 to 2155 MHz. It’s dedicated to just this band, so it won’t work for other 3G networks, or for voice calls on T-Mobile.

No External Antenna

Rather than an external antenna, the Nextivity  Cel-Fi has a Window Unit, which is placed in a window where you have the strongest signal. This makes set-up a breeze – you don’t have to go outside or up on the roof and pole mount an antenna. Just find the window where you have the best signal, and plug in the Window Unit.

Completely Wireless

The Nextivity Cel-Fi is completely wireless. Completely. There is not a single length of coaxial cable to run, making set-up even easier. The Window Unit receives the signal, converts it and sends it wirelessly to the Coverage Unit. The Coverage Unit converts it back, amplifies it and then broadcasts it around your home or office. This means the Nextivity Cel-Fi can be setup in under 5 minutes – just plug the two units into the power and it’s done!

Huge Coverage Area

The Nextivity Cel-Fi has a massive 13,000 sq ft of coverage. Our traditional kits which cover this kind of area cost over $1200 so at $545 the Cel-Fi represents great value of money.

If you have any questions about the Nextivity Cel-Fi T-Mobile Booster, then please contact us.

Combine the AG PRO with external and internal antennas to create the most powerful custom Wilson kits available. External antenna options would be 1 or 2 of the Wilson 304411 dual band yagi antennas or the Wilson 301124 and 301129 individual yagi antennas, each connected with a combiner to provide signal to the 801280 amplifier.

Internally, you would use a single 301121 Dome antenna or 301135 panel antenna or multiple  antennas with a 2 way, 3 way or 4 way splitter. With the 70db gain on the 800 mHz frequency and 75db gain on the 1900 mHz frequency, the AG PRO will cover up to 30,000 square feet of office or warehouse space.

Being dual band, the AG PRO repeater kits work with all carriers 3G signals except T-Mobile 3G and Nextel. The new AG PRO Dual Band Repeater Kit strengthens weak signals, eliminates dropped calls, and speeds up poor data rates.

Repeaterstore.com will create custom kits to fit your exact needs including multiple floors, separate distinct areas that need coverage and very large open warehouse areas that also have  smaller office coverage needs. Contact us today to discuss the potential of the new Wilson 801280 AG PRO repeater kits!

• The DataPro is very similar to the 811201 Direct Connect Wilson currently offer. It has the same gain, noise, impedance and frequencies. However they have slimmed it down massively – a huge 85% reduction in volume. The 811225 measures a svelte 3.3in x 1.9in x 0.8in. It also has SMA Female connectors, presumably to connect to a different class of devices.
• Low power requirements – 5V DC, 1A.
• The provisional retail price is low – just $139. This is significantly cheaper than similar products offered by Wilson and others.
• The DataPro will be available in the next few weeks.

With the 811225 DataPro Wilson Electronics are targeting the Machine-to-Machine market. This means that you can expect to find the DataPro in a variety of internet connected devices, such as ATMs, kiosks, vending machines, Point-of-sale (POS) terminals etc. Any remote machine which requires a cellular connection can benefit from the 811225 DataPro.

AWS is the band that T-Mobile is using for it’s newly introduced 4G HSPA+ data network which is also used by Cricket and MetroPCS and some smaller rural carriers for delivering a high speed alternative to the slower satellite internet many rural customers are currently using.

The 4G AWS booster is similar in size to Wilson’s other amplifiers and can deliver a 60dB improvement in signal strength, enough to turn a weak signal into a manageable one, the company says. Similar to how their existing repeater systems operate, the new 4G AWS  system will improve your weak T-Mobile internet signal in and around your home or office.

The 4G AWS 60 db amplifier will be joined in the Wilson line-up by a booster for the AT&T 700Mhz LTE network and they will soon add a Verizon model and a Sprint/Clearwire Wimax amplifier. These all join the great selection of boosters for Mobile, Home and Office currently available from Repeaterstore.com.

As soon as we have more details we will update the the Wilson 811255 DataPro page, and post to this blog.

• Christmas Day – December 25, 2010
• New Years Eve – December 31, 2010
• New Years Day – January 1, 2011

On Christmas Eve, December 24,  ONLY Next Day Air shipments will go out to be delivered on Monday, December 27th,  but it will be a regular delivery day.

Our shipping cutoff for delivery before Christmas is:

• 10am PST on Thursday, December 23 for Next Day Air
• 10am PST on Wednesday, December 22 for 2nd Day
• 10am PST on Tuesday, December 21 for 3 Day

As of Friday, December 17 we are no longer guaranteeing ground shipments for Christmas delivery

Repeaterstore Holiday Hours

Repeaterstore.com customer service holiday hours will be as follows:

• Christmas Eve, December 24: 8am – 2pm PST
• Christmas Day, December 25: Closed
• New Years Eve, December 31: 8am – 2pm PST
• New Years Day, January 1, 2010 – Closed

We have THE SOLUTION; a portable Repeater Kit from RepeaterStore!
Take a look at the following options;  prices range  from $129 for the Sleek mobile model to $349 for the YX545 Home Repeater Kit.
These kits boost both Cellular & PCS voice calls as well as data connections (broadband) for Internet service.
The less expensive kits (Wilson Sleek & Mobile Pro) can be used in a car or home and use 5VDC USB power.

The more powerful zBoost YX540 & YX545 use 110VAC and come with a power adapter that plugs into a wall socket. These units give a larger area of wireless coverage throughout the home or building.

Wilson Sleek Mobile Repeater kit
http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/wilson-sleek.php

Wilson SignalBoost Pro Repeater kit
http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/801241-signalboost-pro-repeater-kit.php

Wi-Ex zBoost YX540 Metro Repeater Kit
http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wi-ex/zboost-yx-540.php

Wi-Ex zBoost YX545 SoHo Repeater Kit
http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wi-ex/zboost-yx-545.php

As you enjoy these Holiday times whether traveling or celebrating at home, stay safe and connected with a cell phone amplifier system from Repeaterstore.com!

It is the most powerful, dual-band amplifier of its kind to date. This 75db Dual Band Amplifier, when connected with antennas as a Repeater Kit boosts both the Cellular & PCS signal inside a building or large home.

The new 75db Dual Band Repeater Kit strengthens weak signals, eliminates dropped calls, and speeds up poor data rates. Since the Wilson AG Pro 801280 Wireless Dual-Band Building amplifier is a single amp, it will simplify installation as well by using only one cable from the outside
antenna to the amplifier inside. Once inside the building, multiple internal antennas can be utilized to distribute the amplified signal. The RepeaterStore  will offer custom kits with different cable lengths and numbers of internal antennas .

As part of a kit, which includes an indoor and outdoor antenna and a cable, the Wilson 801280 can amplify a cell phone signal across an area of up to 30,000 square feet. Its extraordinary signal-boosting ability will provide robust coverage for up to 25 phones or data cards simultaneously.

The 801280 75db Dual-Band Repeater Kit is compatible with every major carrier (except Nextel) in the United States. In addition, by boosting the wireless signal, the new Wilson device will extend the battery life of your cell phone by allowing it to talk to an interior antenna at a 40ft distance instead of a cell tower 4 miles away.

For those that are seeking a cell booster kit with unparalleled performance and unrivaled versatility, the Wilson 75db Dual Band Repeater kit for large buildings is
an obvious 1st choice.

We currently are taking pre shipment orders and are looking to start delivery of the 75db Dual Band Repeater in January, 2011!

No problem, we have the solution for you! Follow this link to see the YX540 Metro from Wireless Extenders:

http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wi-ex/zboost-yx-540.php

This amazing device works by attaching an external antenna to the inside of a window or glass door and a cable leading from this panel antenna connects to the YX540 Metro base unit which then amplifies the weak signal and re-broadcasts it to your cell phone.

The range of this cellular repeater is exceptional and will allow multiple cellular phones and broadband data devices (aircards) to receive this amplified signal. By boosting the broadband signal, your data upload and download speed will improve as well. It will work with Sierra, Novatel, MiFi and many other devices.

Repeaterstore has reduced the original price by $50.00 and as an added benefit, Wi-Ex is offering a $50.00 manufacturers mail in rebate through Saturday, November 20^th.

It’s time you had ‘no more dropped calls’ or missed emails when you purchase a Wi-Ex zBoost YX540 Metro during this fantastic savings event going on right now!

With a $50 rebate the YX540 is just $249. Once your YX540 is delivered just send the Rebate form to Wi-Ex and they’ll send you a $50.00 rebate check!

This Rebate runs from today until November 20th, 2010, so don’t delay!

The new zBoost YX540 Metro is designed for condos, lofts and apartments where you can’t get vertical separation between the antennas.  Easy to install, a signal antenna receives the signal, and mounts to a window in your apartment or condo. The antenna mounts to the inside of the glass, so you don’t have to put anything outside or up on your roof. Then run the RG59 cable to a central location where the amplifier and internal antenna are placed. The whole system can be set up in minutes!

Don’t miss out on the years best opportunity to save on the new zBoost YX540 Metro repeater kit.

Enjoy big savings on one of our most popular Repeater Kits until 11/10/10. Get $100 instant savings and a $50 mail in rebate on the Wi Ex zBoost SOHO YX545 dual band repeater kit.  The zBoost SOHO YX545 has 60db of gain and gives you up to 2500 sq. ft. of coverage. Because it is Dual Band it will work with all US and Canadian cellular carriers except Nextel.

