$150 buys your own cell tower

[safeinOhio]

Companies don't market it because it draws attention to their lack of service.

http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-your-personal-cell-tower-2010-07-08/CD98AB5C-ADD3-44AB-BD5D-01BCDFA446DF

[Romulox]

1. I purchased a similar device from a company called "zboost" a bit back

I'm very happy with it.



http://www.amazon.com/zBoost-YX-510-Signal-Booster-Office/dp/B000J2XZ1K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1278684289&sr=8-3

[RKP5637]

5. Thanks for mentioning this. I've been looking at these. This is good info. n/t

[RKP5637]

6. dupe.

[RKP5637]

2. Cool!!! n/t

[negativenihil]

3. things worth noting

These femtocell devices depend on your home broadband connection.

So not only are you paying for your cell service and your broadband service, you're also paying for the femtocell and in some cases an EXTRA fee for the femtocell. Then there's the whole factor of broadband providers capping your monthly transfers - i can't imagine a femtocell being a light bandwith user (please correct me if i am wrong here).

[RKP5637]

4. The "zboost" mentioned in posting #1 is just a repeater/amplifier, I believe. The

others (from a cellular provider) do appear to be femtocell devices and for those I think what you've said makes a lot of sense IMO. Thanks for mentioning this. If I were doing this I would use (probably) the "zboost" so as to eliminate any broadband connection and just use the antenna. I'm in a bit of a valley, but upstairs cell phones work fine. I want to get rid of my land line.

[Romulox]

7. You're right. It's an antenna + amplifier. For my purposes, I considered that fact to be a bonus

(in other words, I object to ATT piggy-backing on my data connection, especially when it is so stingy with its own bandwidth.)

As for the Wi-Ex/zboost, it essentially boils down to a meter long antenna mounted somewhere on your property--if it can get signal outside, then you can amplify it inside. However, for some, the "femtocell" type device may be their only option.

[negativenihil]

8. You're 100% correct about the zboost device n/t

[Submariner]

9. FYI: $100 rebate for AT&T Micro-cell

I just got off the phone with AT&T logging another in a long line of reception complaints I have (it took eleven tries just getting through on their 611 line).

At the end of their song and dance that Cape Cod doesn't have enough people for them to bother with, and to go F yourself (in phone company-speak), she mentioned the micro-cell thingy and said it was only 50 bucks after the $100 rebate.

Although I hate AT&T, for 50 bucks that's not too bad.

[Liberal In Texas]

10. Interesting. Never heard of it before. Rec'd.