We are at a job in the White Mountains at 9,200 ft. elevation until the end of September. The cell phone signal is poor at best. Can text, no internet on my personal hotspot. We are looking into boosters. We each have an iPhone 5s and a 4s. Anyone out there have any suggestions for cell phone/internet reception in remote areas? Thanks in advance!

I like the Wilson brand of amps, I have a Wilson Sleek and am amazed how well it works. I have used it inside buildings at work and out in the boonies. They have cradle based amps that will work for a single phone or hotspot, they are cheaper and more portable. They also have hotspots that will allow multiple devices to connect, they cost more but allow more flexibility with a permanent install. Depending on what type and if you want 3G to LTE you can find one from about $100 to $500. The situation you describe sounds ideal for an amp, having a signal but one that is not strong enough to be practical.

DW's Apple does not get a signal when my Android gets good reception. Lots of online retailers like Solid Signal offer a variety of amplifiers. I bought one three years ago and with its external antenna it boosts the signal well.

Another vote for Wilson Sleek. We have had good success with ours.

Your time for buying Wilson products is running short. They changed their name to WeBoost. Still good products with a price increase. The Wilson Sleek can boost one device at a time. With Verizon I average 18db gain. Since you can text it sounds like your current signal is about 105db. Best case scenario the Sleek would get you near 87db. When discussing 3G, anything below 91db is great. I also have two multi device Wilson boosters. They work great in a vehicle. They do have their drawbacks in an RV. The specific unit I have has an indoor antenna with a range of 5ft. The closer the device, the better it works. 6" and under distance between devices I have seen 35db gain. The unit I have is good to four devices. They also sell other units that have an indoor antenna capable of lighting up an entire room. Both units I've mentioned ship with 4" rubber antenna. The rubber antenna has very little gain. It also does very little to harm signal. Wilson sells bigger, better antennas. However, you will have to be very specific with your exact needs. The bigger antennas might hurt 1x, 3g or 4g signal. They may help Verizon 4g, but, hurt AT&T 3g. All antennas have a trade off. Antenna placement is not supposed to matter too much. It does. I've found middle of my truck and Jeep hood provides the best signal. Not sure about your RV. The 4" rubber antenna can boost off a can of chili for its ground reference. Some metals are better than others. I carry an emergency sheet of roof flashing (small). The higher you can get the antenna is better. Outside the vehicle/RV is also preferred. If you have any specific model questions Wilson (now WeBoost) has great customer service. As mentioned in previous comment. Some phones have stronger signal than others. I've found most Motorolas and new Samsung devices have great signal strength. There are exceptions. Not all cell towers are created equal. Some tower power outputs are turned down. Some towers provide great signal with very low speed. I've seen other towers with low signal output and very fast internet speed. Some towers do not respond well to VPN's. 50db - Perfect signal 87db - Still decent92db - Expect 3g speed to decrease96db - Losing data connection, calls/text ok 101db- Call quality severely diminished, text probably ok105db - Reaching the upper limit of text110db - Might receive a text, usually can't send one120db - No signal. Wilson SleekWilson Mobile Pro 4g

How do you measure db gain? Iphone only has 5 dots.

Cell phone signal | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 28, 2015
Dog Trainer wrote:
I am sorry for the comment I am about to make but, has anyone thought of just turning the cell phone off and going camping without it.
That's ok. Someone always has to say it.
PghBob
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Dog Trainer wrote:
I am sorry for the comment I am about to make but, has anyone thought of just turning the cell phone off and going camping without it. What in the world is so important nowadays that we are in a tizzy over whether we will have cell phone reception or not. I guess it is just the times e live in I don't know how I made back before all the gadgets took over.

I don't mean to get in your face about this comment because I know what you are saying and agree to some point. But, I can give you a first-hand reason for the phone. Last summer, DW and I started out on our much planned trip in the RV. Four hours in to the trip, DW had a first ever seizure. I was able to pull off the interstate and call 911 and the response was immediate. Given the underlying reason for the seizure, which I won't go in to, it could have been fatal if we didn't have the phone and the response. There are times when technology is essential.
pappcam
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Dog Trainer wrote:
I am sorry for the comment I am about to make but, has anyone thought of just turning the cell phone off and going camping without it. What in the world is so important nowadays that we are in a tizzy over whether we will have cell phone reception or not. I guess it is just the times e live in I don't know how I made back before all the gadgets took over.

Darn that useless technology and the advancement of mankind...
scrubjaysnest
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Wilson Sleek, lay the hotspot in the cradle and the cell next to it both will work at the same time. The cell will have to be on speaker.
Dog_Trainer
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Sorry my bad I did not see that you were at a job site
sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
http://www.amazon.com/Wilson-Electronics-Dual-Band-Connector/dp/B0018PS4O0/ref=pd_sim_e_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1QH3S4MT1YPE7A2SVFKY

http://www.alternativewireless.com/wilson-window-mount-for-magnetic-antennas.html?gclid=CLDXqb-dmMUCFSZo7AodcgwARA
sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Wilson Sleek with suction cup window mount and taller antenna.
wcjeep
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
OP is on a job location of some sort.

I have used my boosters to assist with medical problems miles beyond normal cell range. I've used them to assist others with family emergencies, chase down car parts and arrange transportation. One time we found two well trained/fed hunting dogs. With my cell booster we were able to locate the owners while we were miles from cell phone range.
Dog_Trainer
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
I am sorry for the comment I am about to make but, has anyone thought of just turning the cell phone off and going camping without it. What in the world is so important nowadays that we are in a tizzy over whether we will have cell phone reception or not. I guess it is just the times e live in I don't know how I made back before all the gadgets took over.
kellygirl6767
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Thanks all for your input!

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