Note: The zBoost SOHO YX545 is a new & improved version of the zBoost YX510

For situations where you have 2 bars of signal or less, check out our savings on the Wi-Ex zBoost Soho YX545 Premium kit. This kit with the YX039 upgraded external antenna, will cover up to 5000 square feet with a strong outside signal. It too has a $50.00 rebate for our lowest price of the year!

$50.00 rebate form

Wireless Extenders has just released their zBoost YX645 Repeater kit that, when professionally installed, increases Cellular (850Mhz) and PCS (1900Mhz) reception for voice calls and data downloads inside your home or business. Working with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Metro PCS, GoPhone, Virgin Mobile, Rural Cellular & Rogers services, it can be used with any phone from Apple, Motorola, HTC, Samsung and LG as well as Broadband USB modems from Compass, Sierra, Novatel, Franklin, Pantech and Option.

The zBoost YX645 Dual Band repeater kit is the higher powered 60db version of the popular zBoost YX-545 repeater kit. It contains the same base unit amplifier, but includes the zBoost YX039 Signal Antenna upgrade and the YX027 Internal Panel Antenna upgrade.. The coverage area has been increased by up to 2.5 times. Included in the YX645 repeater kit is 50ft of RG6 coax cable that connects the external antennas mounted on the roof to the internal amplifier. This longer cable allows your installer greater flexibility when discretely running the cable to the base amplifier unit.

You can find more information on our Wi-Ex zBoost YX645 Dual Band Repeater page: http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wi-ex/zboost-dual-band-60db.html

Benefits include:

• Maximum indoor cell signal performance in signal-challenged homes, buildings, and demanding applications.
• Contractors can provide their clients with improved level of service from a zBoost base unit with fewer or smaller external antennas and longer RG-6 cable runs – without degrading the cell signal.
• Amplifier enables the signal to be split to 4 zBoost base units and still provide a higher quality and level of cell phone signal.
• More distance covered and less degradation. Installers may now route the RG-6 where it is convenient (over 250 feet) rather than struggle to keep it under 75 feet.
• Self configures with and receives DC power from zBoost CI coverage unit(s).

We look forward to receiving our first shipments of the zBoost Active Antenna Amplifier within 90 days and look forward to expanding your installers capability to place better cellular signal in areas that were, previously, too remote to cover.

Technical Specifications

The iBooster 805201 by Wilson Electronics is an all-in-one signal booster that amplifies the incoming and outgoing AT&T signal for original iPhone, iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPhone 4.  Your iPhone sits in the cradle-like booster and, while charging your phone, amplifies both voice and 3G data signals. The iBooster allows your iPhone to function as if it’s operating in a good service area. We’ve seen dramatic increases in download speed and voice reception when using the iBooster. 

The Wilson Sleek (815226) is a more universal booster that comes as plug-and-play kit: you can enjoy improved reception in minutes! For both of these cradle-type kits a small magnetic antenna is placed on the roof of your car or, when using the Sleek home/office kit (#859970), sticks to the window of your home/office.

For those of you who enjoy a wireless experience, RepeaterStore has many options to fit your needs. A good start would be the Wi-Ex zBoost YX545 SOHO Dual Band Repeater Kit. The YX545 improves standard voice calls but also 3G data & internet browsing, exactly what the iPhone 4 does. It will wirelessly cover up to 2500 square feet while supporting up to 20 users simultaneously with no need to connect to your phone to improve reception. Another excellent kit option is the Wilson 801262 DB Pro Dual Band 62dB Amplifier and kit. The amplifier has 62dB of gain, and when purchased as a full kit can cover up to 5,000 sq ft.

Whether you are desperately looking for improved iPhone 4 reception, or need better signal strength with any other cell phone/ smartphone, we can help! Browse our website or give us a call at (800) 761 3041 to learn about the many signal booster and cell phone amplifiers we have available! You can also contact us by email with any questions you might have regarding cell phone signal issues and repeaters to eliminate dropped calls!

Long distances on the highway can be tedious and being out of touch because of poor cell signal can make things worse. You can be prepared to be in constant contact with family, friends or anyone else with a Mobile Repeater kit from the Repeaterstore.com. With a simple installation, you can have a better signal along your entire route.

Some of the options you’ll want to consider will be:

• Do you want to plug in your phone for best reception
• Do you want to have a wireless situation so you and others in the vehicle can use their phones or data cards
• Are the signal areas you will be passing through exceptionally weak, i.e. mountainous or extremely remote

These varying situations can be dealt with by getting different mobile kits or by building a custom kit. There are a variety of amplifiers and antennas for mobile systems.

Choose one of the complete kits available if you are a traveler with basic needs and requirements, like being on the open road going from town to town or, if you are traveling in a larger vehicle like an RV, you can get one of the larger mobile repeater kits.

Wilson Electronics makes several units to cover your needs:

• 811210  SignalBoost – a unit that attaches to your phone or data card with a Velcro patch
• 801230 Mini-SignalBoost – a low wattage wireless kit
• 801241 SignalBoost Pro – a more powerful wireless kit with multiple power supplies available
• 811201  Direct Connect – kit with a cable connected to your phone antenna port
• 801201 Wireless Vehicle Amplifier -  the most powerful Wilson vehicle amplifier
• 815226  Sleek - Wilson’s newest amplifier kit where you place your phone in a cradle and use an external headset or Bluetooth

For the RV traveler  these Wilson kits work very well:

• 841233  Mini-SignalBoost RV Kit
• 841295  Ambulance and RV Kit for larger vehicles

Take advantage of one of these mobile repeater kits to stay in touch throughout your trip for safety and peace of mind!

Please contact us at 800-761-3041 for help in determining the best solution to your traveling needs.

Be safe and enjoy the sunshine!

Each carrier tries to provide a good usable signal, but unfortunately, many obstacles exist that the carrier cannot overcome: trees, valleys, hills, cement or brick buildings and buildings with metal roofs or metal siding or basements.  These obstacles block or hinder the normally adequate signal which results in broken or dropped voice calls and very slow or non-existent internet service.

Dropped phone calls and slow internet service can be remedied with a cellular booster or repeater kit.  A repeater kit helps this communication by ‘re-transmitting’  the callers signal using:

1. An internal antenna to receive the cell phone signal inside the building, home, car or boat,
2. A cellular amplifier,
3. An external antenna to send a signal to the cell tower. These components are joined together by coaxial cables.

Home or building kits can be customized using different lengths of cable for multiple interior antennas. These antennas can be on a single floor or on multiple floors. The cost of these kits can range from $250 for a small home or RV to $2500 for a large home with multiple floors.  Commercial buildings may require a couple of repeater kits to supply signal to areas from 20,000 to 100,000 square feet.

Whether it’s mobile, home or office that leaves your phone or data card silent, we can tailor a repeater kit for you to bring those essential tools back to life!

The Wi-Ex company has added a new zBoost CI Active Antenna Amplifier for maximum indoor cell signal. The Active Antenna Amplifier greatly improves the performance of an external zBoost CI cell phone signal booster antenna. This coupling optimizes the strong signal reaching the indoor space your trying to cover and maximizes the phone reception, speed of your aircard and Edge and 3g signals including smart phones.

• Your installer can now extend the external cable from the previous 75′ maximum to over 250′ of RG6 cable with the zBoost CI Active Antenna Amplifier
• You can use 4 zBoost base units with 1 zBoost CI external antenna with an Active Antenna Amplifier attached, perfect for multi-unit buildings
• A large home solution at a lower total cost than other manufacturers while offering greater installation flexibility with longer cable runs

Using the zBoost Active Antenna Amplifier with our favorite Wi-Ex zBoost system should greatly enhance the signal strength, offer far better flexibility for the installer and we’ll be able to recommend systems where we couldn’t reach an outside signal before. We look forward to seeing the zBoost Active Antenna Amplifier in the next few months!

Do you have a large, multi story home or a small office, spread out just enough to need more than the basic repeater kits available? You can choose a large building solution and have a  professionally installed system with the CI YX745 Amplifier kit to create a coverage area of up to 12000 square feet. The zboost CI YX745 is available to your professional installer to boost signal on both the 800Mhz and 1900 Mhz bands. The zBoost CI YX745 system includes the amplifier base unit, high gain yagi and panel signal antennas, high gain internal antenna, signal combiner and mounting hardware. Additional professional accessories are available.

• The zBoost  CI YX745 kit works with all US carriers except Nextel and T-Mobile 3G
• Improves cell phone, smart phone and data card communication with your carrier
• Eliminates most dropped or missed calls
• Increases cell phone battery life because of the stronger signal

We don’t have an estimated delivery date from Wi-Ex yet but hope to see this new product in the next few months!

Contact us at 800-761-3041 for updated info on all Wi-Ex equipment.

The long rumored high gain Wilson amplifier has just been announced. The Wilson 801280 AG Pro 75 Adjustable Gain amplifier has a massive 75dB of gain, which makes it the most powerful consumer cellular repeater by a large margin. With that kind of gain, we expect the Wilson 801265 to cover 20,000-30,000 sq ft of coverage. It should therefore be ideal for huge office spaces, warehouses and outdoor areas such as campgrounds or ranches.

It looks like the displays on the front of the 801280 have small dials on, which show the gain that the amplifier is currently supplying. It is unclear whether this is the automatic gain control seen in other Wilson kits, or whether there is also a user-defined gain level on top of that. The display will certainly make installation easier, as any reduced power output due to feedback can be seen immediately. This will allow installers to adjust the antenna location and direction, to get the most out of the AG Pro amp.

