The new Cel-Fi “smart repeater” promises a dramatic boost to the indoor mobile signal from Telstra and Optus.
Cel-Fi’s newly approved smart repeater promises to boost one bar of weak reception to five bars of strong indoor reception for Telstra and Optus customers.
Weak mobile signals often mean slow data connections and scratchy drop-out prone phone calls that force you to find the best indoor spot or head outside, which no mobile customer enjoys.
Cel-Fi’s smart repeater is a two-unit solution that has one sitting by the window and the other sitting centrally in the home or office.
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The window unit ‘grabs’ the 3G signal from outside and sends it to the centrally located coverage unit, which boosts and rebroadcasts that signal inside, with installation of external antenna also possible able to help those with especially weak phone tower signals.
Benefits include enhanced indoor mobile coverage, faster mobile data speeds, extended battery life, improved voice quality and decreased mobile phone radiation, all because your phone no longer needs to use maximum transmit and receive power to talk to a far off base station.
Claiming to use “patented next generation technology developed in the US”, Cel-Fi says its 3G repeater is the only one “approved for use on networks in Australia because it has in-built network protection”, with previous repeating devices having “caused major problems with network interference and so have never been approved for use.”
Cel-Fi’s Australian distributor, Scott Hampton, said: “This device gives those thousands – maybe tens of thousands – of Australians affected by poor reception, good mobile coverage, not just in rural areas but in urban areas affected by poor signal strength.
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“It also allows people to take advantage of the benefits of 3G. The device is very simple to use and can have an instant and dramatic effect. And because it’s wireless, in most cases the installation cost is zero.”
Cel-Fi’s website states that: “The Cel-Fi Repeater currently has approval for use on either the Telstra or Optus 3G networks.
“It will also operate on carriers that utilise these two networks including these and several more:
– Aldi, Boost (on Telstra 3G network)
– Virgin, iiNet, Dodo, Amaysim, iPrimus, M2, TPG (on Optus 3G network)”.
No mention of Vodafone is made, but Cel-Fi says its repeater “is currently being tested by several carriers in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.”
Local distributor Powertec lists Cel-Fi repeaters for Optus and Telstra starting at AUD $822.80 with GST, and $748 without.
