I live on a lake down in a hole. If I walk to the top of my driveway I can use my phone, even my laptop data card. In my house I have zero signal. I have seen a couple of devices that claim to work but at the cost, I am skeptical. Any recommendations?

Signal boosters are just that, boosters of what signal is already there. If you don't have any signal at all, you won't be able to amplify it either. If you know the general direction of the nearest tower, and the roof of your house is a place that picks up a little bit of signal, then you can use a Yagi directional antenna ( Yagi antenna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) to bring the signal down into your house. Things that don't work are those stupid stickers you put over your battery case or antenna to supposedly "boost" your signal. You may as well put that money in your 401k; in either case you're throwing it away.

Another option would be to purchase a used booster on eBay. Many times, the best boosters are the ones that work in your automobile, though, because if you're constantly on the road, you're more likely to find even faint signals. Also, you could talk to a rep at any of the companies and see if they offer any kind of return policy. You could hook one up, and if it works, keep it.

I've heard good things about Wilson
Cell Phone Antennas and Cell Phone Boosters at Wilson Electronics

Lastly, you could try different cellular carriers there, if you haven't already. See if any of your friends get better reception at your house than you do. If all else fails, most cellular companies now offer a no-penalty 30-day trial period whenever you buy a phone, so you can try it where you need it to work. All of them must now offer wireless number portability, so you can take your number with you if you so desire.


Good luck!
Josh