[davemack]

Not sure where to place this question but I would like to hear various ideas and opinions on this.

I have AT&T and in general, the majority of my friends, neighbors, and coworkers agree that in our area, it provides the best reception. We just happen to live on a particular street where we have very "fringe" reception and inside our home, it is pretty much non-existent. Occasionally, we'll get one bar in certain parts of our house but if you try to use it, it will most likely drop the call. Outside, if you walk down the street a bit, you can usually make a call but you still have no more than two bars.

It's flat here in FL and I think it is just because we are right in between two towers and it's been that way here forever. So, I have been looking into some kind of reputable signal boosting equipment. The idea is that if we could get reliable enough cell service, we could drop our land-line and save enough money to pay for a good repeater or amplifier.

So, I was hoping that maybe some of the friendly folks here might have some experience with this. I know the cheap fixes are pretty much a hoax but what about the more expensive ones like the one in this link. --> Wilson Building Bi-Directional Cellular Amplifier / Repeaters | Improve Cellular Reception In Buildings

I figure that if we could drop the land-line, we could save enough to pay for it in less than one year but the bottom line, does it/would it work?

Any thoughts or ideas would really be appreciated, thanks.

[wingrider78]

Wirelessly posted (8320 Titanium)

I have used a repeater/amplifier made by wi-ex (wireless extender) the model number is something like yx500 or something similar. Google it, runs a couple hundred bucks.



As long as you can get some service outside where you place the antenna, it will give you good coverage on the inside of the house on the level you install the repeater.



Have used two of these and they work great.



Another way to go is to get a wifi phone...and use the existing broadband connection and wireless router in your house. I use that now with my 8320.

[davemack]

Originally Posted by wingrider78

Wirelessly posted (8320 Titanium)

I have used a repeater/amplifier made by wi-ex (wireless extender) the model number is something like yx500 or something similar. Google it, runs a couple hundred bucks.

Found it, thanks for the hint, gives me some more options to look at.

I thought about the VoIP but I'm trying to keep my cable bill down too. It's already outrageous. I just hate that we have to have the land-line when we have to have the cells anyway.

[Dubdub]

ATT is supposedly testing a femtocel device which would help reception in areas such as yours. When I talked to the CSRs, they know nothing about it. When I found someone who did, she said we aren't testing it with any customers. I asked who was testing it and she didn't know. Nor did she have a clue when it might be out or the cost.

[realouis]

Cellantenna worked for me. Dropped land line and have good signal in the house. Follow the instructions they list, if you have a suitable signal on your roof you can use the system in your home.

[davemack]

Originally Posted by realouis

Cellantenna worked for me. Dropped land line and have good signal in the house. Follow the instructions they list, if you have a suitable signal on your roof you can use the system in your home.

Thanks for the info, that does look like a very good system and I'm assuming it works for both the phone part of the BB and the browser as well?

[realouis]

Yes works well for both.