To calculate how large an area of improved cellular coverage you should expect, you'll need:

1. Cellular Frequency your cell phone or cellular data card is receiving from your service provider at your location.
2. Received Signal Strength Level (RSSL)
3. Length and type of Coax Cable used
4. Cellular Amplifier Gain

Cellular Frequency

Contact your service provider's customer service or one of your service provider's local outlets for help. Many times you'll have to ask for technical support. A knowledgeable, service provider local store employee may be helpful as well. You can also use Wirelessadvisor.com to look up your providers frequency. Also consider a dual band system to cover multiple frequencies for multiple carriers.

Typical Frequencies

• AT&T Wireless - 850MHz or 1900MHz
• BoostMobile - iDen 800MHz
• Cricket - 1900MHz
• Sprint - 1900MHz
• MetroPCS - 1900MHz
• Nextel - iDen 800MHz, iDen 900MHz
• SouthernLinc - iDen 800MHz
• T-Mobile - 1900MHz
• Verizon - 850MHz or 1900MHz

Outside Signal Strength

The best way to get your Received Signal Strength Reading is to put your cell phone into test mode. Although you can estimage coverage area with the number of bars, number of bars is not at all accurate or consistent from phone to phone and service to service.  3 bars on one phone may be much weaker a signal than 3 bars on another phone. Take this reading outside the building preferably at a location where you can mount an outside antenna such as the roof on the same side of your building your service provider's tower may be. Use the pdf document "Standard Phone Test Modes " which has instructions for putting a cell phone into test mode and reading Received Signal strength. If your mobile phone is not listed in this document or you need additional help getting a RSSL reading, contact Wilson Electronics tech support for help at 866-294-6996. If you have a mobile broadband data card, the software will indicate signal strength either on the main screen or there's a menu option somewhere else.

Internet Data Cards

The cellular frequency being used may not be the same on both a data card and a cell phone. For example, your cell phone may be using 850MHz and your data card may be using 1900MHz in the same area with the same service provider. You won't be able to put some phones into test mode including many GSM phones from AT&T and T-Mobile. If a phone that can be put into test mode is not available, you can estimate signal strength by the number of bars of signal on a phone however, this method is not very accurate.

Signal Reading

Signal strength, measured in decibels (dB), is expressed as a negative number. On certain phones, the number may show as positive in test mode. In such cases, convert it to negative. For example, 60 dB is actually -60 dB. The higher the number, the stronger the signal. Thus, -60 dB is a stronger signal than -75 dB. A -100db is very weak signal. Contact Wilson Electronics Technical Support Department at 866-294-1660 if you have questions, or if you need assistance with the test mode of your cell phone.

If you can't put your phone into test mode, you can use the following as a guide with a limited amount of accuracy. Remember, getting a phone you can put into test mode is always best.

AT&T
    o   1 bar   -101db
    o   2 bars  -100db
    o   3 bars  -99db
    o   4 bars  -98db
    o   5 bars – can be anywhere from -50db up to -97db

Verizon and Sprint
    o   2 bars -90 or better
    o   Full bars -85 and up

Less than 3 bars of service usually means you will not get much coverage area with any amplifier. You'll have to stand next to or put your device right on the inside antenna to get cellular signal improvement.

Antenna & Cable

• Decide on which outside and inside(s) antennas you will be using. Directional antennas have higher gains and typically perform better but must be pointed at your service provider's nearest tower.
• Estimate where you will locate the outside antenna, amplifier/repeater (located near an AC outlet) and inside antennas.
• Calculate the cable lengths required to connect the outside antenna with the amplifier/repeater.

Concrete or metal interior walls will block the signal transmitted by inside antennas so determine if additional inside antennas and a splitter might be required. Sheet rock and studs (wood or metal) should not effect signal much if any. Calculate the cable lengths required to connect the inside antennas (and splitters if required) to the amplifier/repeater.

Calculate Coverage Area

Using the formula:

Improved Signal Strength Distance = Amp Gain + RSSL + Cable Factor + Splitter Factor + Antenna Factor

"Finding Coverage Area For Wilson Amplifier / Repeaters" calculator to determines approximate coverage area (distance from interior antenna(s). Cable, Splitter and Antenna factors. Use this guide to determine estimated coverage area using Wilson amplifier / repeaters. It provides the formula for estimating coverage considering factors such as Received Signal strength outside of building, length and type of cable, antenna type and splitters used.

More Help?

Once you've gathered the information above, we can better help design a system that's right for you. Feel free to Contact us if you have questions or need additional help calculating coverage area.