It’s time to look back at two of the markets that Solid Signal has dominated in the past. I decided to combine them into one article. It’s not because they’re really similar in other ways, but it’s because of what I think is the big news of the year.
The year in antennas
There wasn’t a lot of really big news in the world of antennas this year. ATSC 3.0, or NextGEN TV as they want you to call it, continues to have a chilling effect on over-the-air adoption. Too many people think that they will need a different antenna for it, and there still aren’t any low-cost converter boxes available. There are more cities with test broadcasts, but still not 4K broadcasting.
2023 looks to be a better year, at least we can hope. A group calling themselves Pearl TV is hoping to spur the production of low-cost converter boxes. The FCC’s 2017 order allowing for ATSC 3.0 testing expires next summer. It seems like the FCC are asking the same questions you and I are asking, like when will it really be ready and when will TV makers start including the tuners. But that’s a story for another day.
The year in cellular
I’m tempted to say that 2022 was a “more of the same” year for cellular. 5G continued to grow, Apple and Samsung both launched new flagships right on schedule. DISH didn’t conquer the 5G world like they once said they would. There was some movement toward mid-band 5G, but there’s still a question about whether or not it’s going to cause planes to fall out of the sky. (My uninformed opinion: it won’t.)
In the end though, today’s cellular landscape doesn’t look a whole lot different than it at the beginning of the year. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. Cellular is pretty mature at this point and I don’t think we’ll see another life-changing moment in that market anytime soon. We like our phones just as they are and we’re happy to live with getting tiny little changes every year. In a year when not much happens, Apple letting you put a widget on the home screen seems like a big deal. I’m not sure it is, but it seems like it.
What’s the big news?
As far as I’m concerned, the big news all came down in the end of the year. First of all, I’m happy to say that after a long delay, our Xtreme Signal HDB8X and HDB91X are finally back in stock! These have been some of the most popular antennas on the market for close to a decade and we finally have enough to keep up with demand and fill some longstanding backorders. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, check them out at SolidSignal.com. You’ll find they’re a great blend of performance and low price.
The other big news of the year is the launch of our Solid Signal Rover Duo line of cell phone signal boosters. These boosters, powered by weBoost technology, offer something really unique to the market. With one kit you can give great cell signal in two vehicles. The key is the removable amplifier unit that you can take from your car to your RV or truck without having to uninstall the entire unit. Just install the outside and inside antennas, and you can take the super-powered bi-directional amp with you easily. It works perfectly in cars, pickups, SUVs, and all personal forms of transportation. You’ll also find it right at home in your RV or long-haul truck. Solid Signal is the exclusive source for this package and you’ll want to check it out.
Looking forward, not back
I think you’ll agree that we all want to look forward to a 2023 that’s better than 2022, 2021, and 2020 in every possible way. We will hopefully see new over-the-air products and a great mix of cellular products as well. There are some things not too far away that I can’t share with you. Until then…
