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08/05/10, 01:46 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Southeast MO
Posts: 858
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need cell phone reception help
Here is the problem. Inside the house you can't make/receive calls. According to a map of where the closest tower is located, the metal double garage is in the way. You can go out in yard about 10 feet from garage and make/receive calls, still not the best signal though.
DSL is supposed to be available soon in this area. I would like to do away with the landline bill that I have now for phone/internet (monsters.com). I would still get the DSL through AT&T for $19.95 a month. Then I could add a line to DHs' cell plan but I have to be able to use my cell in the house. I figure we could save $25-30 a month.
Our roof is asphalt shingles so that's not the problem. Can any one tell me the least expensive solution to get "around" the garage?
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08/05/10, 02:13 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: MS
Posts: 24,572
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Leave the garage door open, or remove it?
BTW...we have DSL and cellphone service through AT&T. We got rid of our landline. DSL is great, but our cellphone service is spotty and seems to be worse now than when we first switched to AT&T (not our choice to switch...we had Cingular and AT&T bought them out).
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08/05/10, 02:27 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Southeast MO
Posts: 858
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Lol
Opening/removing doors won't make a difference. It is the body of the whole large building that is causing the problem (I call it in the line of sight). This is a 2 car metal home built building with a dropdown area for the rv then an attached wood shop on the end. Just guessing I'd say 30x60 and approx.16-20 feet tall.
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08/05/10, 02:47 PM
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Happy Scrounger
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Central Wisconsin
Posts: 13,635
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We're in sort of the same boat. We have weak reception at the farm, anyway, but inside the apartment/barn..nothing. (metal pole barn). I think I read an article about an amplifier that was an antenna outside, with a kind of cylindrical amplifier inside...but I'll be darned if I can find it again.
Maybe someone else will have a clue.
__________________
"A good photograph is knowing where to stand. ” - Ansel Adams
 (and a lot of luck - Wisconsin Ann)
Rabbits anyone? RabbitTalk.com
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08/05/10, 04:33 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,490
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http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...howFullReviews
This has an antenna that goes on the roof, coax cable that comes into the house to the base unit, and then your cell phone works. 
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Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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08/05/10, 05:26 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 12,667
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Quote:
Originally Posted by homebody
DSL is supposed to be available soon in this area. I would like to do away with the landline bill that I have now for phone/internet (monsters.com). I would still get the DSL through AT&T for $19.95 a month. Then I could add a line to DHs' cell plan but I have to be able to use my cell in the house. I figure we could save $25-30 a month.
Our roof is asphalt shingles so that's not the problem. Can any one tell me the least expensive solution to get "around" the garage?
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You could try mounting an old TV antenna on the roof of the garage. It may reflect the signal enough to get a better signal.
BTW, the $19.95 AT&T DLS plan requires a monthly land line purchase and goes up to $40/mo after a year. You'd be llooking a $70+ per month, after 12 mos.
http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=6431
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08/05/10, 05:36 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,408
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Several years ago when I was with Alltell I couldn't get reception inside the house. We live in an all metal trailer house. (think the long long trailer with Luciele Ball) Alltell told me there was nothing they could do. I dropped them and went with Net10, pay as you go. At least I would only be out 30. something dollars the first month without a contract. I've been with them now I have over 800 minutes on it now.
__________________
A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.
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08/06/10, 01:24 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Arizona - Zone 5, 5b, 6
Posts: 1,195
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO
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I agree with Alice on this one, our place in the boondocks, mountains/woods/huge cell tower gaps, has lousy reception, almost all the cell stores up here carry this or something similar. We asked around and most folks have these and are happy to have it. Some even have them running off small solar setups on 30' towers or poles rigged up, pretty slick.
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08/06/10, 11:28 AM
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Brenda Groth
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 7,817
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signal booster antenna
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08/06/10, 12:06 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone 9b, Lake Harney, Central FL
Posts: 4,898
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Same problem here....metal roof plus steel barn building. I had dropped AT&T land line when they kept upping the monthly bills using surcharges, taxes, etc.
So I went with AT&T Mobility aircard...$72/month...but great reception for friend's laptop. It works even when Dish network and box TV doesn't and can go on road trips, too.
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08/06/10, 12:15 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Piedmont Central Virginia
Posts: 641
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I don't know if this helps, but I wanted a blackberry curve when only AT&T had them so I switched to AT&T. They advertise they have more bars than anyone, right? Well, it's more bars in Europe or wherever. Their coverage simply did not extend to my land, although their coverage map indicated it did. If you look on the internet, there are maps of the different companies's coverages. And aren't there two kinds, one that triangulates from towers and one which bounces off satellites? Perhaps you could switch to a satellite kind? I switched to US Cellular. Apparently they have some kind of franchise. They are the only cell service which provides adequate signal for me.
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08/06/10, 01:47 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 2,280
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Call these guys and explain your situation...
http://www.wilsonelectronics.com////Products.php?Type=B
They have high quality antenna and booster system that will give you excellent cell coverage in your house, and you can then use the cell for internet and drop your land line totally.
They seem to be a good company to work with as well, I have bought limited gear from them but it has been good quality gear.
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08/06/10, 03:30 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 12,667
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Navotifarm
I don't know if this helps, but I wanted a blackberry curve when only AT&T had them so I switched to AT&T. They advertise they have more bars than anyone, right? Well, it's more bars in Europe or wherever. Their coverage simply did not extend to my land, although their coverage map indicated it did. If you look on the internet, there are maps of the different companies's coverages. And aren't there two kinds, one that triangulates from towers and one which bounces off satellites? Perhaps you could switch to a satellite kind? I switched to US Cellular. Apparently they have some kind of franchise. They are the only cell service which provides adequate signal for me.
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AT&T has the worst rural signal coverage, of any cell carrier, we have ever used, which is most of them.
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08/06/10, 03:42 PM
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Appalachian American
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SW VA
Posts: 10,637
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When you get DSL, Verizon has a network extender that plugs into your DSL and acts as a cell tower in your home. The box is about the size of a router, and there are only two cables to connect (power and data cable) We had absolutely no signal at home, and now we have 3 bars. It runs about $200, with no monthly fees. The setup is simple, and it works great.
http://support.vzw.com/information/n..._extender.html
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