Private 3g hub

[l'ordinary bonville]

Anybody doing this?

We have wifi around 2 farms but it is so hit and miss, especially inside insulated buildings.

To improve it could end up very expensive.

I end up relying on 3g off the phone for computer stuff and using teamviewer to get back to desktops from my mobile.

Also getting hold off staff sometimes tricky if their phone out of range.

Trawling the net I came across companies that link your main telephone/broadband to a private gsm system that has better range than wifi and allows all phones using it to talk and text FOC. Also still works internally if the outside internet is down.

They even appear to use it for CCTV

 

[Dukes Fit]

Would a signal booster not do the same job? Omni directional antenna boosting whatever frequency you need.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Would a signal booster not do the same job? Omni directional antenna boosting whatever frequency you need.

Had one years ago. They don't work well at all and aren't really legal with Ofcom. I'd avoid.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Trawling the net I came across companies that link your main telephone/broadband to a private gsm system that has better range than wifi and allows all phones using it to talk and text FOC. Also still works internally if the outside internet is down.

Got any links? Can't imagine how they'd get around the various spectrum licensing laws.

 

[Dukes Fit]

Had one years ago. They don't work well at all and aren't really legal with Ofcom. I'd avoid.

Yes technically anything boosting/broadcasting a signal without license isn't legal but they don't seem to mind the phone companies dishing them out for free.

The ones I've seen and used have worked really well

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Yes technically anything boosting/broadcasting a signal without license isn't legal but they don't seem to mind the phone companies dishing them out for free.

The ones I've seen and used have worked really well

No the mobile phone company issued "femto cells" are completely different beasts. They plug in to your internet and use that to 'backhaul' the calls to and from their network. They are extremely low RF power, with a usable distance in the 10's of metres from the unit, and comply with all the relevant Ofcom regs.

As opposed to... well I can't name the companies outright, as I'd probably land TFF in hot water, but there are places in the UK that are selling mobile "boosters" that are basically an omni-antenna, that you stick up somewhere high to grab the mobile signal, which is then linked by coax to an amplifier which then retransmit the signal to an internal patch antenna. Having used them, back in 2008/9 basically they are expensive crap

 

[Dukes Fit]

I think the one you are referring to is the "business box" that O2 supply.

Vodafone sent ones out that were signal boosters. No internet connection at all.

The ones I've seen (and had) were as you say, a yagi antenna hooked to an amp then to an external omni directional antenna. Gave very good boosting and coverage. The internal one you mention would be suited more just for boosting it in your house