Don't let a weak mobile network signal drive you crazy

10 April 2007

There's nothing more exasperating than living on the edge of a mobile network. Sometimes the signal is strong; sometimes it's extremely weak; but it's never there when there's an important phone call to make. Using the landline phone is out of the question, because it doesn't have the contact database stored on the unit. Both an external phone antenna and a network signal booster are accessories that can help relieve the misery. And if everything else fails, the combined power of Wi-Fi, smartphone and VoIP won't fail.

External Antennas for Improving Mobile Phone's Signal Reception

When the mobile phone was still a new technology, it was common to have a small plug at the back of the unit. If you were curious and removed the rubber hat covering the slot, you probably saw a round metal connector. It was a connector where you could hook up an external antenna. The external antenna allowed the phone to pick up even a weak signal from the mobile network.

An external antenna is a low-cost and easy-to-install solution. In many cases, the antenna provides enough signal strength for making phone calls from a location where the signal is weak. The downside is that your phone becomes less mobile for the duration of the call. Another problem is that few modern phones come with a plug for an external antenna. If you have verified that your phone accepts an external antenna, it only costs you about 20-40 USD. Usually, you also need an adapter cable that is about 10 USD.

Signal Boosters for Mobile Phones

If you can't connect an external antenna to your phone, more complex measures are required. A sizeable, relatively costly, but efficient, solution is to invest in a product that boosts the network signal. Signal booster products have an antenna that picks up the service provider's transmission and amplifies it (for instance, to provide coverage for your whole house). The problem is that these products turn you into a network service provider because you are transmitting signal for your neighborhood.

In some countries, signal boosting can be illegal. In other countries, the companies who own the frequencies where mobile networks operate, don't care as long as you don't cause problems with anyone else's reception. You, after all, are boosting the signal in order to make phone calls and to pay money to the network provider for your phone calls. Still, it's not a good idea to install a signal booster if your next door neighbor is behind the wall. If your next door neighbor is a rabbit out in the yard, she probably won't mind the things you are boosting in your house.

Signal boosters are compatible with practically all mobile phones; however, they are not compatible with all networks. You have to make sure that the product operates at the same frequency as your service provider's network. A range of products is available for 200-400 USD.

Wi-Fi Signal Lets You Make VoIP Phone Calls without a Mobile Network

If you can't connect an external antenna to your phone, or a signal booster is too risky or expensive, all hope is not lost. You can get a Wi-Fi access point for about 50 USD, link it to your broadband line, download a piece of software (like Skype or Fring) to your phone, and make crystal clear phone calls. And the best of all, you can save lots of money when you use VoIP software to make your phone calls.

Check prices and availability of external phone antennas at Amazon.com

View prices and availability of signal booster products at Amazon.com

Product Reviews:

Carol Temple 06.05.2009 05:34

I live in a very remote area and and we cannot get a land line, mobile signal is only available in a field about 40 yrds from the house. Please can you advise me on any options. I would love to be able to recieve calls in the house. My partner has cancer and is at home recieving treatment and I worry if something goes wrong when I am at work.

Ari 07.05.2009 00:10

If you can find an old but working phone (and a compatible antenna) that has a connector for external antenna, it is the easiest way to get signal from a cellular network. Another option is to try out a signal booster.

Ajmer Phull 17.08.2010 16:31 netbridgelimited.com

I live at the centre of a signal hole and a half mile radius I can get 4-5 bars, what surprises me is that the massive million acre park also manages to receive a decent amount of signal, so why cannot a relatively minor hole be covered? Which system would you suggest to receive better Orange signal?