As they have with previous kits, Wilson Electronics may package a kit together with a standard set of antennas and cables. This will almost certainly be called the Wilson 841265 AG Pro 75 kit and will probably have 2 exterior yagi antennas and a number of internal antennas. However, as the Wilson 801280 is so powerful we expect that most customers will prefer a kit customized to their exact situation. If you have an area over 10,000 sq ft to cover, then we recommend you contact us using this form.

The Wilson 801280 AG Pro 75 Adjustable Gain cellular amplifier kit significantly improves the performance of your cell phone or cellular data card in small office/home office applications. Its advanced technology is designed to significantly improve voice and data signal quality and reduce disconnects and drop-outs. It features the same patented Wilson Smart-Tech technology found in all Wilson amplifiers. This technology automatically reduces gain, preventing oscillation and keeping your kit working.

Wilson 801280 Image

The AG Pro 75 will have the same casing as the popular Wilson SOHO amplifier:

Specifications

Wilson 801280 Installation

Click here for the Wilson 801280 Installation Guide (PDF)

The Name

The old kit was called the ‘zboost YX510′. The new kit will be called the ‘zBoost SOHO YX545‘. This follows a recent trend with Wi-Ex for giving their products more than a manufacturer part number. This started with the kit recently released for the small apartment buildings – the ‘zBoost Metro YX540‘. We imagine this will be come started practice for Wi-Ex going forward. The YX*** codes that they give their products are pretty meaningless, and it’s good to see a more easily identifiable naming structure.

The Kit

The new zBoost SOHO YX545 lists a system gain of 60dB, a good increase from the 53/54dB of the YX510. Gain is a logarithmic scale where an increase of 6dB doubles the coverage area. It’s interesting to note in the PDF overview that Wi-Ex still list the coverage area as up to 2,500 sq ft – identical to the YX510. This is probably Wi-Ex moving to a more realistic expectation of coverage area. With the YX510 2,500 sq ft was only possibly with a strong input signal from the external antenna. Hopefully with the SOHO YX545 a few bars will get the unit up to the max.
Another big change is the coaxial cable included in the standard kit. The YX510 had 35ft of RG6; the SOHO YX545 will have 50ft of RG-59. The extra cable length will help with installations, allowing more flexibility in the antenna placement. Running the cable discretely through the home will also be easier as RG-59 cable is thinner and more flexible than RG-6.
The standard omni-directional external antenna also looks different from the one included in the YX510. It’s unclear if the antenna is more powerful, or just has a different form.

Full Kit Contents

It has not yet been released, so details are scarce. However we know that the Wi-Ex YX 545 will have higher gain, lower loss cable and an easier installation method. It is a completely new design from the ground up, and we expect it to be the perfect repeater kit for homes and offices up to 3,000 sq ft.

Release Date: Q3 2010
Product Page: Wi-Ex zBoost YX545

So what about the 2nd or 3rd floors?
A splitter (859957) is connected right past the two 65dB amplifiers but before the internal Panel antenna. One side of the splitter continues to the Panel mounted on the 1st floor and the other port of the splitter is run up to the 2nd floor for additional coverage needed there.  At this time, however, the signal on the 1st floor is decreased, which means the coverage area on the 1st floor now has gone down.  What a dilemma !

A more efficient way to direct the internal signal is to use a “Tap” which is a type of ‘directional’ splitter. A Tap funnels a certain amount of signal through a specific port.  A common tap we use in multiple-floor installations is a 6dB/1.5dB Tap (#859906) which directs only 25% of the signal to the 6dB port and the remaining 75% signal through the 1.5dB port. This allows 75% of the remaining signal to be sent on to the 2nd & 3rd floors where it is split evenly using the standard 50/50 splitter (#859957).

At some point, after multiple splits/taps, the signal is degraded and will need to be boosted back up so it can continue down the cable. This is when a Pre-amp (811201 or 812201) should be installed to cover more square footage, for instance, on a 4th or 5th floor.  In this example, we would install the pre-amp directly in-line to the cable running up to the 4th & 5th floors. The pre-amp would need AC power, as it is an active amplifier, so plan this installation accordingly. The key to extending the inside coverage to a multi-story building as in this example, is to use Taps (#859906), Splitters (#859957)  and Pre-amps (#811201, 812201) as described

Hopefully this description is helpful;  please give us a call with your custom installation requirement!

RepeaterStore.com

A summary of the causes of bad cell reception:

• Large distance from the nearest cell towers, found in rural areas and offshore
• Signal blocked by large structures – large buildings, mountains, tunnels, trees etc
• Construction materials which block cell phone signal
• High density urban areas have many low powered towers which emit weak signal that cannot penetrate buildings
• Network congestion – poor signal during times of unexpected network load such as large conferences, music festivals, local emergency situations etc.

The zBoost YX039 Premium Antenna consists of two directional panel antennas, each with a 18″ jumper cable to connect them to an antenna combiner. The antenna combiner then attaches to a single coaxial cable for connection to the Wi-Ex Base Unit. The new YX039 System is to be used with the zBoost YX510-CEL-PCS dual band repeater kit.

The new and improved accessory antenna system, Wi-Ex zBoost YX039, offers an improved look and better overall signal gain!

Specifications:
This directional antenna system captures signals in both 800 MHz Cellular &1900 MHz PCS bands for the use with zBoost dual-band amplifier systems.
Gain: 8dBi (824-896 MHz) 13dBi (1850-1990 MHz)
Impedance: 75ohms
UPC: 1866390006
Connectors: The two antennas are inputted to the signal combiner, which has an F/Female connector

Kit Contents:
YX021-CEL Cellular Panel Antenna (824-896 MHz)
YX023-PCS Panel Antenna (1850-1990 MHz)
2x 18″ coaxial jumper cablesAntenna combiner
2x U-Bolt and mounting brackets for pole mounting (pole not included)
Instruction manual

The 5BARz Road Warrior, now even more affordable, is a simple plug-in cell signal booster for your car, home, office or hotel room! To use, just plug in the cigarette adapter into your vehicle or the ac adapter in your home, office, or hotel room, place your phone in the dock provided and you’re all set to go!

Raise your signal with the 5BARz Road Warrior:

• No installation – just plug in when you need a boost!
• Faster internet – including 3G
• Stronger signals and better reception
• Works with your cell phone and data cards
• Good for all US carriers except Iden and T-Mobile 3G

Take advantage of this $50.00 mail-in rebate until June 30, 2010 and say goodbye to weak signals and dropped calls!

Wilson Electronics and Repeaterstore.com have started to ship this versatile new cell phone signal booster.

The reviews and initial response have been extremely favorable for the Sleek. It is a powerful yet portable signal amplifier that uses a cradle to hold your phone while you use a hands free device to converse.

The Wilson Electronics’ Sleek amplifier kit includes:

• Sleek™ all in one cradle combo: amplifier/charger
• Outside vehicle mini magnet-mount antenna
• Cigarette lighter power adapter*
• Installation guide
• 30-day, “No Questions Asked” money-back guarantee
• Limited one-year product warranty

*Use only with supplied cigarette lighter power supply

Features Include:

• 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

We also now have a complete list of specifications. The kit is dual band, 20dB gain with a standard 4 inch magnetic mount antenna and cigarette lighter adapter. The cradle unit weighs an impressively light 2.5 oz!

Specifications:

As a marine vessel departs a port or dock area, the weak Cellular/PCS signal can drop off within a few hundred yards or a couple of miles. A Cellular Repeater kit uses an antenna mounted above the bridge or mast of your boat or ship. This antenna is connected through coax cable to an amplifier which receives and then boosts this signal to output it through an interior antenna within the cabin, bridge, galley or state rooms below. Your phone would be used as you normally would to make and receive calls within this ‘signal area’ and there is no setup configuration needed.  The Marine Repeater kit will also boost signal to broadband USB modems used to get internet service.

Interior antennas can range from a cradle you place your phone into, to a panel antenna mounted on a wall that ‘shoots’ cellular signal down a hall or into a broad area like a galley.  Our boosters work for all carriers (dual-band) but a specific version would be needed for Nextel phones (IDEN).

RepeaterStore has two very strong options for Marine or Boat Repeater Kits.

The Wilson 801245 with an omni-directional dome internal antenna:
http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/soho.html

Or, the Digital Antenna DA4KSBR-50M kit with a directional panel interior antenna:
http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/digital-antenna/DA4KSBR-50M.html

Don’t leave your family, friends or business associates ashore when you head out to enjoy the local waterways. Stay connected with a Marine Repeater Kit from Repeaterstore.com!

It is totally wireless, no cradle or wire is attached to your phone and is easy to set up – comes complete with everything needed for a complete repeater system allowing  you to use your cell phone as normal.

• Decreases dropped or missed calls

• Works with all US carriers on 800 and 1900Mhz (except Nextel and 3G on T-mobile)

• Convenient, easy set up for immediate enhanced signal to your phone and/or data card

• Perfect for single story situations-no vertical separation needed

• The Metro YX540 offers patent-pending technology to prevent interference with the carrier network

You can visit our website: http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wi-ex/zboost-yx-540.php to order and be one of the first consumers to benefit from this innovative technology! We are pre-selling the zBoost YX540 and expect strong demand in the coming weeks!

Slow access in a 3G service area can be remedied with a Cellular Booster or Repeater kit.  A Repeater may be all that is needed to resume 3G speed. Repeater Kits consist of three components:

1) an outside/external antenna

2) an amplifier/repeater

3) an internal antenna that is coupled to the Wireless USB card or MiFi       

Solution: Welcome the Wilson Signalboost ! http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/signalboost.html

This amplifier kit was originally designed to operate in a vehicle, but with the correct antennas, will work perfectly attached to a USB Broadband modem card in a home environment.

