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What is Cellular Amplification?
Cellular amplification is necessary if you find that you, your employees, and your guests are dropping calls and texts while inside your facilities. Whether you run a massive warehouse or operate in a small office building, cellular amplification can help you get the service you need for everyday operations.
If you’re new to the term, you may want to learn more before jumping into these solutions. Amplification systems can be expensive, but they’re definitely worth it if poor cell signal is an everyday occurrence — the potential revenue increase you can expect from increased coverage will far outweigh the installation costs.
In this blog, we’ll go over cellular amplification and how it can benefit your business, but first, let’s talk about the most common reasons for installing a cellular amplification system in your building.
What Can Cause a Poor Cell Signal?
As we mentioned in a previous blog, a study done by the Pew Research Center found that 88% of American adults own a cell phone, out of which 72% said they’ve experienced dropped calls on occasion, with 32% of those adults saying they encounter this issue at least a few times per week.
These numbers indicate a significant need for signal boosting. Still, the issue lies in the general population not knowing much about cellular amplification, which could mean businesses aren’t reaching out to technology companies for installations.
The need for cellular amplification can be traced back to various reasons. There are two main contributing factors when it comes to poor cell phone signals. These are as follows:
- Distance from the closest cell tower: Cell phone carriers use a network of strategically placed cell towers to provide coverage to an area. The idea is that if you’re within this network, your phone will automatically connect to whatever tower is closest at a given moment to provide you with a strong signal.However, as you get closer to the edge of your carrier’s coverage area, you’ll run out of available towers to which your phone can connect, leading to a weak signal. This situation is where you’ll begin to notice dropped calls and texts.
- Obstructions: Every object standing between your phone and the nearest cell phone tower interferes with the cell signal. Geography, such as mountains, hills, and trees, are some of the most considerable obstructions you’ll face, but buildings and the materials used to construct them are another significant interference.
For example, brick, steel, and concrete are excellent materials for constructing a sturdy building, but these materials are infamous for destroying cellular signals. Cell phone towers have difficulty delivering service to larger establishments like malls because of their size and building materials.
Additionally, things that we get to improve our spaces, such as window tint on car windows and radiant barriers in buildings, can interrupt cell signals.
Another factor that could be causing poor signal coverage could do with the population in a given area. Though more providers are addressing this issue, cell towers can only handle so many connections at once before their coverage begins to suffer.
These situations could complicate viable signal-boosting solutions, but it’s always worth speaking to a professional to see if they can help you improve your coverage. While they may not be able to control population density, they can probably find ways to increase the amplification process.
As you can see, it’s hard to avoid every obstruction, so cellular boosting will be the best way to ensure that you are consistently getting good cell coverage.
Defining Cellular Amplification
Cellular amplification, otherwise known as signal boosting, is a technology developed to address the causes of poor cell phone reception. Signal boosting is designed to amplify a weak outside signal and bypass any obstacles in your building to provide a stable inside signal to an area that initially lacked proper coverage.
Most systems work by mounting an outside antenna near a location with a strong and established signal; in most cases, this would be on a roof. The signal passes through the external antenna via cable and makes its way to a signal amplifier inside the building.
Once the signal has been amplified, it’s sent to an inside antenna, where it is then broadcasted out to the area that needs proper reception. It’s worth noting that these systems may also work in reverse, sending a strong signal from your phone to the tower to ensure a solid, two-way communication.
It’s Important to Keep in mind that a signal booster boost’s an existing signal; it does not create one. You should make sure that there is a current signal outside your building. Otherwise, the system will not function correctly, and you may still deal with weak connections.
Can I DIY Cellular Amplification?
Maybe you’ve decided that you’ve had enough of the poor cell coverage in your area, and you’re ready to do something about it. Before you go and buy a complete cellular amplification system online in an attempt to do it yourself, you should know that the process involves a great deal of difficulty. Not only will you have a hard time with the installation, but you’ll have the FCC and virtually every carrier in America on your back for interfering with the cell signals.
It’s always best to get a professional to install these systems. Not only will you avoid the hassles of dealing with the parties mentioned above, but you’ll save yourself lots of time and avoid damaging any of the equipment and your building.
Get Cellular Amplification with Groove Technology Solutions
If you’re ready to ditch those annoying dropped calls, unsent messages, and pesky one-bar signals, give us a call at Groove Technology Solutions. We can set you up with a reliable cellular amplification system so that you can enjoy essential functionality, convenience, and increased satisfaction with your guests and employees alike.
Get in touch with us today for a free quote, learn more about our signal boosting services, and get ready to upgrade your business!
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