Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Wilson's Electronics, a company out of St. George, Utah has been producing a number of products that enhances the performance of many of the digital devices that we use and rely upon. "The Cellular Signal Booster" is a powerful amplifier system that's used to strengthen the reception of the radio waves to/from a cellphone and Internet data cards. I've tested the product for two weeks using my Blackberry Curve (T-Mobile), The Novatel MiFi 2200 Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Modem (Sprint) for Sprint and to measure the signal strength, the on-line site, Speed Test dot Net. * First Impression ** Battery of Tests *** Results and Interpretation **** Pro's and Con's ***** Conclusion * The product comes as a three-piece kit: the Outside antenna and cradle, the base unit "Signal Booster Amplifier," and the Desktop antenna (which recently replaced an attached "Arm antenna.") The kit also includes 50' of coaxial cable and an assortment of installation tools that allows for installation in several ways. ** Blackberry-- This isn't the recently released 3G Curve, so when I get a WiFi connection, it's the only time I can get a reliably fast signal for phone and internet connection. (This was why I eventually opted to upgrade my USB data card to the MiFi.) The MiFi gives me the WiFi signal I prefer, but the MiFi is limited to a range of 30'- 40'. When I'm on a call or picking up my email, the signal defaults to Edge beyond that 35' or so. With the Signal Booster on, the range jumped from 35' to about 115- 120'. That's almost one full block away from my apartment. I also noticed clearer phone conversations. The MiFi-- (casual observance) After the initial set--using the first interior antenna supplied--there was clearly a faster response time in surfing the internet. The latency effect on sites like YouTube seemed considerably shorter, same thing for downloading music video from there. *** (Measured results)-- I ran tests for 10 days in total. I measured the test at various times: early in the morning, in the wee hours during the week ("off peak times.) And, the other times were what I called "peak times:" right after school, 8-10 pm during the week and on the weekends. The measured results were from Speed Test dot net. Novatel MiFi's spec. sheet: The MiFi under the best conditions will provide up to EV-DO Rev. A- 3.1 Mbps download/ EV-DO Rev. A- 1.8 Mbps upload Without CSB (best results- off peak times) (Jan 29, off peak hrs.) 1Mbps download/.28 Mbps upload (Jan 29, off-peak hrs.)--With the CSB 1.37 Mbps download/ .3Mbps upload (Jan 31, off peak hrs.)--With the CSB 1.28Mbps download/ .38Mbps upload (Feb 14, peak times)--With the CSB 1.03Mbps download/ .49Mbps upload (Feb 15, peak times)--With the CSB .72 Mbps download/ .24 Mbps upload (Feb 16, peak times)--With the CSB .68 Mbps download/ .41 Mbps upload **** Pro's and Con's Pro's + Easy to install/ All tools needed are provided + System gives an extremely strong amplified signal. (I can't verify the company's claim that it can magnify the signal response by 10x, however by my own test it is clearly about 4x.) + Customer service and tech support are friendly and thorough in their explanations. + System enables a cross-platform of devices from different carriers to function simultaneously without a drop in performance. + The entire kit is small enough to be packaged in an average size plastic grocery bag. + The system has a unique technology built-in that allows for surfing around high-traffic areas to find a less congested signal--avoiding overloading nearby towers. + Price for the system is competitive to other brands + Proudly designed and manufactured in the US by Americans. Con's - The kit is made out of a light-weight plastic. [It is too early to tell how durable the outdoor antenna will hold up under extreme changes in weather. Here in Miami (FL), the temperatures range above 70+ ten months out of the year, during the sweltering summer months, the added humidity makes it feel well over 100. What about windy and blistery cold areas?] - The AC adapter is considerably short for the distance it is forced to maintain. There's a minimum proximity that the indoor antenna ("Desktop Antenna") must maintain from the base and there's also a minimum distance that the outdoor antenna must maintain from the base. I found its sweet spot a bit awkward until I made a makeshift ledge for it. - Optional add-on's that gamers might want to consider like a dedicated range antenna-- a "Yagi"--for example, are upwards of $60+. ***** It's hard to ignore a system like this that offers so much to cellphone and mobile internet users for a home-based business as well as a small office environment. The kit is relatively compact, easy to install and has few parts to be concerned with. Durability should be a consideration as there's only a 1-year limited warranty. And, with a retail price of $300, replacement costs can be unnerving under the wrong circumstances. The other side is also true, customer service and tech support are extremely helpful and should allay most fears when it comes to their products and installation. I can easily see this product (and some of their other products, for that matter) increasing personal and professional productivity in a number of different scenarios. That, in my opinion, makes Wilson's Cellular Signal Booster a good investment. 4 ½ stars.