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Mobile Phone services have been effectively implemented across the far car corners of the world. However, there are still areas where 3G and 4G reception is still problematic. How can this be so?
Australia is a big place so there it really is no wonder that despite the Telco’s spending millions to roll out their 3G and 4G networks, some residents are still without mobile phone reception. You may be in a mobile signal blackspot with no 3G or 4G signal. You may be dancing around the office to find the sweet spot where it seems to be the only place you can make a call. Regardless of the cause, having no mobile phone signal is downright frustrating.
So what can you do?
One solution that is gaining a lot of traction recently is the implementation of a Mobile Phone Signal Booster. A Mobile Phone Signal Booster, aka Mobile Range Extenders, 4G Signal Amplifiers, off air repeater is a device that utilises a weak incoming 3G or 4G signal and “boosts” it to a usable level.
Due to their versatility and quick deployment, Mobile Phone Signal Boosters can be a cost effective way to achieve a strong 3G or 4G signal for the home, office, warehouse or even, shopping centre.
Mobile Signal Boosters are a cost-effective way to quickly fix poor mobile signal but please consider the following before making a decision
A Mobile Signal Booster will only perform if there is an existing 3G or 4G signal to slave from. It only requires 1 bar of signal strength for a Signal Booster to perform but you may be in an area where Mobile Signal is not available and in which case, a 3G/4G booster will not work. Another situation may be that you are in an area where there is perfect signal outside but no mobile signal inside. In this case a Mobile Signal Booster can aid in bringing that usable signal inside.
A mobile signal booster is a fantastic device that can be introduced into many different concepts and configurations. 4G IBC DAS solutions can be implemented with the introduction of a Mobile Signal Booster which can distribute 4G signal across vast areas such as, office levels, warehouses, carparks, shopping centers, hospitals and surgeries etc.
Mobile signal boosters are not without their limitations however, and perform best when user traffic is defined. A signal booster DAS system can be extended upon to increase user traffic but a general rule of thumb is to limit each individual 3G Booster to 100 users max and 4G signal Boosters to 60 users per system.
It’s no secret that Telstra has dominance over the 3G/4G network in Australia but that is not to say that Optus and Vodafone are not keeping up. When deciding on which mobile booster you require it may pay to do some homework on what network is available in your area. A common trap is for customers to move into a new home to discover there is no Optus or Vodafone signal where they now are and attempt to solve this problem with a mobile signal booster. Sometimes luck is on their side and this will solve the phone signal problem. Sometimes consumer loyalty doesn’t pay off and these poor souls are left with a mobile phone signal booster that will not work and still no phone signal.
This is a very important question to ask. Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone have spent quite a few dollars on their mobile network. Until recently the use of Mobile Phone boosters was restricted to the network operators only. This is due in part to the Mobile Signal Boosters ability to introduce undesirable passive frequencies into the network. This resulted in a lot of Illegal Booster being purchased from overseas. As such the carriers cracked down fairly hard on this and anybody found with an illegal repeater was issues a cease and desist notice and possible a fine. This was regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the publications can be found here: https://www.acma.gov.au/devices-we-prohibit#phone-repeaters
Currently, there is only one product that has been approved for the Australian market. The Cel-Fi Range from Nextivity is superior in functionality to its overseas counterparts and is the only legal and approved Mobile Signal Booster for operation over Telstra, Optus and Vodafone networks.
All three Carriers can be individually boosted by implementing the appropriate Mobile Signal Booster. To boost all three carries or a combination of Telstra, Optus and Vodafone requires a little bit more planning and expertise. As touched upon above, Mobile Signal Boosters interact with the 3G and 4G network which belongs to the carriers. The devices have been designed and manufactured to filter all undesirable “noise” when installed in a stand-alone configuration. However, when we combine technologies, a Telstra 4G Repeater + Optus 4G Repeater for example, we have the potential to create a phenomenon called Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) and introduce it into the carrier network. All you need to know about PIM is that if the Telco’s identify PIM on their network due to the installation of a multi-Carrier 4G booster system, you can say goodbye to your system and probably a few year worth of wages as well. For this reason alone, when considering a multi-carrier mobile booster system, always contact the experts. The RF Engineers at SEQ Connect can ensure that your multi-carrier 4G Booster system is 100% compliant and PIM-Free.
Donor Input
This is the part of the mobile booster system that both tunes into and captures transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) 3G and 4G signal which is present in the Macro environment. The signal booster donor feed primarily consists of the 3G/4G external antenna, lead-in cabling and surge suppression.
