Can a cell booster cause a nearby tower to explode?

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Here’s a fact I hate to keep repeating. In a normal day, 95% of people will encounter poor cell service at some point. Maybe it’s at work. Maybe it’s at home, or in the car. Cell service is very reliable but it’s easily blocked by some building materials. There’s nothing much you can do about that…

…or is there?

You might have heard of cellular signal boosters. (That’s probably why you’re reading this article.) They take cell signals from outside and pipe them inside even stronger. They can take your home or office from one bar to five bars, stop congestion on your office Wi-Fi, and keep you connected wherever you are.

Some folks don’t trust cell boosters, though. They’ve heard they don’t really work. They’ve even heard that they’re dangerous, that they can overload and when they do they’ll take down cell service in an entire area.

That’s just another old wives’ tale.

There was a time when a residential cell booster actually posed a real threat to cell towers. When cell boosters first came on the market, they actually had the ability to set up a feedback loop that could overload a nearby cell tower. However, those days have passed, long ago. The very first boosters on the market did have the potential to create overloads. Notice that I say potential. There were never more than a handful of problems ever reported and all of them were extremely local.

The way things are today

All the cell boosters sold since 2014 by Solid Signal, including our weBoost, WilsonPro, and other lines, have feedback prevention electronics. Feedback prevention is required by law for cell boosters. It’s part of the process of certifying them. If a cell booster begins to feed back, overload, or have any problem at all, it can reduce power in under 1/30th of a second. This will stop any problems before they get to the tower.

Every booster sold today has this circuitry. It means you don’t have to worry if cell service is upgraded in your area, or if reception conditions change. The booster has it all covered. There’s nothing for you to do but install it and enjoy better cell service wherever you are.

Get the cell booster you need

The simple fact is, a cell booster is a harmless way for you to get better cell signal indoors and poses no more threat to the cell towers than your phone does. It can improve your call quality and data speeds. Cell boosters work in small vehicles and 100,000 square foot buildings. They can be installed by practically any DIYer or contractor. Solid Signal can even help you choose the right booster or plan the large installation you need.

When you’re ready to put reception problems behind you, shop for cellular signal boosters at Solid Signal, or call the experts in our 100% US-based call center. We’re here for you at 888-233-7563 during East Coast office hours. If it’s after hours, fill in the form below and one of our staffers will get back to you. It generally takes less than one business day.

In the meantime, put your mind at ease. A cell booster isn’t going to destroy the whole cell network. It’s only going to help you get the service you deserve.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.