Wireless Extender claims to boost indoor cell coverage
By Marc Perton 
posted Apr 26th 2005 7:20AM
posted Apr 26th 2005 7:20AM
Now that even Verizon CEO Ivan "Can You Hear Me Now?" Seidenberg has said it's unrealistic to expect reliable cellular coverage in your home, it might be a good time to consider picking up a cellphone signal booster to improve your indoor coverage. While we've received relatively good feedback about the SpotCell gear we looked at a few weeks ago, we haven't heard much about the YX500-PCS cellphone signal booster from the aptly named Wireless Extenders Inc. The device uses an external antenna to pull signals from a cell tower and relay them to an indoor base station. The company claims that the $250 package can improve coverage over areas as large as 2,500 square feet.
Oh please, signal extender :D
In Finland we need none of those because we have excellent cellular coverage. 3G coverage is allready quite acceptable allso. Indoors as well. Maybe mister "Can you hear me now?" should make a little businesstrip and meet with Jorma Ollila of Nokia.
Take a look at one of our providers' coverage map: http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?cc=fi&net=te
Gee that is great Marcus - did you consider that all of finland is smaller than some of our 50 states?
Why not point out that most Fins eat better than most Ethopians? The point of this device is for places where reception isn't as good. Why not put down companies that sell fertilizer - in finland our soil is richer than so and so's... AUGHHH - THREADCRAP.
This only supports PCS based phones.
I wish I could find a review on this, i would love a product like this but most are too expensive. If this product works well at this price point it would be a no brainer.
Markus-
Finland = 338,144km sq.
United States = 9,631,419km sq.
You could fit nearly 30 Finlands in the United States, perhaps it's a bit more difficult to blanket an area this large with perfect coverage. Not to mention that we have several competing technologies, not just GSM.
I've been looking at a number of these devices that come in at the $800 USD to $1200 price point. This pricing is great if it works ... any reviews anywhere? Say that looks like a detachable antenna in that picture .... hmmmmmmm!
sounds great to me, i have a dead spot at about 4ft from the floor, at the height my head is when i sit down.
This save me pacing around when taking a phone call, and wearing the carpet out, bit expensive tho, and you are guarenteed to end up helping out your neighbours too
Price: $ 239.99
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?main_cat=07&CAT=&PROD=YX500-PCS
and they have external antennas,
YX500-PCS PACKAGE CONTENTS
* BASE UNIT - The heart of the Wireless Extenders system is a revolutionary signal enhancer that blends with most home and office environments. This patent-pending unit amplifies both the wireless signal from the network tower and the users cell phone. There is no software or setup, simply plug it in.
* SIGNAL ANTENNA - This unique antenna goes on your roof or attic. It captures the signal from the PCS network outside.
* CABLE - included is 35 feet of white, DBS satellite coaxial cable that connects the signal antenna with the base unit. This cable can be used inside or outside.
* MOUNTING HARDWARE - This allows for easy installation of the signal antenna and base unit.
* POWER SUPPLY - Supplies the power to the base unit. Just plug it in and you are ready to go.
YX500-PCS TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Signal Antenna Cable: Outdoor rated 75 Ohm DBS satellite coaxial cable, F male
Base Unit Antenna cable: 50 Ohm coaxial cable, TNC male
Frequency: 1850-1990 MHz (PCS Only)
Networks: CDMA, GSM, and TDMA
Total Signal Gain: 60dB (Adaptive)
Output Power: <0.5 Watt EiRP (with included antenna)
Unit weight: 1 lb
Unit size: 5" x 7" x 2"
Power Input: 100-120 VAC 60 Hz
Power Outut: 5VDC, 2.0 A
FCC Approved
Industry Canada Approved
UL Approved
i agree - cell reception in my house is crap (north chicago). I need one of these, $250 is about the most i'll pay though... detailed review please?
Is there a device that does the opposite? Blocks cell phone reception in a 2500 ft radius? And battery powered so you can take it out dining or to the movies.
Nate,
I'm pretty sure this (http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/Personal.htm) is what you're looking for.
Well what do you know. I actually bought one of these about a month ago, after some discussion of it on a cellphone forum. So far it has worked very well for me. The included antenna is very small but it does it's job. The only thing that this device is good for is making sure that whatever cellphone signal you have outside of the house, you get inside. If you get 1 bar outside, you'll get one bar inside.
It indeed only works for PCS (1900 Mhz) which means it can only be used for Cingular in certain areas, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon in some areas. I'm not sure of the other carriers, but AT&T towers and Nextel as well as analog will NOT work with this model.
