Dealing with the frustration of weak mobile phone signals The Vodafone Sure Signal vs Repeaters vs VoIP
Posted by Cloud Net on Fri, May 14, 2010 @ 04:22 AM
Isn't it crazy that you can use your mobile phone in your car park or driveway but, because of poor signal strength, not inside your home or office?
There are three different ways to address this problem: divert solutions such as Cloud Net's offering; femtocell solutions like Vodafone's Sure Signal; and repeaters.
Repeaters
Building repeaters, also known as cell boosters, enhance weak mobile phone signals thereby reducing the number of dropped calls and allowing mobile phones to be used in places they couldn't before. What's more, they don't use up your precious broadband data allowance.
At the heart of the system is an amplifier which is designed to improve coverage for wireless products within a facility. The amplifier, working in combination with indoor, ceiling-mounted, low-profile antennas and an external mounted antenna, boosts the signal level within indoor areas. This reduces the problem of lost calls and signal fades.
Building repeaters can also be used in mobile applications; improving voice quality and range in areas of poor mobile coverage. The manufacturers claim to improve any mobile provider's service including: Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Virgin and Three.
The downsides are the limit on the number of simultaneous calls that can be handled and the cost, which generally starts at around £200.00.
Examples can be seen and bought at http://www.cellantenna.co.uk or http://mobilerepeater.co.uk
Vodafone's Sure Signal
Vodafone is promoting a femtocell box, called Sure Signal, which connects to a customer's broadband and then transmits a signal to up to four mobile phones in the vicinity. Once the phone is authenticated to the box, the call is carried across the customer's broadband.
Sure Signal costs £50 for price plans of £25 or above, and £120 for all other customers. A box can also be rented for £5.00 per month. Users must have a broadband line of 1mbps or more.
However, when you take the combined costs into consideration it's not a cheap option as the Vodafone subscriber needs to pay for the Sure Signal, the connectivity via broadband, the electricity to run it as well as paying Vodafone for the box!
Cloud Net has an elegant answer to the no-signal problem based on our hosted VoIP solution. Simply put your mobile on to "divert on no answer". This means that all unanswered incoming mobile calls are automatically diverted to your Cloud Net phone where they can be handled directly or managed by a voicemail system.
If you already have a Cloud Net system this is a no-cost solution with the benefit of a crystal clear line. If you don't already have the system then perhaps you should look at this site to see all of the other benefits including free phones and a free PBX.