I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to be the
answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of Tn.
and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2 bars. (I
have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all created
equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have a
preference? etc.
This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
1) Cellular Repeater designed for wireless in-building coverage of 50 or
more feet (approx $500).
2) Cellular Repeater designed for wireless in-vehicle coverage of three or
four feet (approx $300).
3) Cellular external antenna designed for tethering to phone - in-building
or in-vehicle 6 to 12 feet (approx $40).
Here's the deal... if you can't get a useable signal using an external
antenna, the repeaters probably won't work for you anyway. (i.e. you can't
amplify what you don't have).
My advice, try an external antenna first. If that works, buy one of the
wireless cellular solutions.
I'm on step one. I've been using an external antenna for a few years in my
home office. I am usually in the garden level room (1/2 underground) and my
house has steel siding. The external antenna works for me. It sits just
outside the window, on the ground, in some shrubs. I'm saving my pennies so
I can afford the $500 solution, someday.
-Frank
"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
news:34jhk217gr0f25n23kefitl92knbmbdltn@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to
> be the
> answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of
> Tn.
> and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2
> bars. (I
> have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all
> created
> equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have
> a
> preference? etc.
> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> Gene
"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
news:34jhk217gr0f25n23kefitl92knbmbdltn@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to
> be the
> answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of
> Tn.
> and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2
> bars. (I
> have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all
> created
> equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have
> a
> preference? etc.
> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> Gene
I seem to recall a year or two back the gist of which was that if you
install your own repeater and VZW finds out about it, they'll whack your
pee-pee. Something about they want to install it so they can charge for the
equipment, the install and a monthly fee
Not sure if I'm remembering that right--- or if the rules have changed.
Maybe take a look at your CSA?
> "SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
> news:34jhk217gr0f25n23kefitl92knbmbdltn@4ax.com...
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it
> > seems to be the answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky
> > Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of Tn. and can get, at best, 2
> > bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2 bars. (I have a
> > Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.) Anyone have
> > personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all
> > created equally? There seems to be quite a wide price
> > range......does anyone have a preference? etc. This will be for a
> > residence with 2 identical cell phones. Any info/suggestions would
> > be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you
> >
> > Gene
>
> I seem to recall a year or two back the gist of which was that if you
> install your own repeater and VZW finds out about it, they'll whack
> your pee-pee. Something about they want to install it so they can
> charge for the equipment, the install and a monthly fee
>
> Not sure if I'm remembering that right--- or if the rules have
> changed. Maybe take a look at your CSA?
>
> Butch
The current VZW contract does indeed say, under Our Rights To Limit Or
End Service... "You agree that you won't install, deploy, or use any
regeneration equipment or similar mechanism (for example a repeater) to
originate, amplify, enhance, retransmit or regenerate a transmitted RF
signal."
Whether it is for technical reason (possibility of interfgerence with
their network?) or to keep another opportunity to charge you is still
unclear.
My advise is to try a new cellular service. Invite friends and co-workers to
your home and try their phones and they switch services. Cellular repeaters
and antennas are quite expensive, labor intensive to install, and a
down-right pain in the ass. Try to find another cellular service the
provides a good signal.
"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
news:34jhk217gr0f25n23kefitl92knbmbdltn@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to
> be the
> answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of
> Tn.
> and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2
> bars. (I
> have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all
> created
> equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have
> a
> preference? etc.
> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> Gene
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 12:31:24 -0500, "Butch Haynes" <butch@huntsville.prz> wrote:
>"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
>news:34jhk217gr0f25n23kefitl92knbmbdltn@4ax.com.. .
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to
>> be the
>> answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of
>> Tn.
>> and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2
>> bars. (I
>> have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
>> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all
>> created
>> equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have
>> a
>> preference? etc.
>> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
>> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thank you
>>
>> Gene
>
>I seem to recall a year or two back the gist of which was that if you
>install your own repeater and VZW finds out about it, they'll whack your
>pee-pee. Something about they want to install it so they can charge for the
>equipment, the install and a monthly fee
>
>Not sure if I'm remembering that right--- or if the rules have changed.
>Maybe take a look at your CSA?
>
>Butch
>
Interesting. I just spoke with a verizon tech guy who pretty much claimed
complete and total ignorance to my whole repeater inquiry.