It can handle several calls at a time, mine helps me get signals from T-Mobile, and three local carriers into the house. T-Mobile signal seems to get to my house from a lot of rebounds or reflections, which makes voice calls very crappy even with almost all bars, but data and SMS work fine. I still need to install the external antenna higher to obtain a better T-Mobile signal.
A more detailed and professional review would be great, but from my experience with it I can say it works, but it looks simple enough so that they could sell it for less than 250 which seems a bit much.
Hope this helps
Markus wrote:
>You could fit nearly 30 Finlands in the United States
Not without a fight, you couldn't ;)
This is great at this price point. Let's hope some more competition drives it lower, I think many of us could use this.
It says PCS only but it really means digital only. Anything in 1900 MHz. That includes US GSM.
Also they offer more powerful antennas both directional and unidirectional for both ends of the system.
The comment from the Verizon CEO was just a marketing ploy for this thing wasn't it?
"PCS" is the name for the 1900 Mhz frequency band in most parts of the world, be it GSM, CDMA or TDMA. The 800/850 Mhz band is called cellular since it is the band that cellular service started in the US.
There are other repeaters that will work with 800 Mhz (but not with Nextel since it works on the lower part of the 800 Mhz band), but they are more expensive. The cheaper ones for this band have to be physically connected to the phone via a pigtail.
They do offer other antennas, with more gain. The one included is omnidirectional, but you could get a directional antenna and point it directly at where the cell tower is and improve the reception a lot. The good thing is that this thing uses a regular RF connector, so you can use any directional or omnidirectional antenna you want (as long as it works for the 1900 Mhz frequency) and just use some cheap adapters for the cable, or just build yor own. Just don't exceed the recommended cable length, or use better quality cable to compensate signal loss due to cable length.
For all of the complete and correct information about the YX500PCS please go to www.wirelessextenders.com This product does work for the PCS (1900) frequency only. That is all of T-Mobile all of Sprint and all of Metro PCS. Verizona and Cingular use both frequencies so it depends on where you live. The Cellular (800) product will be available in the next few months in a dual band product. The signal strength in doors is directly related to the outside signal strength, the height of the external antenna and variables inside the building, but in most cases the outside strength is amplified inside.
Markus, Christopher:
Finland may be 30 times as small but it only has almost 1/60s of the population (5.3m vs 293m), ie a population density of only half of that of the US. There is no real reason why such coverage couldn't be achieved in an 800 or 900 MHz band. It is the all those competing technologies and the patchwork of networks (no national operator) that's really preventing it.
Unlike this other product mentioned, the SpotCell System from Spotwave covers both PCS and Cellular bands, and is the ONLY system on the market approved by wireless carriers for home use. This means it goes well beyond FCC approval and has been trench tested by carriers so that it will not create interference in their networks. Carriers also trust them enough to use them in their own customer premises - retail stores, corporate customers etc. The SpotCell product is also much lower powered in terms of emissions - it emits less than a milliwatt of power and ensures your cell phones run a lot cooler. The other devices noted can emit well beyond 1 watt of power. Although currently priced higher, the SpotCell Home product covers twice the area, and doesn't require the additon of extra extensions etc. For a detailed product review of the SpotCell system read an expert's experience with it (note the price at the time is NOT the current price for home use) http://www.outlook4mobility.com/commentary2003/april1503.htm
The next indoor coverage product platform from Spotwave will be available for residential use at a significantly reduced cost and still maintain the robust functionality, and very importantly carrier approval.
Its nice and needed by many people im sure. but similar devices for wireless networking are much cheaper. I'd buy one of these now for $99, $150 id have to think about it. but $250 is NOT worth not having to walk 3 feet outside of my house.. If the price drops please email me and i will gladly buy one.
Ken
A review on the Wireless Extender product can be found at http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=660
It looks like this is a pretty good product.
A review on the Wireless Extender product can be found at http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=660
It looks like this is a pretty good product.
Another product review on this device from Information week
http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=165702250
Also, a general article from Wall Street Journal Online on cell phone signal booster
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB112120115181983667-IZjgINmlaN4opyvZ3qHcKiBm4,00.html
There's information on another booster product that is supposed to work with all cell phones at www.callcaptureusa.com. A friend of mine bought it for his car and he says it works pretty well in areas of Wisconsin where there is poor signal. He got it from his service provider Cellcom. They are supposed to have one for the house as well, but I don't know how well that works.