Affordable options for cellular signal boosting?

October 11, 2006 9:54 AM

I have a Blackberry 7290 and live in a basement apartment. I intermittently get one bar of signal in most places inside, but full service right outside the windows. What is the most effective option to increase service indoors so that I can maintain phone calls? I've seen the expensive cellular repeaters and I can't really justify spending that much. Thanks.
posted by saraswati to Technology (8 answers total)

Sometimes all it takes is to call the cell phone company and tell them, so they can switch you to a new tower.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 10:15 AM on October 11, 2006

Sometimes all it takes is to call the cell phone company and tell them, so they can switch you to a new tower.

I don't follow -- do you call every day? Your phone will move cell to cell as you move around.

It might be enough to turn wireless on and off, or power-cycle the blackberry -- that'll make it figure out anew what cell to join, instead of just sticking with the marginal one it picked up on the way in.

Or, just leave it by the window. Forward it to your home line when you're home.
posted by mendel at 10:42 AM on October 11, 2006

I don't know if this works, but you could try running a copper wire from outside to inside, see if that helps conduct the signal outside. (Uninsulated wire) IANAEE (I am not an Electrical Engineer) but I know that's how radio works in mines, a copper wire is pulled throughout to conduct the signal.
posted by defcom1 at 11:04 AM on October 11, 2006

He was specifically asking about calling from home. Other places you go may be closer to towers, or you may not spend as much time there.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 11:04 AM on October 11, 2006

I suppose you could keep your blackberry on a windowsil and place calls using a cordless Bluetooth headset. Bluetooth theoretically has a ~30 foot range and headsets are under $100US.
posted by enfa at 12:16 PM on October 11, 2006

My BB does exceedingly poorly in any underground or slab-concrete-enclosed area. I can sometimes get better reception in my house by unplugging cordless phones and turning off my wireless router, but I get all the bars I need as soon as I walk out on my deck behind the house.

Definitely do a network scan (under Options/Network, change to Manual) and see which network has the best signal while in your apartment. If you still only get one bar, that's the best you're going to do.
posted by thanotopsis at 2:13 PM on October 11, 2006

Previously. You need a passive cell phone repeater.
posted by donguanella at 5:27 PM on October 11, 2006

He was specifically asking about calling from home.

I think it's safe to assume that sometimes he leaves home with his Blackberry. Your solution simply does not work.

Cellphones switch cells as you move around with them. GSM cells are, say, 2-20km across. You're not permanently tied with a specific tower, your device decides which one to talk to on its own all the time you're using it.
posted by mendel at 9:39 AM on October 12, 2006