Cell Phone and 4G Signal Boosters: What You Need to Know

Shopping Product Reviews

The term 4G seems to be the buzzword for the fourth quarter of 2010. So what is it? 4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is heir to the 3G and 2G standards, with the aim of providing a wide range of data speeds, up to ultra-wide band (gigabit), for both mobile and stationary users. Pre-4G technology is currently being rolled out in several major US markets.The purpose of this article is to inform you of what 4G is and what it is not and what it is not and how cell phone signal boosters will integrate with 4G.

The term 4G is a bit confusing, but I’ll try to break it down as simply as possible. As defined by ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union – Radiocommunication Sector), 4G provides data speeds of up to 100 Mbps for mobile devices and up to 1 Gbps for stationary devices. The current networks marketed as 4G are not really 4G. Verizon’s 4G LTE network, which will be rolled out in 38 major cities by the end of the year and will serve approximately 100 million people, will only support 5-12 Mbps on the downlink. While this is a far cry from the 100 Mbps required to be considered true 4G, it is still roughly 5 to 10 times better than the average 1 Mbps downlink currently available with EV-DO. Sprint’s 4G network, based on WiMAX, offers realistic download speeds of approximately 4 Mbps. Again, 4G is not true. True 4G speeds are not expected until the launch of LTE-Advanced for Verizon, AT&T and others or WiMAX 2 for Sprint. These true 4G technologies are still in the ITU approval process and are not expected to be rolled out for at least another 2-3 years.

Thinking of buying a dual band cell phone signal booster but not sure how 4G will fit the picture? Because almost all commercially sold dual-band cell phone signal boosters work in the 850 and 1900 MHz range, they will not work with emerging 4G LTE or WiMAX technologies, which are 700 MHz (Verizon 4G and eventually AT&T 4G) and 2.5GHz (Sprint 4G) respectively. They will also not work with the AWS 1700MHZ and 2100MHz frequencies used by T-Mobile 3 / 4G. However, here are some points to consider if you are thinking of buying a cell phone signal booster, but don’t know how 4G fits into the picture:

  • 4G and the new frequency bands will be used primarily for data, and voice will still be transmitted in the 850MHz or 1900MHz range. If you use your phone like a phone and don’t have a data plan or use Wi-Fi for data, you don’t have to worry about the amplifier not working or becoming outdated. This may not be the case with all carriers, so it’s best to call your carrier and see what frequencies they use for voice in your specific area.
  • 4G is not compatible with 3G or older phones. You will need to buy a new phone if you plan to take advantage of 4G data speeds. However, 4G phones will be compatible with 3G networks, so if you travel outside of your 4G city, you will still have access to 3G data speeds.
  • Slow launch of 4G. According to the Verizon website, they do not plan to have 4G coverage to match their existing 3G coverage for another 3 years. If you live in a rural area and you don’t currently have 3G coverage, you shouldn’t expect 4G coverage for at least another 2-3 years, if you do. AT&T is still focusing on upgrading its 3G network and doesn’t plan to roll out 4G LTE until sometime in 2011, and as with Verizon, you’d better plan to wait a bit longer if you don’t live in a major metropolitan area. .
  • Limited selection of 4G phones. Most of the demand for 4G comes from businesses, not consumers. With that in mind, carriers will focus on developing reliable 4G laptop solutions before turning to affordable 4G phones for consumers. Wait maybe 1 or 2 phone models per carrier to choose from until 4G is fully implemented.

If you came across this article, you most likely do not live in a major metropolitan area as large cities generally have excellent cell phone coverage and you would not be looking for information on cell phone signal boosters. So, would you like to buy an installed cell phone signal booster, but want to make sure you don’t have to replace your $ 300 + investment in another couple of years? It’s safe to say that if you don’t live in a major metropolitan area and don’t currently have 3G in your area, or it took a couple of years for your carrier to bring you 3G coverage, a dual-band 850MHz / 1900MHz cell phone will not signal booster. it will become obsolete in the short term.

Also, although there are band-specific amplifiers on the market, I am currently not aware of any tri-band or quad-band amplifier that will work with all carriers and all data technologies. Inevitably, as 4G LTE and WiMAX start to catch on, manufacturers of mobile phone signal boosters will start to develop compatible boosters. You just can’t beat physics and no matter what new cell phone technology comes out, there will always be a need for cell phone signal boosters for some people.

Unfortunately, if you plan to jump on the 4G train as soon as it arrives in your area and you find that your signal strength is not what you expected it to be, there is currently little you can do to improve your 4G data. You will just have to wait until mobile phone amplifier manufacturers release an affordable multiband amplifier. On the positive side, if you already have a dual-band amplifier installed in your home, the wiring used to connect your antennas to your amplifier will be compatible with 4G amplifiers. Just buy a new 4G amplifier and antennas (once available) that are specified for your existing cable (usually 75 ohm coax or 50 ohm coax) and you’re done. No need to spend hours installing new cable.

For more information on cell phone signal boosters, see the author’s resource box.

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