Posted by Sharon Taylor on 10/7/07 8:22am
Msg #215311

Cell phone reception boosters - here's a website

This site was given to me by the tech guy at Verizon, who said he could not recommend it officially as a Verizon rep, but he had heard good reports from quite a few customers who had purchased from the site.
Go to www.wilsonelectronics.com for cell phone reception boosters.
I plan to call them this week and see what they recommend to help me with the poor reception at my home.

Reply by Dave_CA on 10/7/07 9:27am
Msg #215318

Here is another

From the cnet review.

The good: The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL significantly boosts your cell phone reception and is easy to operate. Also, it uses a wireless connection to your phone.

The bad: The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL comes with a load of restrictions regarding placement of its various parts.

The bottom line: Though the Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL cell phone signal booster may take some time to set up, it offers exceptional performance.

I have been considering getting this but my new phone seems to be working well. My problem was only inside my house.
I've seen this repeatedly on eBay for a buy now price of $289.99 + $8.95 shipping.

I've read several reviews and the set up does not appear to be that challenging.

Reply by Michael Martin on 10/7/07 9:50am
Msg #215320

I went to wilson electronics web site. I could not find the price of their product. I do know that Radio Shack offers a booster for $10.00. I bought one and it increased my reception in my home from one bar to three. That was sufficient enough to be able to use my phone in my house.

Reply by EastTxNotary on 10/7/07 11:06am
Msg #215324

I, too, suffer from poor reception in my home. My "workaround" was to purchase a Fast Forward service from Cingular (now AT&T). The device was $40 and I get good enough reception to forward calls through this device to my home phone. It cost about $4 p/mo for the service and doesn't use any of my minutes. Since I live outside the Houston metro area, and have a Houston cell phone number, it also allows my family to call me through my cell and not incur LD charges. I love it!

Reply by Dave_CA on 10/7/07 11:16am
Msg #215325

no more FastForward.

I also had this service and loved it.
Unfortunately the device died and they would not replace it.
Their web site now says: "Important note: FastForward enrollment ends December 29, 2006."

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 10/7/07 12:58pm
Msg #215330

Purchase??!!?!?!?!?

I have Cingular, now ATT, and I go to the settings and then the call forward menu of my phone and enter my land line, turn off my phone and presto, it rings in my house with a great connection-- no extra charge. This has worked for me when I travel also. If I am staying with someone, I will sometimes forward it to their home phone if I am not going out for the day and don't want to carry my cell everywhere. It worked in Brownsville and Amarillo Texas. It could be just a California thing, but you may be paying for a service that you don't need to pay for.

Reply by LisaWI on 10/7/07 6:08pm
Msg #215350

Re: Me too.......

I do what Glenn does and foward to my home phone when I am home. We have 2 services here and one isnt any better than the other depending on where you are. Its a toss up.

Reply by EastTxNotary on 10/7/07 6:19pm
Msg #215352

Re: Purchase??!!?!?!?!?

The way I understood the difference between just forwarding calls from my cell and using the Fast Forward is that incoming calls through Fast Forward don't use up my minutes. Maybe that has changed since I first got this plan?

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 10/7/07 8:27pm
Msg #215363

Re: Purchase??!!?!?!?!?

I have so many minutes built up with roll over, it doesn't matter if it does use my minutes ... plus you are paying a monthly charge for the service and paid an initial charge ? Plus if I have to fax back to a fax number that is not a toll free number, I set my phone to forward to that fax back number and avoid paying toll charges with my land line since long distance is included in my cell phone plan.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 10/7/07 7:02pm
Msg #215356

You can also got to GrandCentral.com and get a phone number

that will ring on all of your phones. You just pick up whichever is phone is closest to you, and you can even switch phones in the middle of a call. I've tested it, and it works fine - a little disconcerting when your cell and your home phone are ringing at the same time, but you get used to it quickly.

Best part - basic service is free. I read a couple of months ago that the company was bought out by Google, so I don't think the concept is going to go away anytime soon.

Reply by LarryTN on 10/8/07 10:25am
Msg #215399

Re: You can also got to GrandCentral.com and get a phone number

Some of you Verizon users may not be aware that you can dial *228 and program your cell phone to the local area towers...The call and time is free. Also, if you want to forward your cell phone calls to your home phone (or any other phone) dial *72-555-5555 and redirect your calls. To undo call forwarding just dial *720, and the calls will once again come in on your cell phone. I have been told by Verizon that you will indeed be charged for cell phone minutes if calls to your cell phone go to another phone!