Street Cents

Cell phone antenna boosters

Street Cents finds out "As seen on TV" cell-phone antenna boosters are Fit for the Pit! because they're basically a really expensive sticker that does nothing to boost your phone's reception.

Viewer Letter

Hi Street Cents!

Are cell-phone antenna boosters for real?

I just got a cell-phone and the reception is not very good in buildings and houses. I've heard of Cell Phone Antenna Boosters and am wondering if these are for real? I've read so much about it but I don't know anyone who has one.

Thanks,
John

Street Cents Response

Street Cents got a hold of a couple different cell phone antenna boosters.

They cost anywhere from $9.99 to $20.00 and they claim to reduce static and increase your reception in elevators, tunnels, and hallways. It says on the package "it's like having a four foot antenna on your phone."

Street Cents put them to the test.

We tried out the boosters in an underground parking garage, a tunnel and an elevator. The boosters didn't boost reception at all.

After the failed field test, we took the boosters into the lab. Street Cents conducted two scientific tests. We wanted to see if there was any conductive material in the boosters. In order to work as an antenna, they would need to contain metal.

Both tests showed conclusively that the antenna boosters didn't conduct electricity.

Next we talked to cell phone experts at Nokia, Motorola and Bell. They all say these antenna boosters are useless.

They say in order for the antenna booster to work, it would have to be physically touching the antenna on the phone, and it's not.

Health Canada sets strict guidelines for radio frequency levels. So all cell-phone companies must be careful how much signal strength they produce. All the experts Street Cents talked to said cell phones are optimized for performance and you can't boost your signal.

Street Cents was unable to contact the companies that make the boosters because the packaging contains no company information.

original air date: November 11, 2002

Page 1: Viewer letter and Street Cents response

Back: to Episode 04

How do you increase your cell-phone power?

experts Street Cents talked to say the only way to increase your cell phone's power is to be close to the tower

they say sometimes when you're indoors, moving closer to a window will help

when in a car, you may have to stop and get out of the car in order to get better reception