Off Topic: Cellphone signal booster

[Erin]

I know, not 4x4 related at all.

The Vodacom signal in my area has been getting progressively worse over the last year, to the point where my calls keep dropping.

Is a signal booster the answer? I have a reliable and fast fibre connection for data etc, and we dont have loadshedding. I don't want a VOIP line. I've used one here before, and the call quality was terrible. My cellphone contract includes unlimited calls and I can spend up to 5 hours a day on the phone...cellphone battery life is another story.

I've googled signal boosters, and hadn't anticipated how expensive they are.

Any suggestions / recommendations?

A Telkom landline is out of the question...been burned by them before.

[Mad Manny]

Erin, what is MTN and Telkom like in your area?
If better, just port over...

[Erin]

Erin, what is MTN and Telkom like in your area?
If better, just port over...

I'm stuck with Vodacom for another 2 years...have a very competitive unlimited calls contract which only expires beginning of 2025 (R799/month including more data than I ever use). I don't buy phones on contract - rather pay cash.

Telkom (cough...incompetent, thieving bastards, will never see another cent of my money). I'd rather drive 110kms a day to my office in Roodepoort and back, than switch to them.

[jakeslouw]

We have a Vodacom signal booster on the farm. Works like a bomb. But yes, they are pricy............If I recall, VodaSperm charged us around R7k and that was 10 years ago.

[iandvl]

Whilst I grok a log of radio things and tech stuff, I've never dabbled with cellular boosters, so I cannot comment much.

I'd recommend chatting with your cellular service provider first.

Alternatively, chat with somebody at Poynting who are my go-to guys for transmission sort of stuff. https://poynting.tech/. They are based in Midrand.

[Paul#25]

I'd second contacting Poynting. I used one of their antenna for the 4g internet connection I had at one time. I got it second-hand, and it worked perfectly for that purpose.
Their website gave a good idea of which antenna was for each application.

[Mad Manny]

So, to summarise: there are 3 cellular providers, one of them is useless in your area, so you signed a 2 year contract with them because you dont like the other two. Now you are trying to find ways to get the only cellular provider you like to work?

[Erin]

Kind of...except the useless one wasn't useless when I renewed my contract. Their signal has deteriorated since then.

Maybe Vodacom is in financial pooh because of the disounted rates they gave me?

[Circe]

I saw a cell signal booster at 4x4 megaworld.

[Saxj]

Check if your phone supports wi-fi calling. Then your cell phone calls go via your fibre and you don't need to worry about cell reception.