Thanks for the quick response.
To clarify what other have said. The repeater would have to be placed
somewhere at the strong signal edge of the nearest cell phone tower. So if
the tower has a 2 mile range of good signal and you are 2.5 miles away the
repeater would have to be around a half mile away from your house.
If you place it the same place as the phones, its just going to try to
repeat the same weak signal.
The only way I can see it working is that if you could place the antenna
high so it would get a better line of site to the cell tower. Or if you get
a better signal outside your house or at a certain place on your property it
may work there.
"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
news:34jhk217gr0f25n23kefitl92knbmbdltn@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to
> be the
> answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of
> Tn.
> and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2
> bars. (I
> have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all
> created
> equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have
> a
> preference? etc.
> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> Gene
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:17:34 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com>
wrote:
>My advise is to try a new cellular service. Invite friends and co-workers to
>your home and try their phones and they switch services. Cellular repeaters
>and antennas are quite expensive, labor intensive to install, and a
>down-right pain in the ass. Try to find another cellular service the
>provides a good signal.
I highly doubt any carrier will be better in the area the OP is in.
Some places in this country, especially in mountainous terrains,
require signal enhancement of some sort. On I-40 near the NC/TN line,
you often can't reach anyone, I don't care who your carrier is.
On Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:56:37 GMT, "Jale" <Not@home.com> wrote:
>Butch Haynes wrote:
>> I seem to recall a year or two back the gist of which was that if you
>> install your own repeater and VZW finds out about it, they'll whack
>> your pee-pee. Something about they want to install it so they can
>> charge for the equipment, the install and a monthly fee
>>
>> Not sure if I'm remembering that right--- or if the rules have
>> changed. Maybe take a look at your CSA?
>>
>> Butch
>
>The current VZW contract does indeed say, under Our Rights To Limit Or
>End Service... "You agree that you won't install, deploy, or use any
>regeneration equipment or similar mechanism (for example a repeater) to
>originate, amplify, enhance, retransmit or regenerate a transmitted RF
>signal."
>Whether it is for technical reason (possibility of interfgerence with
>their network?) or to keep another opportunity to charge you is still
>unclear.
Again, interesting. I`m holding my contract dated 02/05 and it states no such
thing. Perhaps this is a regional thing? As I stated to Butch, I just spoke
with a verizon tech guy who pretty much claimed complete and total ignorance to
my whole repeater inquiry. He just refused to discuss it...period.
Again, thanks for the quick response.
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:17:34 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com> wrote:
>My advise is to try a new cellular service. Invite friends and co-workers to
>your home and try their phones and they switch services. Cellular repeaters
>and antennas are quite expensive, labor intensive to install, and a
>down-right pain in the ass. Try to find another cellular service the
>provides a good signal.
>
Been there and done that. Verizon was the clear winner.
Thanks for the quick response.
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:22:24 -0700, "Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote:
>There are basically three ways to go on this..
>
>1) Cellular Repeater designed for wireless in-building coverage of 50 or
>more feet (approx $500).
Pretty much what I`ve seen. I mean, I`m already paying almost $100 a month for
the two phone service which generates between 0-2 bars (on a 4 bar phone) at any
given time at home. I can get 3 bars on my roof, which is the min. requirment
for most of these repeater kits. Seems like a small price to pay for the
improvment.
(snip-o-rama)
>Here's the deal... if you can't get a useable signal using an external
>antenna, the repeaters probably won't work for you anyway. (i.e. you can't
>amplify what you don't have).
>
>My advice, try an external antenna first. If that works, buy one of the
>wireless cellular solutions.
I will try one of these first.
>
>I'm on step one. I've been using an external antenna for a few years in my
>home office. I am usually in the garden level room (1/2 underground) and my
>house has steel siding. The external antenna works for me. It sits just
>outside the window, on the ground, in some shrubs. I'm saving my pennies so
>I can afford the $500 solution, someday.
>
>-Frank
Sounds like the guy that you talked with is a Tard!
> Interesting. I just spoke with a verizon tech guy who pretty much claimed
> complete and total ignorance to my whole repeater inquiry.
> Thanks for the quick response.
>
> Gene
I assume that you tried Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile, Alltel and any others?
