Do cellular phone
signal boosters really work? There are a lot of cellular phone
signal boosters out there that, quite frankly, do not live up to their promises.
Wireless Extenders cellular phone signal boosters do. They are designed to
take the same signal you receive outside and bring it inside, amplifying the
signal indoors.
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Who needs a cellular phone signal booster?
If you are tired of being part of the 35%+ of wireless phone users
having trouble maintaining cell phone signal strength inside a home or office,
you need a cellular phone signal booster. In order to improve the wireless
service, the cell phone signal needs to be amplified. The Wireless Extenders
YX500 Series units will boost the cell phone signal inside your home or office.
You won't have to go outside or to a window to use your cell phone again.
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Will the Wi-Ex YX500-PCS or the YX500-CEL unit work
with any wireless service? The Wi-Ex YX500-PCS unit will work
only in the PCS frequency range (1850 - 1990 MHz), and the Wi-Ex YX500-CEL
will only work in the Cellular frequency range (824 - 896 MHz).
Cell phones from providers
like Cricket, Metro PCS, Suncom, T-Mobile, and Sprint (excludes Nextel) normally
work with our YX500-PCS model, and cell phones from providers like Cingular
and Verizon will normally work with the YX500-CEL model. Most of the wireless
phones in use today are in the PCS or the Cellular frequencies. Some wireless
service providers are PCS only while others will operate in the Cellular and
PCS frequencies. This varies from city to city. If your service provider shows
both 800 and 1900 MHz the YX500-CEL will probably work. If your service provider
shows only the 1900MHz, the YX500-PCS booster will work.
At this time our YX500 Series
models do not work with the iDEN (Nextel) service. To determine
what kind of service you have please visit
Wireless
Advisor's CheckZip enter your zip code and locate your service
provider.
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What benefits can I expect from using a Wi-Ex product?
You can stop suffering from dropped calls when you're indoors.
- Most cellular networks
were built for highways -- to provide the best coverage for people in
their cars. When you're indoors, chances are you encounter dead cell
zones—areas where your cell phone signal becomes weak, crackly and full
of static, or where the cell phone signal drops off completely. Many
building materials interfere with, or block, the cell phone signal.
With a wireless range extender, you can bring that outside cell phone
signal inside - where you need it the most.
- You can extend the
battery life of your cell phone. Because the Wireless Extender boosts
the signal, the phone will consume less power to capture the cell phone
signal, thus conserving the battery of the phone and enabling you to
talk longer.
- Many cell phone users
see the benefit of replacing their expensive landline phone service
because they use their cell phone the most. The problem is that in many
cases the wireless coverage isn't good in their home. Wireless Extenders'
cellular phone signal booster improves the wireless coverage and will
allow you to do away with that expensive landline connection. Imagine
being able to cut the cord from your local telephone company!
- In addition, Wi-Ex
cellular phone signal boosters enhance the following wireless applications:
- Sending and receiving
text messages
- Instant messaging
- Picture mail
- Internet usage
from your cell phone
- PDA interactive
messaging
- 3G high-speed data
- Downloading software
- Security systems
backup
Why do I lose cell phone signal strength indoors?
Several factors affect cell phone signal penetration into buildings,
including building material (metal, concrete, wood), wall density, number
of windows and building height. Cell phone signals work a little like television
signals (without cable or satellite). Remember the tall antennas that used
to be on every house in the neighborhood? That antenna captured the television
signal and brought it into the house to the TV. Fortunately, modern technology
lets us capture a cell phone signal in a similar fashion, but with a MUCH
smaller antenna.
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Can I use a Wi-Ex product in my home? Yes,
Wi-Ex products can be used in both homes and businesses. Many consumers want
to use their cell phone to replace an expensive landline phone, and many more
need a stronger cell phone signal for their home office. Please note: if you
rent your home, you will need to get permission from your landlord before
installing an antenna on the property.
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Can I use a Wi-Ex product in my business?
