You can buy a domestic home WiFi booster for about £20 - £50. However, if you want a 4G booster for your mobile phone signal, prices start at £300. Why is there such a discrepancy, is there really that much extra in a 4G booster box than a WiFi booster?

 

It is more complicated. But there also much better economies of scale with WiFi components and hardware. 

8 hours ago, StephenFord said:

if you want a 4G booster for your mobile phone signal, prices start at £300.

AliExpress to the rescue ? 🤣

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3 minutes ago, unofix said:

AliExpress to the rescue ? 🤣

Can't deny that's a good price. Though I've done more research into it now. They apparently only really work if you have a 4 or 5 bar signal outside your house, so the booster can run with that signal and spread it inside. Sadly, I get a poor 1 or 2 bar signal outside as well, so I fear the 'booster' would be useless for me.

Shame 3G was decommissioned. EE gave me a 'booster' box which simply plugged into my broadband router. Some witchcraft took place and it created a 5 bar bubble throughout my whole house. Oh well, you goitta give way to progress... 😁

The boosters you’re looking at are just a repeater. It can only repeat the signal it receives. 
 

None of the networks offer the boosters that can use your internet connection because the all of the MNOs and most of the MVNOs offer WiFi calling now. 
 

Might be worth getting a phone with WiFi calling support if your current one doesn’t support it. Probably cheaper than the repeaters. 

11 hours ago, alexp999 said:

Might be worth getting a phone with WiFi calling support if you’re current one doesn’t support it. Probably cheaper than the repeaters. 

A 'repeater' makes sense, I knew I had a severe lack of knowledge in this topic. I actually had to change my phone when 3G stopped as I got virtually no bars at home, and needed 'WiFi calling' to get a signal. Fairly difficult to do as a couple of years ago it wasn't a common feature of phones and very few indeed listed it as a feature in their spec even if they had it, so there were many emails sent seeking info on phone specs. VoLTE feature is now much more widespread on phones.

Was just curious on how to get back to a 5 bar raw mobile signal in the house, I guess for me those days are long gone...

23 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

A 'repeater' makes sense, I knew I had a severe lack of knowledge in this topic. I actually had to change my phone when 3G stopped as I got virtually no bars at home, and needed 'WiFi calling' to get a signal. Fairly difficult to do as a couple of years ago it wasn't a common feature of phones and very few indeed listed it as a feature in their spec even if they had it, so there were many emails sent seeking info on phone specs. VoLTE feature is now much more widespread on phones.

Was just curious on how to get back to a 5 bar raw mobile signal in the house, I guess for me those days are long gone...

The networks are shutting down the old 2G and 3G masts which travel greater distances. Moving to 4G and 5G only works if they build more masts to make up for the reduced coverage.

Most networks are quite good with WiFi calling support now. It doesn't require network firmware like it used to.

Can't you just move network to the one that gives the best signal?

21 minutes ago, DaveT70 said:

Can't you just move network to the one that gives the best signal?

In the past, I have been on Vodafone, O2, 'orange' & 'cellnet' (in the old days!), they're all cr*p. Even my current EE states on their web checker I have 'excellent reception' inside & out - I don't. Numerous contacts with suppliers all tell me their web coverage checkers are only a 'guide' 🤣 (I guess in the same way that car manufactures quote MPG figures!)

This is my EE mobile signal hanging out a Velux window upstairs 🤣

You can still get repeaters but not the ones that home users will be prepared to pay for.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/using-a-repeater-to-improve-indoor-mobile-phone-signal
https://mobilesignalsolutions.co.uk/product-category/signal-boosters/