Many times one carrier will have a tower near you. That is the case where I
live. All of the other carriers don't provide a usable signal.
"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
news:95uhk2psdinc11c7m1d8uab02tk738c8i4@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:17:34 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com>
> wrote:
>
>>My advise is to try a new cellular service. Invite friends and co-workers
>>to
>>your home and try their phones and they switch services. Cellular
>>repeaters
>>and antennas are quite expensive, labor intensive to install, and a
>>down-right pain in the ass. Try to find another cellular service the
>>provides a good signal.
>>
>
> Been there and done that. Verizon was the clear winner.
> Thanks for the quick response.
>
> Gene
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 13:58:04 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com>
wrote:
>I assume that you tried Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile, Alltel and any others?
>Many times one carrier will have a tower near you. That is the case where I
>live. All of the other carriers don't provide a usable signal.
I take it you've never been to the NC/TN Smokey Mountains area.
Yes, I used to vaction in Maggie Valley and Ashville 25 years ago and they
barely had land lines.
"The Ghost of General Lee" <ghost@general.lee> wrote in message
news:dc6ik2tti924lv1s7o9fj8h3st1hfl6o4g@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 13:58:04 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com>
> wrote:
>
>>I assume that you tried Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile, Alltel and any others?
>>Many times one carrier will have a tower near you. That is the case where
>>I
>>live. All of the other carriers don't provide a usable signal.
>
> I take it you've never been to the NC/TN Smokey Mountains area.
>
For whatever it's worth....I was a contractor in the Verizon
headquarters building in Irving,TX
for about 3 years. Of course everyone in the building had a Verizon
Cell phone, including me. The
building is 4 stories high with 3 levels of underground parking.
Naturally any cell call you were on
dropped off as soon as you entered the parking garage. Inside the
building wasn't much better.
Everyone would try getting close to a window and then you would try to
run to an exit before you
dropped the call.
The executives must have had enough because one Monday, everything
started to work. Even on level
3 of the parking garage, the phones antenna would be pegged and the
phone would work. Verizon installed
antenna's on every floor and at several locations on all floors.
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 13:58:04 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com> wrote:
>I assume that you tried Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile, Alltel and any others?
>Many times one carrier will have a tower near you. That is the case where I
>live. All of the other carriers don't provide a usable signal.
The Verizon tower is more or less a mile from my home atop the mountain I live.
I`m just in an awkward part of the mountain, but just lucky enough to get a
signal on my property. No one else within a quarter mile area gets a signal. My
phone goes totally dead when I leave my property. In fact, I was told by all of
the carriers that my area was totally dead, according to their signal coverage
map.
When the construction crew was clearing my land and building my house, I noticed
that the only workers able to get a call in or out was the ones using Verizon.
Gene
>
>"SuperUnkown" <?@?.com> wrote in message
>news:95uhk2psdinc11c7m1d8uab02tk738c8i4@4ax.com.. .
>> On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:17:34 -0800, "Mij Adyaw" <mij@TheBitBucket.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>My advise is to try a new cellular service. Invite friends and co-workers
>>>to
>>>your home and try their phones and they switch services. Cellular
>>>repeaters
>>>and antennas are quite expensive, labor intensive to install, and a
>>>down-right pain in the ass. Try to find another cellular service the
>>>provides a good signal.
>>>
>>
>> Been there and done that. Verizon was the clear winner.
>> Thanks for the quick response.
>>
>> Gene
>
SuperUnkown wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it
> seems to be the answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky
> Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of Tn. and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes
> it just fluctuates between 0-2 bars. (I have a Samsung a670 phone if
> that makes any difference.)
> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they
> all created equally? There seems to be quite a wide price
> range......does anyone have a preference? etc.
> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> Gene
Yup, been using the repeater with both my phones and data in a pda and
laptop, and roomie and his friends use their phones too...
(I have the elcheapo one, only allows 10 users at once)
CAE50 for $399 at http://www.cellantenna.com/repeater/...g_repeater.htm
Basically a directional antenna for outside (I put the yagi on the tv
antenna mast pole and aimed it for the town about 20 miles away), and then
cabled to the bi-directional amp and omnidirectional antenna inside...
If you are thinking about saving a few bucks and getting a wired "booster"
(rather than a repeater), consider what happens if you get a new phone, or
someone comes to visit, or you decide to do data... If you get new
equipment, you will probably have to get a new cable....
On Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:23:16 GMT, "Cliff Hartle" <cliff_hartle@verizon.net>
wrote:
>To clarify what other have said. The repeater would have to be placed
>somewhere at the strong signal edge of the nearest cell phone tower. So if
>the tower has a 2 mile range of good signal and you are 2.5 miles away the
>repeater would have to be around a half mile away from your house.
>
>If you place it the same place as the phones, its just going to try to
>repeat the same weak signal.
>
>The only way I can see it working is that if you could place the antenna
>high so it would get a better line of site to the cell tower. Or if you get
>a better signal outside your house or at a certain place on your property it
>may work there.
I can get three bars on the top of my roof. I have no problem setting up a
pole/antenna long enough to grab that signal.
LOL!! I`ve already got a stupid tacky satellite dish for my tv and a stupid
tacky satellite dish for my internet. What difference does another stupid
antenna make? They`re all in back of my house which is too high off the street
to see behind. ;-)
Cliff Hartle wrote:
> To clarify what other have said. The repeater would have to be placed
> somewhere at the strong signal edge of the nearest cell phone tower. So if
> the tower has a 2 mile range of good signal and you are 2.5
> miles away the repeater would have to be around a half mile away from
> your house.
> If you place it the same place as the phones, its just going to try to
> repeat the same weak signal.
>
> The only way I can see it working is that if you could place the
> antenna high so it would get a better line of site to the cell tower.
> Or if you get a better signal outside your house or at a certain
> place on your property it may work there.
>
>
Sounds like you may have no idea what a repeater actually does... What you
wrote in the first few paragraphs is totally false.....
On Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:42:49 GMT, SuperUnkown <?@?.com> wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it seems to be the
>answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of Tn.
>and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes it just fluctuates between 0-2 bars. (I
>have a Samsung a670 phone if that makes any difference.)
>Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they all created
>equally? There seems to be quite a wide price range......does anyone have a
>preference? etc.
>This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
>Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Do you mean actually IN the park itself?
I was there about a month ago. Very poor coverage in the park. At
Clingman's dome, I barely got service on Ramcell (a Verizon extended
network partner) and at Newfound Gap, I got somewhat OK coverage with
Verizon on SID 139 (Cherokee, NC).
Most of the time I hardly got any coverage - either from the
Gatlinburg side (SID 93) or Cherokee side (SID 139).
Even with a repeater I wonder if it would even work in your situation.
Where exactly are you in the park, and what phones are you using?
I used a Motorola V325 phone and like I said, it barely had any
coverage at all. But I'm sure that's true with any carrier.
The issue about bars and miles is resolved by using a yagi antenna
with more gain. The more gain the antenna gives, the farther you can
be from a signal source. It is how NASA has done it for years. High
gain antennas on both ends of a space mission and very little power
and you can move a signal from mars to earth with 5-10 watts ERP.
Bottom line, go for a high gain yagi from celltenna, etc. Make sure
you install it correctly.
none
On Thu, 2 Nov 2006 00:04:12 -0500, "Peter Pan"
<PeterPanNOSPAM@AkamailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>Cliff Hartle wrote:
>> To clarify what other have said. The repeater would have to be placed
>> somewhere at the strong signal edge of the nearest cell phone tower. So if
>> the tower has a 2 mile range of good signal and you are 2.5
>> miles away the repeater would have to be around a half mile away from
>> your house.
>> If you place it the same place as the phones, its just going to try to
>> repeat the same weak signal.
>>
>> The only way I can see it working is that if you could place the
>> antenna high so it would get a better line of site to the cell tower.
>> Or if you get a better signal outside your house or at a certain
>> place on your property it may work there.
>>
>>
>
>Sounds like you may have no idea what a repeater actually does... What you
>wrote in the first few paragraphs is totally false.....
>
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 23:41:14 -0500, "Peter Pan"
<PeterPanNOSPAM@AkamailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>SuperUnkown wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it
>> seems to be the answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky
>> Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of Tn. and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes
>> it just fluctuates between 0-2 bars. (I have a Samsung a670 phone if
>> that makes any difference.)
>> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they
>> all created equally? There seems to be quite a wide price
>> range......does anyone have a preference? etc.
>> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
>> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thank you
>>
>> Gene
>
>Yup, been using the repeater with both my phones and data in a pda and
>laptop, and roomie and his friends use their phones too...
> (I have the elcheapo one, only allows 10 users at once)
>CAE50 for $399 at http://www.cellantenna.com/repeater/...g_repeater.htm
>
Looks like a deal...even at the new low price of $449. heh!
Finding the keyboard operational
SuperUnkown entered:
> On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:22:24 -0700, "Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com>
> wrote:
>
>> There are basically three ways to go on this..
>>
>> 1) Cellular Repeater designed for wireless in-building coverage of
>> 50 or more feet (approx $500).
>
> Pretty much what I`ve seen. I mean, I`m already paying almost $100 a
> month for the two phone service which generates between 0-2 bars (on
> a 4 bar phone) at any given time at home. I can get 3 bars on my
> roof, which is the min. requirment for most of these repeater kits.
> Seems like a small price to pay for the improvment.
>
> (snip-o-rama)
>
>> Here's the deal... if you can't get a useable signal using an
>> external antenna, the repeaters probably won't work for you anyway.
>> (i.e. you can't amplify what you don't have).
>>
>> My advice, try an external antenna first. If that works, buy one of
>> the wireless cellular solutions.
>
> I will try one of these first.
>>
>> I'm on step one. I've been using an external antenna for a few years
>> in my home office. I am usually in the garden level room (1/2
>> underground) and my house has steel siding. The external antenna
>> works for me. It sits just outside the window, on the ground, in
>> some shrubs. I'm saving my pennies so I can afford the $500
>> solution, someday.
>>
>> -Frank
>
> Thanks, Frank, for the info.
>
> Gene
Another thing you might try is to put a high gain antenna on the roof (a
directional pointed to the nearest cellsite would be best) connected to an
antenna inside your house. This way you aren't tethered.
This works very well. In fact, we once put a 6dB vertical on the roff of a
building connected to a 3dB inside an AC duct. Suddenly everyone could make
phone calls inside!
Finding the keyboard operational
SuperUnkown entered:
> Hi All,
>
> I`ve checked out several sites selling cellular repeaters and it
> seems to be the answer to my low signal problem. I`m in the Smoky
> Mnt. Natl. Prk. area of Tn. and can get, at best, 2 bars...sometimes
> it just fluctuates between 0-2 bars. (I have a Samsung a670 phone if
> that makes any difference.)
> Anyone have personal experience they would kindly share ie. are they
> all created equally? There seems to be quite a wide price
> range......does anyone have a preference? etc.
> This will be for a residence with 2 identical cell phones.
> Any info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> Gene
Bars are not a real good indicator of the ability to make a call. They are a
comfort indicator at best. Lab tests have shown a great variabilitywith
phones of the same model.
Finding the keyboard operational
Butch Haynes entered:
>
> I seem to recall a year or two back the gist of which was that if you
> install your own repeater and VZW finds out about it, they'll whack
> your pee-pee. Something about they want to install it so they can
> charge for the equipment, the install and a monthly fee
>
> Not sure if I'm remembering that right--- or if the rules have
> changed. Maybe take a look at your CSA?
>
> Butch
The problem with these repeaters for sale is that you can not use them
legally without Verizon's permission. Verizon has the license to operate on
that frequency and they don't want you causing any disruption with out them
controlling it.
Even if your installation does nothing but improve your signal, you do not
own a license to transmit and you are not going to be able to get license
from the FCC because they have gotten money from Verizon for it.
Bob
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Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times www.moondoggiecoffee.com
On 2006-11-08, The Other Funk <bobbie@moondoggie.com> wrote:
> Finding the keyboard operational
> Butch Haynes entered:
>>
>> I seem to recall a year or two back the gist of which was that if you
>> install your own repeater and VZW finds out about it, they'll whack
>> your pee-pee. Something about they want to install it so they can
>> charge for the equipment, the install and a monthly fee
>>
>> Not sure if I'm remembering that right--- or if the rules have
>> changed. Maybe take a look at your CSA?
>>
>> Butch
>
> The problem with these repeaters for sale is that you can not use them
> legally without Verizon's permission. Verizon has the license to operate on
> that frequency and they don't want you causing any disruption with out them
> controlling it.