The kit below provides a great solution for a quick home installation or where the external antenna is mounted on a glass window. Cost is affordable at $213.

811210 Signalboost amp with internal patch antenna $169
301103 External 12″ antenna $23
859940 Home Office Kit with AC adapter $21

A more permanent installation using the same SignalBoost amplifier is listed below. This kit uses a permanent external antenna mounted on the roof of a home or building. Cost $272.

811210 Signalboost amp with internal patch antenna $169
301202 External building antenna  $65
951125 20ft RG58 cable from external antenna to amp $21
859903 AC power supply $17

This last kit can be used in a vehicle, although a separate vehicle external antenna is required. Also, a standard Home Repeater Kit starting at $599 would  provide consistent voice calls as well as a stronger and faster USB Data connection. Please contact us to discuss these other options: 800.761.3041

The Wilson Signalboost DT, designed as a cost effective, dual-band desktop solution, has been upgraded with a higher performing directional antenna! This new antenna (#301208) is a small, sharp looking desktop antenna that offers better performance than the previous whip antenna.

This new directional antenna is now shipping on all Signalboost Desktop DT amplifier kits.

We’ve tested it and it works well with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and TMobile as well as Alltel and US Cellular.

If there is a need for a Repeater more powerful than room size coverage, please see the Wilson 801245 SOHO Dual Band Kit under our ‘Small Building‘  tab or the  Wilson 801262 Dual Band DB Pro under our ‘Large Building‘ tab.

The FCC very clearly notes that signal boosters unarguably can have a positive affect, saying boosters “can help consumers, wireless service providers, and public safety first responders by expanding the area of reliable service to unserved or weak signal areas” and that current rules, “allow the use of signal enhancing devices” as part of the licensee agreement (Code of Federal Regulations part 22 & part 90). However, they also note that improperly installed devices can cause interference on the network. Its clear that signal boosters are an important part of network development and cellular networks make extensive use of them when extending wireless coverage.

So interference is clearly the crux of the issue. Both sides of the argument make different technical claims and inevitably these arguments will go on, but is it possible to quantify the prevalence of interference? In its public comments, AT&T claim in the past 3 years it recorded 87 incidents in South Florida, where many boosters are used in the yachting community. Extrapolating this nationwide we might estimate instances of interference number in the few thousands. Wilson Electronics, on their part, state that they alone have manufactured more than 2 million signal boosters since 2001. According to these figures it is perhaps one in a few thousand signal boosters that might cause interference. A figure no doubt that could be reduced further if standards for devices were raised and greater collaboration and communication could be had between network operators and device manufacturers. Indeed, in Verizon’s comments they cite just four instances of interference from Wilson Electronics’ amplifiers nationwide.

Public Safety and Emergency Services

Also at stake is the use of signal enhancers by emergency services. In the comments to the FCC petitions many police departments, fire-crews and other first responders have stated their requirement for readily available signal boosters. Numerous public safety officials have stated that they simply could not do the same job without using signal boosters. Also common are rural network customer on the fringe of coverage who rely on their cell phones for 911 emergency calls. For them a signal repeater is their only possible method of communication with family and emergency services.

What is clear from the content and number of comments is that the issue is contentious. The network operators have a right and a responsibility to ensure that their networks are not negatively impacted by user devices, but the FCC also has a responsibility to ensure that this is not abused and that if there is a solution that improves networks far greater than it impedes them, it should act swiftly to support it.

Ever since the Carterfone ruling the philosophy of the FCC has involved a commitment to competition in the marketplace. If everyone agrees that signal boosters can be positively used to improve a cellular network do we really want them to be controlled inside a walled garden by the networks or would we prefer to enable the same innovation that led to the invention of answering machines, faxes & modems after the Carterfone ruling? Also, is it not important to have some kind of quantitative investigation into how the instances of interference compare to the number of signal boosters being used by consumers, and by how much this would be further reduced by the introduction of unified and federally regulated specifications? Perhaps one day properly regulated signal boosters will be an important customer retention tool, used as a deal sweetener to keep wireless customers paying their large monthly premiums.

A Cellular Repeater Kit will allow you to make calls when very little cell phone signal exists. This booster will also reduce dropped calls and increase internet speeds. We have had good success with Wilson Electronics Repeater kits customized for use in Motorhomes & RVs.

Wilson Electronics is well regarded in the industry because of their high quality.

Cell Phone Boosters or Repeaters are very simple to setup 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 for a single-phone style amp to $600 for a more powerful amp that can support multiple cell phones and/or broadband data cards. A few of these kits are listed below.

Single Cell phone use:

http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/Wilson-841233-Wilson-841233-Mini-SignalBoost-RV-Kit

Multiple Cell  Phones or Data Cards:

http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/Wilson-841295-Wilson-841295-Ambulance-and-RV-Repeater-Kit

We’re also offering special discounts on our single band zBoost amplifiers. If your carrier operates on a single band you can use the Cellular 800/850 mhz band or the  PCS 1900 mhz band you can save with our Wi Ex zBoost YX500-CEL or YX500-PCS repeater kits. For a limited time only, we’re offering a $25 mail-in rebate on each of these systems!  Everything necessary to improve the cellular signal in an area up to 2500 sq. ft. is included.

If you are in need of a mobile repeater you can save $25 with a rebate on our Wi-Ex zBoost YX230 in vehicle kit!

• $25 rebate with the purchase of a zBoost YX510 - Buy Now!
• $25 rebate with the purchase of a zBoost YX500-CEL - Buy Now!
• $25 rebate with the purchase of a zBoost YX500-PCS - Buy Now!
• $25 rebate with the purchase of a zBoost YX230 – Buy Now!
• $50 rebate with the purchase of a zBoost ONE YX400-P – Buy Now!
  

The YX400-P is only compatible with the MetroPCS and Sprint Networks. The $50 rebate form can be downloaded on the YX400-P page.

Purchase must be from Repeaterstore.com only, not a third party sponsor or partner, between 2/1/10 and 2/16/10. Request must be postmarked by 3/16/10.  The $25 rebate form can be downloaded from each qualifying item page. Fill out the form completely. Incomplete forms will not be accepted. Mail this form with a copy of your sales receipt and the original UPC label from the product packaging directly to Wi-Ex, their address is on the $25 rebate form.

• $25 rebate form for YX510, YX500, YX230 repeater kits
• $50 rebate form for the YX400-P repeater kit

Some of the features include:

• Surfing the web with Apples Safari browser                                                            
• Sending and receiving e-mails
• Saving and sharing photos
• an electronic book store and book reading interface
• a video player
• iPod software for playing music
• a newspaper reader program

Apple will sell a version with 3G data plans and without a long term contract. For those who experience a weak signal on the AT&T service we have a range of repeaters that will greatly improve your 3G data service. We recommend a dual band repeater so you can also have improved reception on your cell phone including the iPhone.

You can find a list of dual band repeaters on the following Repeaterstore page:

http://www.repeaterstore.com/support/buyer%20guide/dual-band-repeaters.html

Which one you need depends on the area you need to cover. Here is a list of the most popular kits we have, broken down by coverage area:

Mid-Range (up to 2,500 sq ft.)
zBoost YX510: http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wi-ex/zboost-dual-band.html
Wilson SOHO 801245: http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/soho.html

Large Range (5,000 to 10,000 sq ft.):
Wilson SOHO “Premium” and “Ultimate” configurations. This is the same amplifier as before, but in more powerful kit combinations. Scroll down the Wilson SOHO page: http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/soho.html

Very Large Range (greater than 10,000 sq ft.):
Wilson Ultimate Repeater Kit: http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/wilson/wilson-dual-band-ultimate.html

Multi-level commercial buildings & hospitals are more likely to have cell phone reception problems because of the newer, robust construction standards used nowadays.  Along with earthquake & tornado standards, and to a greater extent, higher R rating insulation, these factors significantly lower the penetration of cellular signal inside the building. A normally good outside signal will degrade significantly just a few meters inside these types of buildings and a cell phone booster is usually the answer. Also, cellular signals that normally penetrate windows, will not penetrate the new reflective solar tints that are commonly used .

In situations like this, Wilson Ultimate II Repeater kits are installed with excellent results. With just two exterior antennas mounted outside the building, an amplified cellular signal can be distributed throughout the inside.  Multiple interior ‘dome’ antennas are used to spread this signal along hallways, in waiting /break rooms and into lobby areas or cafeterias.   These same Dome antennas are easily installed in the drop ceilings to provide evenly distributed Cellular/PCS signal to the offices, conference rooms, showrooms and warehouses of commercial buildings as well.

We also now have a complete list of specifications. Nothing too surprising here – the kit is dual band, 20dB gain with a standard 4″ magnetic mount antenna and cigarette lighter adapter. The cradle units weighs an impressively light 2.5 oz! There will be an accessory pack released soon to enable the kit to be used in your home/office. No word on that yet.

Specifications:

Wilson Sleek Installation

The Wi-Ex YX710 will only be sold through professional installation services. We are adding professional installation as a service to Repeaterstore.com over the coming months. At this time we hope to stock the Wi-Ex YX710. If you are comfortable installing electrical equipment, you can try the Wi-Ex YX610 now. The kit is the same as the YX710 – the only difference is the amplifier case and slightly smaller 800MHz antenna.