Absolutely. Most businesses invest a great deal of money in cellular
phone service for the benefit of owners, employees and customers. In a business
situation, more than anywhere, a cellular phone signal booster is a necessity,
not a luxury. Please note: if you do not own your building, you will need
to get permission from the property owner before installing an antenna on
the property.
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How can I tell if it will help extend coverage in my
home or office? You can run a simple test. If you can place a
call outside your home or office, the Wi-Ex unit will help you by boosting
the signal inside the building. If there is no signal outside, this unit will
not give you an improvement in coverage. Remember, we can only help improve
your signal strength if you have enough of a signal outside to place a call.
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How much will my cell phone coverage be extended with
a Wi-Ex product? The average coverage improvement indoors of
the Wi-Ex YX500 basic unit is around 2,500 sq. feet. This is the perfect size
for the typical home or office. According to the United States Census Bureau,
in 2003, the average size of the American home built was 2,137 square feet.
(source:
http://www.census.gov/const/C25Ann/sftotalmedavgsqft.pdf)
The 2,500 sq. ft. number
is an average only and represents open space. Some coverage will be greater,
others smaller. Square footage will vary depending on the signal outside,
type of building, foliage, installation quality and other factors. If you
need additional coverage, we offer an upgraded interior antenna, which provides
a stronger directional signal.
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What can I expect my cell phone signal range and
strength to be inside my home or office? The closer you are to
the base, the stronger the signal. This will vary with different conditions.
Some of the conditions that will affect the improved coverage area are signal
strength outdoors, the type of walls in the home, the placement of the unit
and proximity to cellular towers.
Your expectations should
be that your indoor coverage will be improved. You will be able to make calls
where you couldn't before. The coverage improvement will depend upon many
factors. The intent of the Wi-Ex products are to bring outside coverage inside.
If you want an even stronger signal, consider a more powerful signal antenna
or an internal directional antenna, available as options in our online shopping
cart.
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How does a Wi-Ex cellular phone signal booster work?
Once installed, the Wi-Ex cellular phone signal booster captures
the stronger cell phone signal from the outside wireless network and amplifies
the signal inside, thus improving your wireless coverage. It's that simple.
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Can a Wi-Ex product help my signal in my RV?
The Wi-Ex YX500 Series units will work great in a RV. Because many
RVs are metal, the wireless signal gets blocked. This unit will help coverage
in your RV or boat. The only requirement is AC power and a signal outside
strong enough to place a call. This unit can be installed in virtually any
location that wireless service needs improvement.
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Where should I put my Wi-Ex base unit to get the
best coverage? Where you need coverage the most. The Wi-Ex base
unit is the component that amplifies the signal inside. The coverage is improved
in a circular manner from the base unit. The farther you are away from the
base unit, the weaker the signal. The base could be placed in the family room,
the basement, an office, a bedroom, a home office or a central location.
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Where is the best place to put my Wi-Ex signal antenna?
The Wi-Ex signal antenna should be placed at the highest point
in your house in order to “catch” the signal as it goes by. This could be
in the attic or on the roof. We advise against putting the signal antenna
too close to the base unit. The signal antenna should have at least 15 feet
of separation from the Wi-Ex base unit.
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Is a cellular phone signal booster the same as a
wireless router; will it help my WIFI signal? The Wi-Ex unit
will not help your WIFI service. This unit is designed to work with wireless
PCS and Cellular phones and devices. The WIFI in your home or office uses
a different frequency.
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Can using a cellular phone signal booster improve
the battery life of my wireless phone? Yes! Because the Wi-Ex
YX500 Series unit will boost the signal, the phone will consume less power
to capture the cell phone signal, thus conserving the battery of the phone
-- enabling you to talk longer.
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Can I install a Wi-Ex product myself?
We have designed the Wi-Ex system so that it is easy to install.
We have included installation instructions in the unit.
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Do the Wi-Ex products have a warranty?
Yes, Wi-Ex products are covered by a one-year warranty covering parts
and labor.
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