Do Cell Phone Boosters Actually Work – Best Guideline

A cell phone boosters actually work if there's a cell signal outside your house, office, or vehicle. If you can't pick up a signal outdoors, the signal booster will not work to enhance coverage.

Cell phone signal boosters have become more prevalent as cell phones advanced from prestige symbols to necessities. Many Americans find that their daily lives and work are dependent on their phones. Consequently, weak or spotty cell signal has become less and less tolerable at home, in the office, and even on the go. But the real question here is, do cell phone boosters actually work to improve your coverage? You will find this and more shortly from this article.

Reduced wireless service, dropped calls, and patchy coverage is frustrating and unsatisfying. Switching to a wireless provider with comprehensive coverage isn’t always a suitable or workable option. Consequently, many Americans have taken an interest in cell phone signal boosters. For small households, boosters can be one of the ways how to improve cell signals at home. The improvement will enable them to get better reception without the stress of changing carriers.

You have heard of a cell phone signal booster. Maybe even know your relative or friend who has one. But you possibly have no hint at how it works. Do cell phone boosters actually work? This article answers these questions, and many other related ones are. The article will address most, if not all, of the straightforward questions you have about these valuable devices. Are you ready? Here we go.

What is a cell phone booster?

A cell phone booster, also known as a signal booster, is patented digital equipment that works by catching and amplifying the cell signal sent to a cell phone device by a nearby network tower. Generally, the cell phone booster brings together three rudimentary elements:

  • A donor/outdoor antenna is installed outside a construction, such as a home, an office building, or residential property
  • An indoor antenna (network of inside antennas) rebroadcasts cell signal to every cellular device in the building
  • An amplifier kit that boosts the cell signals distributed to cellular devices

How does a cell phone booster work?

do cell phone boosters actually work

Most cell phone booster kits are composed of four parts: a donor antenna, an interior antenna, cables, and the amplifier. An outside antenna detects existing cellular signals in any place, even if those signals are feeble to improve connectivity. The amplifier kit amplifies the signals to working levels for use at home and in vehicles.

The signal amplifier sends the improved signals to the kit’s indoor antenna to be rebroadcasted inside homes, offices, or vehicles. At this juncture, the indoor antenna spreads the enhanced signals to the adjacent area, based on how much square area (or distance) the signal booster is designed to cover. Did you that an internet booster works in a bit similar way described above?

This process is reversed by sending the cell signal from cellular devices back through an indoor antenna, boosted through the amplifier kit, and sent out to the nearest network tower through an outdoor antenna. Cell signal boosters with powerful antennas can reach more than two miles to the nearest cell phone tower.

Appreciations to the signal booster, amplifying weak signal available outdoors up to 32 times to enhance coverage. The cell phone reception can be better inside than right outside your office, home, vehicle, etc. Therefore, purchasing a suitable cell phone booster is one of the ways how to improve cell phone reception wherever any place you are.

Do cell phone boosters actually work?

Do cell phone signal boosters actually work? Yes, they do. However, cell phone boosters can only amplify weak 3G, 4G, and LTE cellular signals. They can’t generate cellular signals, nor do they boost landline Wi-Fi signals.

As long as there’s some cell signal outdoor, they can multiply that signal up to 32 times to offer strong cell phone reception inside offices, homes, and vehicles. It is also worth noting that any signal booster will only work if there’s an adequate signal outside to place a call. Without any signal outside, no cell phone booster can work.

Cell phone boosters work to improve signal strength (known as RSRP) and signal quality (known as SINR). They also work to provide additional gain and downlink power. Gain is how much your signal is improved, whereas downlink power is how much cell signal your amplifier can rebroadcast inside your house, office, or vehicle.

If the rural area outdoor phone signal is weak, the gain becomes your most essential consideration since the best cell phone booster for rural areas is the one that can amplify the most of a weak incoming signal. Downlink power becomes a vital consideration if your building’s construction needs to be compensated for by broadcasting the signal via indoor antennas.

Do cell phone boosters work with any network?

It doesn’t matter what cell phone company network you’re with. Is it Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, whatever? All cell phone boosters work with nearly every network carrier. 

There’s no compatibility concern here. You don’t have to choose a specific signal booster for a specific network. This compatibility implies plenty of flexibility if you wish to switch networks soon, and you know you are in a rural area for any cell coverage. You don’t necessarily have to stick to T-Mobile Wireless or Verizon Wireless for your cellular needs.

In addition, it is worth knowing that it doesn’t matter what type of phone you own. If your household members have Apple’s, Samsung’s, and LG’s phones under one roof, that’s okay. The cell phone booster will work for all the phones.

Does A Cell Signal Booster Need Internet to Work?

A signal booster does not need the internet to work. It uses existing wireless signal outdoors and amplifies it up to 32 times to offer better cellular coverage in your home or vehicles. They also do not need Bluetooth or broadband Internet Wi-Fi to operate.

Some signal improving systems work in conjunction with broadband Wi-Fi Internet, but those are not referred to as “cell signal boosters.” Those wireless routers are known by several other names like T-Mobile Cellspot, Sprint Magic Box, Verizon Network Extender, AT&T Microcell, etc.

What are the Pros and Cons of cell phone boosters?

Remarkably, the best cell phone signal booster boost your cell signal! In addition to having better service than before, it implies you don’t have to fear switching to another network. This is mainly essential if you’re tied into a contract deal, but it also offers you more flexibility to find an excellent deal for you. 

Signal boosters are not phenomenon causers, though. The cell phone booster can’t improve your cellular services if you have no signal. Therefore, you require some cell signal, even if it’s one bar on your cellular device.

Additionally, it would be best if you consider the expense of purchasing a signal booster. Some cell phone network providers may offer one for free if you can make evident you have issues with your signal. However, free signal boosters are not a guaranteed deal. 

Do signal boosters really work while hiking?

 Signal boosters have been designed to improve the signal for 3G and 4G in areas that don’t have strong signals, like hiking grounds. If there is no cell signal, the portable cell phone signal booster for hiking won’t work to improve cellular coverage.

In a low signal hiking area, the signal booster could make all the difference between making a call and not being able to make it. The booster will also make data speeds faster in better sites.

It is advisable to use boosters in hiking grounds when you have weak but not lost cell phone service. Signal strength is measured in -dBm, equivalent to your phone’s bars. There is a robust signal if the figure is more than -90dBm (like -70 or -60). Below -110dBm, the cell signal is weak; at -150dBm, you’ll find it challenging to get any cell signal. If you have a phone app like CellMapper, it can display how robust the cell signal is on your cell phone.

What are alternatives to cell phone signal boosters?

Besides using cell phone boosters, you can boost cell signals at home for free by employing the following tricks and tips;

  • Ask your carrier about a microcell
  • Disable LTE If Your Phone is Showing a Single Bar
  • Find out which part of the house has the best reception
  • Get away from obstructions and interference
  • Keep your battery fully charged

Bottom line

For the most part, a cell phone booster will work to improve your cellular coverage. A good quality cell phone booster can make a difference in the long run. Of course, as from the article above, you must ensure you have some cell signal outside your home, office, or vehicle for it to work.

Luckily, signal boosters are easy to set up. You can install them at home or the vehicle within minutes. Only find a good convenient place that will not get in the way of anything.

Paula Beaton

Paula Beaton