The new Wilson Sleek is a very price competitive Cell Phone Booster for your vehicle and can be used at home /office with an optional accessory kit.
It is designed to work best with the new smartphones like Droid, My Touch and Nexus One or iPhone 3GS.

Joe Banos, Wilson’s Chief Operational Officer, says the unit features “sophisticated oscillation protection … allowing us to run more power, and power is range.”

The cost is expected to be very reasonable at under $130. Most other vehicle /mobile amps range from $200-$300.
Using the same technology as their other mobile amplifiers, this is the lowest cost amplifier Wilson has ever produced and will work with all US networks except Nextel!

As soon as we get additional technical specifications and more details we’ll be posting them right here!

We’re also offering special discounts on our single band zBoost amplifiers. If your carrier operates on a single band you can use the Cellular 800/850 mhz band or the  PCS 1900 mhz band you can save with our Wi Ex zBoost YX500-CEL or YX500-PCS repeater kits. For a limited time only, we’re offering a $15 mail-in rebate on each of these systems, on top of our $50 instant discount!  Everything necessary to improve the cellular signal in an area up to 2500 sq. ft. is included.

Make your holiday money reward you all year long with a Cell Phone Amplifier from Repeaterstore.com. But  hurry, these great savings end December 31, 2009!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Repeaterstore!

• Christmas Day – December 25, 2009
• New Years Eve – December 31, 2009
• New Years Day – January 1, 2010

On Christmas Eve, December 24,2009, ONLY Next Day Air shipments will go out but it will be a regular delivery day.

Our shipping cutoff for delivery before Christmas is:

• 10am on Wednesday, December 23 for Next Day Air
• 10am on Tuesday, December 22 for 2nd Day
• 10am on Monday, December 21 for 3 Day

As of Friday, December 18 we are no longer guaranteeing ground shipments for Christmas delivery

Repeaterstore Holiday Hours

Repeaterstore.com customer service holiday hours will be as follows:

• Christmas Eve, December 24: 8am – 2pm PST
• Christmas Day, December 25: Closed
• New Years Eve, December 31: 8am – 5pm PST
• New Years Day, January 1, 2010 – Closed

WiFi Repeaters

You can find our WiFi Repeater Store here. Together with a What Is A WiFi Repeater page, which details how WiFi repeaters can extend your WiFi network range.
The first product on our WiFi Repeater Store is the Hawking HW2R1 WiFi Repeater. This kit is truly plug-in-and-play. To install just attach the power cord, and then login to set-up the network security details. It couldn’t be easier!

WiFi Extenders

Our WiFi store will also carry WiFi extenders. Rather than creating a second network, a WiFi extender will amplify your existing network, creating one very large WiFi network. You can see a comparison of the two types of products on our WiFi Repeater page.

The first WiFi extender we are stocking is the Luxul Pro-Wav Easy Mount Kit. This attaches to your existing WiFi router, amplifiers the signal and then broadcasts it via a dedicated antenna. It can cover up to 20,000 sq ft with WiFi signal.

If you need to cover larger areas, or have any other questions, then please contact us.

Like the iBooster, both of these units have cradles which hold your cell phone, boosting signal while you use a hands-free kit or Bluetooth device. With a close connection to the cell phone, both the C-Booster and U-Booster improve signal greatly.

Wilson 805206 C-Booster for BlackBerry Curve

The Wilson C-Booster for BlackBerry Curve (805206) is designed specifically to boost signal for the BlackBerry Curve. The cradle fits the BlackBerry Curve perfectly, boosting signal whilst charging your phone.

The C-Booster features the same award winning technology as the iBooster. A powerful 40dB of gain helps users reduce dropped calls, increase data rates, and place calls from “dead spots”.

Available Now!

Wilson 805221 Universal Signal Booster (U-Booster)

The Wilson Universal Booster (805221) is designed to fit all other phones. The cradle can be adjusted to fit all cell phones.

The U-Booster also features the same award winning technology as the iBooster and C-Booster. A powerful 40dB of gain helps users reduce dropped calls, increase data rates, and place calls from “dead spots”.

Available December 2009. Pre-order Now!

If you have any questions on either the C-Booster or the U-Booster, then please check out the product pages, or contact us.

Those clever boffins down at Wi-Ex Central have managed to cram the antennas, cable and amplifier into a single, sleek 2lbs unit. This means that to use the Wi-Ex YX400-P zBoost ONE all you need to do is find a window where you currently get a bit of signal. Place the zBoost ONE near the window, switch it on and you instantly have up to 1,200 sq ft of usable signal.

zBoost ONE YX-400

Compatibility

The YX-400-P is designed to work with only the MetroPCS and Sprint Networks. It is not compatible with any other cellular networks.

Availability

The Wi-Ex zBoost ONE has only just been announced and we do not currently know when they will be ready to ship. The latest we have heard is around Q4, in time for the holiday period.

Update: The YX400-P has now been released and is available on this page.

Product features

• No installation – just plug it in and you have coverage
• Single piece kit – no external antennas, internal antennas or cable
• 1900MHz PCS band, compatible with T-mobile, Verizon (Texas/Florida only), Sprint, Metro PCS, AT&T (some areas only)
• Wireless – no connection to your phone needed
• Good coverage area – cover up to 1,200 sq ft with improved signal
• Single unit measures just 10″ x 9″ x 3.5″

Wilson 301201 Dual Band Building Antenna

The Wilson 301201 is a 75 ohm version of the 301202, which we covered in a previous post. The Wilson 301201 is a dual band antenna, suited for outdoor building installation. It’s omni-directional, so receives signal from all directions, and is the perfect exterior antenna option for the Wilson 801262.

Wilson 301155 Dual Band Panel Antenna

The Wilson 301155 is a 75 ohm version of the versatile Wilson 301135. The antenna is a directional panel antenna, which can be used as both the receiving antenna outside or as the broadcast antenna inside. It is directional, and so needs to be pointed towards the nearest cell tower when used outside, or pointed toward the area to provide coverage when used inside.

Wilson 301151 Indoor Ceiling Dome Antenna

The Wilson 301151 is a 75 ohm version of the most popular indoor antenna, the Wilson 301121. This is a broadcast antenna, which is placed after the Wilson 801262 to transmit the boosted signal. It is omni-directional, which means it broadcasts the signal in all directions. It should therefore be placed at the center of the area you wish to cover.

With all these options it can get a little confusing! If you have any questions at all then please give us a call on (800) 761-3041, or send us an email, and we can help design a kit to meet your needs.

If your phone shows a 3G icon in the top left of the screen:

1. Dial *3001#12345#* on the keypad and press call.
2. Select “UMTS Cell Environment”
3. Select “UMTS RR Info
4. If the uplink frequency is a number between 4132 and 4233, your phone is using the 800/850MHz Band. If the uplink frequency is a number between 9262 and 9538, your phone is using the 1900MHz band.

If your phone shows no 3G icon in the top left of the screen:

1. Dial *3001#12345#* on the keypad and press call.
2. Select “GSM Cell Environment”
3. Select “UMTS Network Information
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and find the ARFCN
5. If your ARFCN is between 128 and 251, then your phone is using the 800/850MHz band. If your ARFCN is between 512 and 810, then your phone is using the 1900MHz band.

Kit options
Unlike the original SignalBoost DT, the DT PRO will be available either as an individual amplifier, or as a packaged kit. Having the amplifier sold individually allows a great deal of flexibility – allowing customers to use existing antennas/cable, or choose from the wide range of Wilson antennas.
Wilson 801262 SignalBoost PRO DT – Amplifier Only
Wilson 841262 SignalBoost PRO DT Kit – This will be a full repeater kit, with both internal and external antennas, and the coaxial cable needed. Details of the exact antennas used are still being finalized – check back later!

Amplifier Details:
With 60-65dB of power it is the strongest dual band repeater on our site. The amplifier also has 33/34 dBm of output power, the highest of any of our amplifiers, providing more power to cover more networks and users.
There will be two versions of the Wilson 801262. The 271247-75 will have 75 ohm of impedance on both the internal and external antennas. The 271247-50 will have 75 ohm of impedance on the external antenna, and 50 ohm on the internal antenna. The 801262 continues Wilson’s trend of moving towards 75 ohm on their building amplifiers, allowing customers to use standard satellite coaxial, which is both low-loss and inexpensive. The difference in impedances on the internal antenna will allow customers to use existing Wilson antennas (which are 50 ohm), or use a new antenna with satellite coaxial (75 ohm). Wilson will be releasing a number of 75 ohm antennas to go with this new system.

Wilson 301146 – Cell Phone Cradle Plus with Built-in Antenna

The Wilson 301146 Dual Band Phone Cradle Plus is a dual band phone cradle with a built-in antenna. Not only will it boost your cell phone signal, but it allows drivers to keep both hands on the wheel when using their phones, greatly increasing safety. Its designed for Wilson Mobile Wireless or SIGNALBOOST amplifiers and is compatible with all cell phones.

Wilson 301202 Dual Band Building Antenna

The Wilson 301202 is a Dual Band Omni-Directional antenna for Wilson Amplifiers. It is the highest gain omni-directional antenna from Wilson Electronics. The antenna is made of fibreglass, and is fully weatherproof.
 

Wilson Electronics Dual Band Ultimate Repeater Kit II

The Wilson Ultimate II is an upgraded version of our popular Wilson Ultimate Repeater Kit. It includes the same original Wilson Ultimate configuration, but with an additional Pre-Amplifier Kit that adds an extra 15dB of gain, making this our most powerful repeater set up on our website. Each part of the kit is made up of the best equipment available, from the high gain Yagi antennas, to the 65 dB Wilson amplifiers. This kit can improve the signal over an area of up to 15,000 sq ft. and like all Dual Band repeaters, will cover all networks other than Nextel.

