Cell phone signal boosters

[Prot]

Do these stickers that go on the back of your battery actually work? I get almost no signal where I'm currently living, and this will be my only option, short of cancelling service.

[rallynavvie]

They do not. My signal would drift in and out at home in the most annoying manner since you thought you had enough signal to put out a call only to have it cut short. However when I upgraded to a new phone last month (after having the previous one for two years) I suddenly have a good signal everywhere in the house. Reps told me it was because the new phones are better at receiving, holding, and boosting its own signal. A fresh battery also helps. Newer tech may make a difference, but the only way to find out is to find a friend that has a new phone on the same carrier and invite them over.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

no
a local tv channel just did a story on these. they're a total waste of money.
i was looking at getting one for the same reason -- great signal all over town, except where I live...
the only solution? different carrier.

[ZAPPER]

Yea, out in the sticks where I live the signal is kind skiddish at best. One to three bars depending on how and where I hold it. But when I plug it into the charger it jumps to three, go figure. A guy I work with uses one of those magnetic mount car antenneas and says that it helps.

[ZAPPER]

oops double post

[Prot]

Thanks for the responses. I had thought as much.
Unfortunately I haven't had my service long enough to qualify for a phone upgrade. Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and pay the penalties for cancelling service. My service provider is trying to put in a tower close by, at least close enough to improve the signal considerably, but the residents there are fighting it. Probably would be close to 6 months anyway before the tower went up. Meanwhile, I am paying for service that I can't use....sigh.
I have 3 other cell phone companies I can choose from at least.
I'm not out in the sticks, just in a spot where the signal is very difficult to reach. Hills, and stuff.

[rallynavvie]

You may want to talk to your provider about the dead spot. I haven't read the fine print on the contracts but I'm assuming that since you can't test for a signal in your home before purchasing you plan, instead relying on the "coverage maps" they provide, you'd be paying for a service you can't use properly. I know a friend of mine moved into a new house and instead of paying for a land line he picked up a new cell phone and provider to be his only phone. Well turns out his house is in a dead spot that's only about a block large (and oddly centered on his new place). He complained to his provider about this and they not only let him out of the contract without a penalty but refunded him for everything other than the phone. He kept the phone to use with his next provider that had perfect signal there.

The silly thing is that I always got perfect reception from another provider's network at home but since they were part of the "roaming" network my plan worked with it at no additional charge. However since there was intermittent signal with the proper network it would always try connecting to that rather than just use the known good network.

[Prot]

That's the whole problem, rally. I've had this service for 6 months, and had no problems in other place I lived. Circumstances forced me to move, and at this new place I have no signal. I guess I could make the complaint about getting out of contract anyway since they are aware this area is spotty at best. They are attempting to put a tower nearby, but as I said, the homeowners are trying to stop it.
I had to have a landline installed just so I have some phone use, but I do need my long-distance, and I have always used the cell phone for that purpose.

[Doramius]

2 options for you. SOmetimes local phone companies have a decent neighborhood plan going on. You get your local phone, plus for about $20-30 more you get unlimited LD. Most people's cell plans are about $35-45 (on average). However, you don't have the flexibility to have your phone anywhere you go. But if you're getting a poor cell signal, what's the point?

There are some new antennas you can get for various style nokia phones. I just them at the CES in Las Vegas here and they said they are already being sold all over. They fit Nokia phones. you pull out you old antenna and slide this one in. It has a cord going out of the top and plugs into the bottom of your cell. It boosts the signal of your cell greatly, but it drains your battery life like crazy. They aren't cheap either. They were selling them at the CES for $50.

Those antenna boosters that are like stickers do nothing at all andd sometimes hinder a signal. You might as well bring a roll of aluminum foil to boost your signal. At least you'll know you have a better signal when you ruin your phone. :/