> Even if your installation does nothing but improve your signal, you do not
> own a license to transmit and you are not going to be able to get license
> from the FCC because they have gotten money from Verizon for it.
I don't think it is nearly so clear. The transmitter in the building
is on Verizon's tower frequency, but the power level is so small (the
one I helped a friend install was 5 mW in the house) that it is under
the 10 mW limit for license-free operation under FCC Part 15. This
one is definitely legal. The antenna on the roof, on the other
hand, transmits at the same freqency, and at about the same power level,
as your phone; the signal the repeater transmits should in principle be
pretty much indistinguishable from the signal you would transmit
with the antenna plugged directly into the phone. Verizon has given
you permission to transmit on that frequency by offering you phone
service.
I guess Verizon could quibble about the equipment you are using if they
wanted to, but I don't think anything violates any FCC rules and it
isn't clear to me that Verizon could distinguish a good quality
repeater from a phone.
Finding the keyboard operational
Dennis Ferguson entered:
> I don't think it is nearly so clear. The transmitter in the building
> is on Verizon's tower frequency, but the power level is so small (the
> one I helped a friend install was 5 mW in the house) that it is under
> the 10 mW limit for license-free operation under FCC Part 15. This
> one is definitely legal. The antenna on the roof, on the other
> hand, transmits at the same freqency, and at about the same power
> level, as your phone; the signal the repeater transmits should in
> principle be pretty much indistinguishable from the signal you would
> transmit
> with the antenna plugged directly into the phone. Verizon has given
> you permission to transmit on that frequency by offering you phone
> service.
>
> I guess Verizon could quibble about the equipment you are using if
> they wanted to, but I don't think anything violates any FCC rules and
> it isn't clear to me that Verizon could distinguish a good quality
> repeater from a phone.
>
> Dennis Ferguson
Dennis,
I am not trying to start an argument by any means. Could you point me to the
10mW exemption? I have heard it both ways for the cellular band and I don't
remember seeing it in print or online at the FCC webpage. I know I am asking
you to do my homework but I am hoping you have it close at hand.
As far as the license to transmit goes. Yes, Verizon has given you
permission to transmit but only with equipment that they approve. For
example, if you could build your own phone, Verizon would not approve it.
They wouldn't go thru the time and expense. You could get the FCC to approve
it but it's still up to Verizon what they will allow on their network.
BTW it would be almost impossible to build your own phone. Even if you
could, it would be very cost prohibitive.
Thanks
Bob
--
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Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times www.moondoggiecoffee.com
On 2006-11-08, The Other Funk <bobbie@moondoggie.com> wrote:
> I am not trying to start an argument by any means. Could you point me to the
> 10mW exemption? I have heard it both ways for the cellular band and I don't
> remember seeing it in print or online at the FCC webpage. I know I am asking
> you to do my homework but I am hoping you have it close at hand.
The emission limits for general intentional radiators are listed in this
in the table at the start of section 15.209. Unfortunately they are
given as measured field strengths, rather than transmitter powers, and
when I try to compute the corresponding output power I get microWatts
instead of milliWatts, so either I've got the allowed power or (not
unlikely) the computation for doing the conversion wrong. I'll have to
ask someone at work to explain it to me.
I'm quite sure the repeaters are legal under FCC regulations in any
case, however, since if they weren't they wouldn't have them sitting
out on the shelves for sale at Fry's and the Internet sellers would
at least list them as "for export only".
> As far as the license to transmit goes. Yes, Verizon has given you
> permission to transmit but only with equipment that they approve. For
> example, if you could build your own phone, Verizon would not approve it.
> They wouldn't go thru the time and expense. You could get the FCC to approve
> it but it's still up to Verizon what they will allow on their network.
It's not that clear. If you buy a foreign CDMA phone model that Verizon
has never seen before with service in Mexico, or Korea, and bring it to
the US, Verizon will happily take your money to provide the phone with
roaming service. This happens all the time, and happens even though
a foreign phone without some sort of FCC certification is probably not
strictly legal to use in the country. I'm certain Verizon has the right to
tell you not to use any piece of equipment they don't like but their
default position seems to be, if you are using the equipment to get
service you are paying for, it's fine.
Cellular Repeater Systems 
Linear Mode