Wilson Electronics 801165, 801365 & 804006 Ultimate Repeater Kits

Similarly to the Wilson Ultimate II we have packaged up kits that add a pre-amplifier to our existing Wilson 65dB amplifier kits. We already stock kits for the Wilson 801165, the Wilson 801365 and the Wilson 804006 that include an internal cellular antenna, a high gain external Yagi antenna and all the necessary adapters and cables to set up the full kit. We have created these ‘Ultimate’ kits by adding a pre-amplifier, which can help them work in areas of lower cell phone signal and increase the coverage area for a given cell phone signal.

View our Top Wilson Amplifiers here / View the Full Wilson Amplifiers and Antennas Catalog here

The new Wilson Electronics iBooster – designed specifically for use with the Apple iPhone – was announced at this years Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Wilson iBooster provides improved signal while simultaneously charging the iPhone, and is designed for in-vehicle use.

The iBooster is compatible with both the iPhone and iPhone 3G, and improves signal for both 2G voice calls and 3G data transfers. The product will be available as a complete kit, including an all-in-one amplifier/charger cradle, a magnet-mount antenna, and a cigarette lighter power adapter. The included cradle perfectly fits the iPhone, while leaving enough room for most common protector cases.

The innards of the amplifier are based on the Wilson SignalBoost Pro 801240, which provides 40dB of uplink and downlink gain.

The product is expected to begin shipping in March 2009.

Find more details on our website: Wilson 805201 iBooster for iPhone

Video by Wilson Electronics:

Pictured here, the new SignalBoost Pro is a dual-band repeater which works with all carriers (except Nextel). It plugs into a USB port, which makes it exceptionally portable. It’s ideal for a small office environment. Wilson are also releasing an in-car version, the 801241, which likewise uses a USB port.

The SignalBoost Pro comes with a high-gain antenna. More technical specifications will be available very soon. It is expected to be released in the 2nd quarter of 2008 and we are looking forward to featuring it here at RepeaterStore.com.

This week, RepeaterStore.com attended CTIA Wireless 2008 in Las Vegas. The conference featured over 1,200 exhibitors encompassing all aspects of the wireless industry. Needless to say, our eyes were fixed firmly on the cellular repeaters.

Over the course of the 3-day conference, we met many of our current suppliers (Wilson Electronics, Wi-Ex, Digital Antenna) and others we are planning to add to our store in the very near future (Shyam, Cell Ranger, and more). We discussed the current repeaters on the market, as well as some new products manufacturers are releasing this year.

The following posts will expand on the new products we saw. We’ve taken some photos and we hope you enjoy this glimpse at CTIA Wireless 2008!

In collaboration with Repeaterstore.eu, our European based sister company, Repeaterstore is proud to announce a new database of worldwide mobile phone frequency information. Now anyone around the world can easily find a suitable repeater to boost their mobile phone signal!

The database has aggregated information on over 200 countries around the world and transformed it into a very simple to use interface. To use the database, you simply select the country you are located in, then select the Service Provider that your mobile phone uses. The database can tell you what frequency that Service Provider operates their network on and will link you directly to the repeaters we have that work on those frequencies.

Try it out: Repeater Store Worldwide Mobile Phone Frequency Tool

Side Note: In the US, the licensed cell phone frequencies are 800/850MHz and 1900MHz, and all US networks operate somewhere within these bands. For most of the rest of the world however, the Mobile Phone Networks operate on the 900MHz & 1800MHz frequency bands and repeaters must be made especially for those frequencies. You can find these 900/1800MHz repeaters at RepeaterStore.eu. For standard US 800/1900MHz Repeaters try our Top Cell Phone Repeaters on Repeaterstore.com

To order or find out more, visit our Wilson SignalBoost DT (801247) product page.

We hope to have a unit in our hands for testing as soon as possible. You’ll find our preliminary thoughts and a full product review (once it’s available) on our Wilson Signalboost DT review page.

You will be able to star pre-ordering at the Wilson SignalBoost DT product page as soon as we have confirmation from Wilson as to what quantity will be included in our first shipment.

Update: It turns out that the delay was cancelled. We now have the Wilson SignalBoost DT available for immediate shipping.

View our Top Wilson Amplifiers here / View the Full Wilson Amplifiers and Antennas Catalog here

View our Top Wilson Amplifiers here / View the Full Wilson Amplifiers and Antennas Catalog here

We have been testing the YX300 in real world situations since we received a test unit from Wi-Ex, and have had very positive results. The performance of the kit depends quite strongly on the signal strength at the window where the unit is installed. With reasonably strong signal at the window, we found that the unit provides significantly improved call coverage and can eliminate dropped calls and voice quality issues. However, we found that it is very important to maintain separation between the window unit and the indoor antenna – the unit oscillates easily and has to be reset each time this happens.

Overall, we recommend the zBoost zP YX300 for users with reception problems and a limited budget, but users who need a larger coverage area should consider installing a larger zBoost YX-510 kit.

A wired version of the zP, called the zBoost zP YX100, is due within the next few months. This will be a wired direct-connect amplifier that will complete Wi-Ex’s low-cost zP repeater line.

For more information and complete specifications visit our zBoost zP YX300 product page.

Unfortunately, if there is no EVDO/HSDPA coverage at all in your area, there’s no way of improving the signal. However, if you have at least 1 bar of signal somewhere nearby, it’s possible to use a high gain antenna and repeater to amplify the signal and provide reliable broadband access. Since all of our recommended units are dual-band, they will work with services from any of the major carriers, and will also improve voice signals if used with a normal cell phone.

Here are our recommendations:

Universal wired kit: Wilson Signalboost ($219)
For users who want a mobile solution for their broadband woes, we suggest the Wilson Signalboost Kit. The Signalboost amplifier boosts the broadband signal and channels it through a velcro patch that is stuck directly onto your data card or cell phone. Since the Signalboost uses this easy universal connection method, it can be used with cell phone and data card devices from any manufacturer. The kit comes with a 12V DC Cigarette Adapter as standard, but add a Wilson 12V AC Adapter to make the kit usable anywhere.

Direct Connect kit: SignalWide Clickitbase ($249)
For users who need an additional signal improvement, it’s possible to connect a cell phone repeater directly into the antenna port of their data card or cell phone. For these situations we recommend the SignalWide ClickItBase, which is sold with a custom connector for your phone or data card. The ClickItBase is designed specifically for 3G applications, but will improve all signals.

Wireless kit: Wi-Ex zBoost zPersonal zP ($169)
Wireless Extender’s new zP unit is a very low-cost wireless kit that can be used to cover a radius of up to 6 feet from the indoor antenna. To improve broadband coverage throughout a room or small building, we highly recommend Wireless Extender’s zBoost YX-510 repeater kit. The zBoost YX-510 comes with 35 feet of cabling that connects an outdoor antenna to an indoor unit that amplifies and rebroadcasts the signal. The standard YX-510 kit can cover up to 2,500 square feet from a strong outdoor signal.

The zBoost YX500-CEL Premium kit includes an upgraded YX026-CEL Yagi Antenna, and the YX500-PCS Premium Kit includes the YX023-PCS panel antenna.

Wilson Electronics recently announced the 801247 Signalboost Desktop DT, a new dual-band repeater kit called that competes directly with other low-priced dual-band kits such as the zBoost YX-510 and Digital Antenna DA4KSBR-50U.

The new 801247 Signalboost Desktop DT is a complete kit that includes a 50dB dual-band amplifier very similar in specifications to the Wilson 801245 SOHO Desktop. This Signalboost DT is available as a complete kit with a 5dB gain cradle antenna (for a total of 55dB of system gain) and 50 feet of 75-ohm RG6 cabling. This is the first Wilson product to use 75-ohm cabling, and the switch means that the system can be easily extended with RG-6 cables available at any electronics retailer. The 801247 is also the first complete wireless kit sold by Wilson – a departure from their usual model of selling kit components separately.

As the first complete dual band in-door kit manufactured by Wilson, we expect this to be a very popular product. There is no word on pricing as of yet, but you can find all the details and availability information on our store’s product page: Wilson 801247 Signalboost Desktop DT.

View our Top Wilson Amplifiers here / View the Full Wilson Amplifiers and Antennas Catalog here

Compare our different Wilson SOHO kits at this page: Wilson 801245 Premium SOHO Kit

View our Top Wilson Amplifiers here / View the Full Wilson Amplifiers and Antennas Catalog here

News Flash >> Starting Today, August 1st ’07 the Spotwave Z1900 has taken a permanent price cut to $299 following the success of the temporary $100 discount that has been operating for the past month.

With a system gain of +63 dB the Spotwave Z1900 is one of the stronger amplifiers in its price range. The amplifier also features a modern and attractive design so you won’t want to hide it away in the corner of the room. The Spotwave Z1900 comes as a full repeater kit with everything you need to improve your cell phone recelption, including antennas, cables, power supply, mounting equipment and of course the Z1900 amplifier.

Networks operating on the 1900 MHz frequency band include Sprint and T-mobile. In addition to this, Verizon and Cingular operate the majority of their 3G data services on 1900 MHz, so the Spotwave Z1900 should improve the performance of 3G data cards operating on the Cingular or Verizon network. However, Cingular and Verizon only use the 1900 MHz for voice coverage in a small amount of areas. For more information on Cellular Network Frequency usage visit our cell phone repeater buyer guide, or contact us.

