Beware of Bargain Basement Cell Boosters!

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You’re tired of dropped calls and missed texts but you don’t want to spend a lot of money to fix it. We already know where this is going. In your desperate bid to save money, you turn to some questionable online source to find a cell phone booster. You’re hoping it will miraculously solve all your connection issues for the cost of a supersized meal from your favorite fast food joint. Let me just tell you know: this is a horrible idea. Need reasons? Well, for one thing, you’d be violating FCC rules the moment you plug in that awesome budget cellular signal booster.

Cheaper is Never Better

Okay, we all know the online sources that sell things on the cheap. Some of these sites are portals to overseas electronics products manufacturers while others are marketplaces for used goods. These are not the best place to buy cell phone boosters. Look, you might have to rely on your cell phone booster to make an emergency call someday. Do you really want to trust the health and well-being of your family to the lowest bidder? I know I don’t!

Cell Phone Boosters are Regulated by the FCC

It makes sense when you think about it. These devices enhance cellular communications and operate over the air, which all falls within the agency’s wheelhouse. Because the FCC regulates these devices, folks like you and me have to register your signal boosters with at least one cell carrier after we buy it. This could become a problem if you buy your cell phone booster system from a second-hand or foreign source because:

  • People on consumer-to-consumer e-commerce sites probably won’t tell you about the FCC’s requirement.
  • Most foreign e-commerce companies only follow the laws they have to in order to sell goods in the US.
  • You can’t trust everyone who sells products on that popular classified advertisements website either.

So, let’s say you say “Stuff it, Buckler!” and buy a signal booster from one of these sites. And if you don’t register it with the cell carrier, it probably won’t be a big deal until it is. Are you confused yet? I was too until I dug deeper into the reason why it’s important for all of us to register our cell phone signal boosters. And no, it’s not a nefarious government plot to track your movements and record your calls.

Registering our cell phone boosters helps wireless carriers plan their cellular phone tower strategy. Here’s the deal, cell boosters put stress on these towers. Registering these devices lets your wireless carrier know how many callers are tapping into one particular tower. If the demand on that tower gets too high, they’ll put up another one in the area. So, registering your booster leads to you getting better cell phone coverage!

No, That Won’t Work, Either!

Yeah, I already know what you’re thinking so that’s why I said it. It’s almost like I can read your mind. You said, “Well, I’ll just buy a cell booster off a discount site then register it.” Sure, that sounds like a great plan… except for these three major problems:

  1. You don’t know who to register it with or how to do that.
  2. There’s no guarantee that Craig’s List cell booster even works. (Good luck getting a refund if it doesn’t!)
  3. Unless you’re an expert, you won’t know you’re getting the right signal booster. (Hint: cellular phone booster experts don’t get their equipment from eBay. Just saying.)

These and other reasons are why buying some cut-rate cell signal booster from a possibly shady website is a bad idea. (You’ve been warned!) And speaking of warnings, here’s another one for you…

… You Could Ruin it for Everyone!

Remember when I said that cell boosters put some strain on nearby cell towers? Well, imagine what would happen if a bunch of unregistered boosters are tapping into one lone tower? Your unregistered booster could be the straw the breaks that proverbial camel’s back. What would happen? Well, the booster would overload and your cell phone would freeze up. That’s not the worst of it, though.

Too much strain on one cellular tower could end up taking that tower out! This means a loss of cell phone service for you and your entire neighborhood. Now, chances are no one will know it was you; but, if they did, it could be bad. You know how touchy people can get when they lose cell service, right? Well, if they knew you did that to them, you could be facing the wrath of angry villagers armed with torches and pitchforks. (Hey! It could happen.)

How to Get a Cell Phone Booster…

… Call Solid Signal. Seriously, it’s that easy. We carry a wide variety of signal boosters from weBoost and Wilson. (Solid Signal also carries signal boosters by Surecall, Hiboost, Smoothtalker, and Uniden.) All of these products are FCC-approved and have auto gain control and anti-feedback technology. These features enhance the quality of each boosted call, text, and download. In other words, these are reliable, high-quality cell phone boosters, not some cheap trinket from a bargain site.

Now, anyone and everyone will tell you that they have the best selection of cell boosters. Our call center is staffed by experts who know which cell booster is right for your business, home, or vehicle. (They also know which ones are best for cars, trucks, and SUVs, as well as big rigs, boats, and RVs.) If you need an expert product recommendation, just call us at 888-233-7563, or fill out the form below and send it our way.

About the Author

Jake Buckler
Jake Buckler is a cord-cutter, consumer electronics geek, and Celtic folk music fan. Those qualities, and his writing experience, helped him land a copywriting gig at Signal Group, LLC. He also contributes to The Solid Signal Blog.