Humphrey Cheung
February 17, 2006 12:19
Westlake Village (CA) - Can you hear me now? Most of the time,
most likely. But dropped cellphone calls and insufficient
signal reception in certain areas are still a reality we are
used to live with. For those cases when a weak signal is just
not enough, there is now a company that promises a "personal
cell phone tower" to enable cellphone calls in areas
with little or no carrier coverage.
SignalWide, based in Newbury Park, Calif., said it will soon
be offering a variety of signal booster units that are designed
either for individual users, workgroups or complete offices
or departments. Different models called the ClickitBase, DriveBase
and WorkBase can handle from one to 68 users and both cellular
and EVDO signals can be boosted by as much as 70 dB. The single-user
devices are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand,
while multi-user models are about the size of a Wi-Fi router.
The SignalWide system includes a base station, an external
antenna and either a 12-volt DC or AC power adapter. Outgoing
phone signals hit the SignalWide antenna and then are retransmitted
out of a building. The opposite happens for incoming signals.
In the one-user version called the ClickitBase, the phone
must be physically connected to the unit with a small cable
that hooks into the external antenna port of your phone. According
to Baron Miller, co-founder of SignalWide, this is the "toughest
part" of the whole system as every phone comes with a
proprietary connector. The multiple user models are wireless.
SignalWide's website says that the one-user ClickitBase has
30 dB of amplification, while the 60-user model offers 70
dB. Miller did not provide exact specifics on how much call
quality and signal reception will get when a signal booster
is used, but mentioned: "If you are dropping calls now,
you should be able to get calls with the unit." In addition
to getting a better signal, Miller claims that the phone will
use less power and emit less radiation because the signal
now only needs to reach the SignalWide unit instead and not
a cellular phone tower. Modern phones actually ramp up antenna
power as the signal gets weaker.
Miller said that SignalWide worked with Motorola to develop
the technology and is actually licensing some of the firm's
patents.
In addition to personal uses, he told us that companies could
install these for community safety reasons. "Shopping
malls could install these in their underground lots that usually
don't get great cell phone coverage," says Miller.
Miller expects all units to be available in April for prices
that range from $229 for the one-user version to $999 for
the 68 user model.
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