Buy it now or find out more on the Spotwave Z1900 product page – click here.

Users of the iPhone have discovered that the phone has a very comprehensive “Field Test” mode that allows users to find out a range of information about the phone’s connection to the network. In particular, the information displayed in the Field Test mode allows users to discover exactly which tower their phone is connecting to, and which frequency band the signals are being sent on.

Here are some simple instructions to find out which frequency your iPhone is using:

1. Access the iPhone’s Field Test mode by typing *3001#12345#* in the phone’s keypad and press dial. This will bring up the Field Test menu.

2. Select the “Cell Information” menu option to display a summary of all nearby towers. The “RX” code displays the signal strength of each tower. These RX values are dBm signal strength readings, where lower values means strong signal (so -60 signifies stronger signal than -80). The towers are listed by signal strength, and the top tower is usually the tower your phone is connecting to.

3. Selecting the first tower will take you to a further menu that displays more specific information. The “Freq” value shows the frequency block that the network is using. If the Freq number is between 128 and 251, the tower is using the 850 MHz Cellular band. If the Freq number is between 512 and 810, the tower is using the 1900MHz PCS band.

Since AT&T and Cingular merged a few years ago, the joint company has owned licenses for both frequency bands in most areas. In order to ensure an improvement on voice and data coverage, we recommend purchasing a dual band repeater for AT&T customers. Once installed, these repeaters will also improve the cell signal on every other network (except for Nextel). Here are our recommendations:

Medium reception: For users with medium signal quality outside their building (3 bars or more), the zBoost YX-510 kit will improve your cell phone signal to full bars for AT&T voice and data services, even if you currently have no AT&T service at all inside. This unit will usually cover up to 2,500 square feet. The kit is very easy to install, and comes with everything needed to set the system up. You can find our product page here: Wireless Extender zBoost YX-510.

Low reception: For users with low quality outside their building (2 bars or less), the YX-510 kit Premium Kit can be used to amplify the AT&T signal. This repeater will usually cover up to 3,000 square feet (or 5,000 square feet if you currently have 3 bars or more of signal outside). You can find our product page here: Wireless Extender zBoost YX-510 (scroll half way down the page).

Large coverage areas: For users with 2 or more bars of signal outside their building, and who wish to cover up to 10,000 square feet, we recommend : Digital Antenna DA4KSBR-50U 60dB Repeater Kit (scroll half way down the page). This more powerful antenna also comes with a high-gain omni-directional antenna, and is perfect for large-building installations.

If you have any questions about repeaters, or want a custom recommendation, feel free to call us at 1-800-761-3041 or e-mail us at support@repeaterstore.com.

Vs

This week the CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) rejected calls for regulations that would force cellular carriers to adhere to net neutrality principles and open their networks to 3rd party applications or devices (e.g. Skype VoIP services).

In recent months, the debate over ‘net neutrality’ has spread to a new battlefield: cellular networks. Advocates argue that the principles of net neutrality should apply to cellular networks, particularly since carriers such as Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular are now offering broadband data services.

Skype formalized this concept with a plea to the FCC in February. A consortium of cellular networks represented by the CTIA challenged their plea this week with a petition that rejects wireless net neutrality on the basis that it threatens to ‘stifle consumer benefits’ (link to pdf).

Broadly speaking, net neutrality is the democratization of internet bandwidth and requires internet service providers to treat all data packets equally (e.g. not accepting payments from companies to favor their services).

Whilst the debate over net neutrality remains a hotbed of legal and political wrangling, the FCC claimed some jurisdiction over the matter as early as 2005 in a directive for the telecommunications industry. These guidelines state:

‘Consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice, run applications and services of their choice and plug in and run legal devices of their choice.’

The cellular network carriers are worried that if such a directive were applied to their networks, then applications such as Skype’s VoIP service would have to be granted the free range of their network and take a big chunk out of their share of the market. In a worst case scenario for the carriers this would relegate them to an ISP type role for cellular networks, whereby they would maintain and operate the network but customers would use 3rd party VoIP software to make their phone calls.

At first glance, wireless net neutrality seems like an obvious extension of current net neutrality principles, with the end result being lower prices for consumers and higher levels of competition. However, the situation differs slightly: Unlike the wired networks operated by normal ISPs, the wireless cellular data networks are limited to the cellular bands licensed by the FCC. Cellular frequencies are a finite commodity, with many networks eager to get their hands on more spectrum just to improve their voice coverage, let alone providing extra bandwidth to accommodate users who want to use Skype. This problem is compounded by the fact that VoIP requires a more sustained data connection than the periodic data exchange pattern that marks normal internet browsing. This can lead to interference issues on existing cellular networks which were originally optimized solely for voice coverage.

Having said this, VoIP offers a cheap alternative to current cellular communications and resisting this is something that the consumers won’t stand for when price cuts may be available. The networks will argue that call quality, amongst other factors, will suffer if a switch is made to put VoIP services on an equal platform but ultimately the biggest driving force for consumers is the price they are required to pay. The networks need to bite the bullet and look back to 1968 when a similar debate arose for the PTSN (landlines). This was settled by a legal decision known as the Carterfone ruling, that forced AT&T to allow users to connect any device to their network so long as it was safe to do so. Although initially opposed, the liberation of the PTSN led to increased revenues for AT&T and the telecommunications industry at large.

Update >> Engadget reports that Vodafone in Europe are being sued for using selectively blocking VoIP clients on their network.

About a month ago we wrote about Wi-Ex’s announcement of two new repeaters: the zBoost zP Personal and the zBoost zP Wireless. At the time, Wi-Ex didn’t release any tech specs, which left us to wonder how effective a sub-$100 repeater could really be.

Courtesy of Wi-Ex we are now able to reveal that the zBoost zP repeater will have +31 dB gain in the wired “zP Personal” version and +43 dB total system gain in the “zP Wireless” version (measured @ 800 MHz). The difference between the two is down to the gain of the internal antenna that is included as part of the zP Wireless version.

Now, it’s always very unreliable to compare system gains for repeaters from different manufacturers, so to put it in perspective within Wi-Ex’s existing product range, the YX-200 Wireless Vehicle Repeater has a total system gain quoted as +50 dB. This is a difference in system gain of +7 dB between the two wireless repeaters, but taking into account the difference in price tag of around $130, this shows the zP repeater in a reasonably favorable light. However, there is a limit to how much you can learn from a product’s specifications and a more telling test will be when we put this repeater into practice in a real world situation. We will be doing this soon, hopefully before the zP’s scheduled release, which is rumored to be around mid-June.

Regardless, the zboost zP was never about raw amplifier performance and perhaps the most important specs to be released are the price: $99 for the wired version and $169 for the wireless version, and the weight: 10 Oz, or slightly more than half a pound. These figures represent significant reductions when compared with any other repeater available on the market. With dimensions of 4 x 5 x 1.3 inches, the zP is a truly portable repeater system. To have crammed a dual band repeater (i.e. a repeater compatible with all cellular networks other than Nextel) into such as small package is a remarkable achievement. The real question is whether Wi-Ex have managed to achieve this portability without sacrificing performance. On this, the jury is still out.

The full technical specifications are now available on our zP product page: Wi-Ex zBoost zP Repeater

To explain why, I’ll have to give a little background on how cell phone networks are licensed to use their frequencies. The FCC (the Federal Communications Commission) is in charge of designating and selling licenses for the frequency spectrum that cell phones use. The FCC has two main frequency ranges that it has licensed networks to use, one is around 850MHz (the “Cellular band”) and another is around 1900MHz (the “PCS band”). Each one of these “bands” is then subdivided into smaller frequency “blocks” and sold to networks. The 800MHz band is usually shared between two networks (usually Cingular and Verizon), and the 1900MHz band is usually shared between six networks (usually T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, Cingular and a couple of regional carriers).

Have a look at the diagram below to see what the FCC licensing scheme looks like.

As part of their licensing rules for these cellular frequencies, the FCC requires that networks only sell and use equipment that works on their specific frequency “blocks”. However for technical reasons it’s very difficult and expensive to create repeaters that only cover these smaller frequency blocks. You’ll notice that all the repeaters we sell on our site cover an entire frequency band, and never just a frequency block. If networks were to start installing repeaters wherever they could, they’d be flouting FCC rules and would probably get slammed with a big fine. Moreover, Sprint would hardly want to install a 1900MHz repeater that would also improve the reception for all the other networks that share the band and with which it competes.

Since networks can’t install these repeaters or even make a little cash selling them to their customers, they don’t promote them at all. By contrast, in Asian countries like South Korea repeaters are installed in every apartment complex, shopping mall, and even on street corners. Unless the FCC makes an exception for repeaters, it’ll be a while before we see similar market penetration here in the States. With no network backing, the repeater market in the US is developing as people learn of the products through word-of-mouth and as manufacturers like Wi-Ex, Wilson, TelecomTek and Spotwave gradually promote their products.

As I said before, we at RepeaterStore are really excited about the new zP. Customers are already asking about availability and we predict it will be one of our most popular models. That’s one reason we were pleased to hear that it was recently honored at the CTIA Wireless Expo 2007.

The zBoost zPersonal was 3rd place winner of the CTIA Emerging Technologies (E-Tech) Award. There’s no doubt that as a cell phone repeater, it is groundbreaking on several levels. Aside from its expected price, it’s also the most portable cell signal amplifier on the market.