Amplifier
The Amplifier is the brains of the outfit. Its job is to accept the receive 3G &4G signal from the donor input, filter out all of the unwanted noise and boost the mobile phone signal. Once it has done this, the 3G/4G amplifier then transmits a strong and clean signal to the coverage feed. The mobile phone amplifier is a bi-directional device. So once it has gone through all the trouble of boosting the incoming signal, it then waits patiently for that signal to then come back, checks the quality of the 3G/4G signal and sends it back through the donor and out into the macro environment.
Coverage Feed
Perhaps the most important part of the booster system but often the most overlooked. The coverage feed has the job of sending and receiving 3G/4G signal to and from the mobile signal amplifier. The coverage feed can consist of a single antenna as in a mobile booster system for the home, or multiple antennas when configured in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Most problems within a mobile phone 3G/4G booster system lie within the coverage feed. If impedance is not correctly matched and adequate Donor/Coverage isolation is not achieved, the mobile repeater system will not perform correctly.
SEQ Connect is not the only 3G and 4G signal booster installer in Australia, but we are the best in South-East Queensland!
Should you require any assistance outside of our area of operation please get in touch with us and we will gladly direct you to one of equally skillful business partners throughout Australia.
There are a lot of reasons why a professional should always engaged when implementing a Mobile Phone Booster System.
Aside from the assurance that the system is going to work, you can also rest easy knowing that you won’t be getting a knock on the door from Australian telecommunication operators.
RF design and installation is a specialised field of expertise. For the same reason that you wouldn’t pay a plumber to replace the engine in your car, you shouldn’t engage an electrician or TV antenna installer to integrate a 2-way cellular repeater system. The majority of faults that we attend are resultant of unlicensed and incompetent installation practices being employed. System repairs are costly. Don’t be left with a sub-standard mobile booster installation.
Only one range of Mobile Repeaters has been approved for implementation into Australian Carrier Networks. The Cel-Fi Range by Nextivity is the only Legal 4G Signal Booster currently available in Australia.
SEQ Connect can provide 3G and 4G Signal Booster Solutions for the Home, Office and Vehicles. Systems can also be deployed in Hospitals, Hotels, Nursing Homes, Factories, Shopping Centers, etc.
This depends entirely on the situation the mobile signal booster will be used in. A case-by-case assessment is the best way to be estimate a cost. Get in touch with SEQ Connect today for an obligation-free quote.
Absolutely! A signal repeater can amplify the signal up to 30 times that of the macro environment. Please view our case studies and customer testimonials on our Facebook page
No! The Signals emitted from a Mobile Phone Booster fall within the non-ionising EMF Range and power levels below the ACMA occupational limits. They are completely Harmless :)
No existing Internet connection is required for a Mobile Phone Signal Booster. However a source of 240VAC or 12VDC is required to power the device.
The Cel-Fi Signal Boosters are locked to a specific carrier. That means that only Telstra, Optus or Vodafone can be individually boosted on a single device. Multi Carrier Systems can be implemented with some specific caution taken.
A 4G signal booster for the home and Vehicle can be installed within 1 day in most cases. Larger Office buildings and Corporate 4G Repeater Installations generally take longer. Please contact us for further information
Yes, a 4G Signal Booster will amplify the existing signal that the router operates. You can expect faster up/down speeds and minimal dropouts after a 4G Signal Booster is implemented. Be mindful of the specific 4G bands in operation.
Spatial diversity between donor and coverage feed must be achieved for a system to perform
When multiple antennas are installed in a DAS configuration the coverage feed must be balanced as such that all coverage antennas distribute the same RF output (dBm)
Only experienced and qualified technicians should attempt to terminate mobile signal booster coverage and donor cable. VSWR has and adverse effect on the performance of a 4G booster
An assessment must be made prior to installation on the most adequate donor slave. Correct Donor antennas must be implemented based on this assessment. A mobile booster system that has not been correctly slaved will result in dropped calls, carrier handover and intermittent data transfer rates.
RF Propagation Modelling of the macro environment- Find out what is around to Boost
Analyse the cellular footprint and identify the target coverage area for signal boosting
capture real-time date of what signals are inhabiting your coverage footprint
3G AND 4G MOBILE SIGNAL BOOSTER INSTALLATION
Conduct an on-site analysis and make a determination for the best 4G Booster solution.
Comprehensive RF Design detailing expected Coverage output. Link Budget Calculations and Line System Diagrams.
Post installation assessment and optimisation. We will get your system performing correctly. Cable loss readings, donor selection, RF Balancing
Boost the Telstra, Optus, Vodafone mobile signal strength and quality of your home
Don't lose any more business to dropped calls and slow mobile data speeds
Keep connected with strong mobile signal wherever the road takes you
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