We also think that this award is great for the cellular repeater industry in general. It’s great that repeaters are being recognised as groundbreaking technology.

We’re looking into getting a zP here before they’re available to purchase. Hopefully soon we’ll be able to devote a blog post to its power output, coverage area, and more.

A Faraday shield consists of a wire mesh which blocks external electric charges from entering the cage. The video below, from a German university, illustrates its purpose pretty vividly.

In addition to stopping the person inside from being electrocuted, the Faraday cage blocks electromagnetic fields and frequency waves – the latter resulting in interrupted radio and cell coverage. When such waves encounter conductive material, they do not pass through the material but rather flow around its surface. For example, when lightning strikes the metal frame of a car or airplane, that frame shields the passengers inside from the electric charge.

Faraday cages, intentional or otherwise, are everywhere in our daily lives. Some auditoriums and exam halls use them to prevent disruption or cheating in tests. Microwave ovens have inbuilt Faraday cages to contain the microwaves within them. In practice, we expect to encounter them regularly, anticipating losing radio signal driving under a bridge, or cell signal when entering an elevator.

Most homes were certainly not deliberately constructed as Faraday cages. For one thing, a true Faraday cage would be exceptionally expensive, and only of interest to sensitive government buildings. Nevertheless, the wire frames and meshes used in building construction have the effect of blocking or severely reducing the quality of cellular signals inside them. This is obviated somewhat by a building’s doors and windows, but the ‘Faraday cage effect’ still results in many, many homes and offices receiving little or no cell phone coverage.

We are very excited about this latest development from WiEx. The zPersonal is unique on several levels.

The vision behind the product is to enable customers to quickly create transferable cell zones. The unit is designed to be portable, and to set up in minutes, meaning that customers on the go (between home and office, for example) will be able to take their cell phone repeater with them with ease. It will be available in wired and wireless versions.

But perhaps the most striking aspect of the zBoost zPersonal is its price. It will retail at $99, making it the most affordable cell phone repeater on the market by some distance.

After the success of the zBoost YX500/YX510 range in the consumer oriented cellular repeater market, we hope the zP may too have mass market appeal. It will be available from our website from June.

Cellular signals in the US are broadcast on two frequencies, either the 800MHz frequency or the 1900MHz frequency. The 800MHz frequency is also regularly referred to as the 850MHz frequency. This is because signals are actually broadcast on bands ranging from 824–849MHz to 869–894MHz. 800MHz and 850MHz is the accepted shorthand for these frequencies, and whenever you encounter them you can be assured they refer to the same thing.

Some networks, like T-Mobile or Cricket, will use only one frequency (1900MHz in this case) for all their services across the US. All customers can be assured that only a single-band repeater will be required.

Unfortunately, other providers are much more confusing. Some use a mixture of 800 and 1900MHz bands. Verizon, for example, use the 800MHz band for their voice services in most of the US, but in some areas, notably much of Texas and Florida, it uses the 1900MHz band. In all other areas 1900MHz is used for broadband.

The situation with Cingular is even more complicated. Since their merger with AT&T, they use a complete mix of frequencies across the US. Most of their voice services use the 800MHz, with exceptions in North and South Carolina, but this is by no means a hard and fast rule. Cingular hold licences for both frequencies in many areas, and often use both.

The source for some of this confusion lies in the irregular expansion of cellular providers in what is still a relatively young industry. Companies bought licences to use particular frequency bands in certain parts of the country. When providers merged, as with AT&T and Cingular recently, their licences did not always line up with each other. Many licences are now redundant, or overlap within areas.

This means that some customers may find a single-band repeater is not enough to solve their coverage problem. There are two main situations in which a customer might need to purchase a dual-band repeater.

The first is when a household uses two or more cell phones, on networks using different frequency bands. For example, if you are with T-Mobile, but your son or daughter’s network is Alltel, you may be using both the 800 and 1900MHz frequencies. If you wish to improve coverage for both phones, you will need a dual-band repeater.

Additionally, if you wish to improve both broadband data services and voice services, you may need a dual-band repeater. Our FAQ pages have more information on how cell phone repeaters do not just improve call quality and reduce dropped calls; they also help to speed up data transfer rates with broadband services. Many networks use the same frequency band for both cell phone signal and wireless cellular data cards (for example, Sprint). Other networks use different frequencies for both (like Verizon). Still others use different bands in some areas and the same band elsewhere (Cingular). If you wish to improve both services, you may need a dual band repeater.

Poor cell phone reception is an ubiquitous problem across the United States, and the causes of bad signal fall under two categories: localized poor coverage due to building materials or destructive interference, and geographical distance from or obstacles between your phone and the nearest cell tower.

Let’s deal with the latter first. Say you live in the middle of a desert, miles from a town or major road. If you are physically too far away from the nearest cell tower, and have to drive a couple of miles to get a signal, a repeater is unlikely to be able to help you, because it cannot create a signal where one does not exist already. Similarly, if you live on the side of a mountain, and the cell tower is on the other side of that mountain, a repeater is not likely to able to pick up a strong enough signal through that obstacle to improve your coverage.

So geographical reception barriers are often insurmountable. Fortunately, they are relatively rare. The cause of your bad cell signal is far more likely to be due to the construction materials used in your home or office, or destructive interference from the buildings around you. Cellular signals have a hard time passing through metal and concrete within the walls of your home. That’s why you might gain two or three bars of signal by hanging out of an upstairs window. Obviously, you can’t make all your cell phone calls like that (!), but you can set up a cell repeater there, magnifying the good signal to an internal antennae within the walls of your house and bypassing the ‘blocking’ effect of the building walls. Many buildings also use a wire mesh in their construction called a Faraday cage. This mesh blocks external static electricity fields, meaning that cell phone signals cannot get through.

Destructive interference runs along similar lines and is a particular problem in built-up areas. If you can’t get a signal in your Manhattan apartment, it’s obviously not because Cingular/Sprint/Verizon etc coverage is poor there. In cities, cell signals will be reflected from walls and other barriers and many separate signals will be found traveling in different directions. These different signals will interact with each other and some of these can be diminished in strength, which results in weaker cell signal for you. Luckily in these cases you will probably be able to get a reasonable signal nearby, and so again, a cellular repeater is an excellent solution. This article from slate.com has more on bad cell reception in city apartments.

A good rule of thumb is the following: if you can get a signal outside your home or office, but not inside, the problem is likely to be one of localized bad coverage which can be improved by a cellular repeater. Everyone’s situation is different though, and if you have any doubts, contact us to discuss your case in detail.

Wilson is one of the longest established companies in the market. Their products are considered among the best quality available and we are delighted to have them in our catalog.

The inclusion of Wilson products means a significant expansion of our product range. For example, the inclusion of 60db amplifiers extends our product range to cover wider areas such as large offices and warehouses: The new 60dB wireless amplifiers increase the coverage of standard cellular repeaters by approximately 2.5 times. 60dB amplifiers will be available on 800MHz and 1900MHz frequency bands, as well as as an iDEN amplifier which supports Nextel – a first for RepeaterStore. An iDEN amplifier will also be available in the standard 50dB format, offering coverage of up to 2,500 square feet. The range also features new cellular repeater accessories such as antennas and surge protectors.

One new product we are particularly excited about is the SOHO dual band amplifier. Available shortly, we predict the SOHO will be one of the most popular amplifiers with customers. Designed specifically for home and small office environments, apartments, high rises, condominiums, and dormitories, it should fit very well into the consumer market.

Wilson products will be available for sale on RepeaterStore from next week, the Wilson catalog can be previewed by following this link:

Wilson Electronics Leading Amplifiers / Antennas & Accessories

Wilson Electronics Amplifier / Antenna & Accessory FULL Catalog

Updates will focus not only on improvements to the site, changes to our product range, and press releases but will also include comment and analysis of developments in the cellular repeater industry. We hope to provide both first-time customers and more experienced visitors with RepeaterStore’s take on a rapidly growing field.

All comments are welcome, and please check back regularly for entries on a wide variety of “repetitive” topics!

Coming soon: an interview with RepeaterStore’s Sina Khanifar about the most comprehensive cellular frequency database yet available, currently in development.

The YX-200 Repeater from Wireless-Extender is the latest addition to our inventory. This compliments our residential repeaters as it is a solution for those seeking cellular reception in their vehicle. The YX-200 retails for $249 dollars and you can find more detailed information here.

The YX-200 is a wireless repeater so there is no fiddling with cable adapters involved – once you have installed it you can use your mobile phone in the normal way (but with improved reception of course). It is also a dual band repeater so it is compatible with cellular networks on both 800 Mhz and 1900 Mhz frequency bands. In simple terms this means that this cell repeater will work with any network service provider other than Nextel (which uses different technology).

zBoost YX-200 Dual Band In-Car Repeater

Our website sells a variety of repeater products for home/small office use and we are in the process of adding in-vehicle repeaters, direct connect boosters and more powerful repeaters for use in larger spaces. We sell products from many different manufacturers and wish to remain an independent voice of the repeater industry. Our customers can reassuredly contact us for unbiased advice concerning products from different manufacturers.

In addition to this, we provide a great deal of information for visitors to our site. The FAQ section covers a number of common issues concerning cellular repeaters. We provide a buyer guide to aid our customers to select the right cellular repeater for them. Customers can also view many user submitted reviews for testimonials on the products we sell. Last, but not least, we endeavor to regularly update this news section with developments in the cellular repeater industry and will supplement the news with our own articles on repeater related issues… Check back soon!