Daughter lives in a basement flat and phoning her is a nightmare, reception-wise. Is there such a thing as a signal booster/some sort of ariel thingy to get better connectivity?

What network? She could try something like a Vodafone suresignal box assuming she has broadband.

I have a vodafone suresignal (acts as a tiny cell site in your house) – it’s ace. EE/Orange/T-Mobile used to do something simular but have stopped now… (PITA to intergrate them into the network).

Is there such a thing as a signal booster/some sort of ariel thingy to get better connectivity?

Yes, but whilst legal to sell and own the moment you turn it on you’re breaking the law. As mrblobby correctly states you need a broadband signal generator or Femtocell. Vodafone was the first to market with their SureSignal product but I believe there are others. Check with her mobile provider. Just remember that these are operator specific so once installed don’t go trying to find a different operator when she upgrades her phone.

This.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?199847-cell-phone-signal-boosters

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5039.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.X%22cell+phone+antenna+repeater&_nkw=%22cell+phone+antenna+repeater&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Daughter lives in a basement flat and phoning her is a nightmare, reception-wise.

Ah, that old chestnut. “Sorry dad, I’d love to talk to you, but you know what the signal’s like…” You’ve been had, mate.

(-:

EE do something called a Signal Box, basically the same as Vodafone’s Sure Signal. Works perfectly, though you can’t restrict access so my neighbours have perfect reception too.

If you whine loud enough you might get it for free, otherwise it’s about £100. And worth every penny, IMHO. You can’t tell the call is not via a normal cell tower apart from a high-low-high tone as you dial.

If O2, Tugo? Their flavour of Skype developed for use on the tube (apparently). Install app on phone, runs on broadband, decrements monthly minutes and….works when signal shite. Used it here when the local mast was down for a few weeks.

Robhughes the repeaters they’re discussing (and the one you link to) are Illegal. Even if they weren’t as you can only boost the available signal not much likely to happen in a basement flat. You’d need to locate the receiver where a good signal exists and I doubt there’s much access to the outside world. We’ve payed with active versions of these and success is completely dependant on receiving a strong, clear signal. Otherwise you’re just amplifying rubbish.

EE do something called a Signal Box, basically the same as Vodafone’s Sure Signal. Works perfectly, though you can’t restrict access so my neighbours have perfect reception too.

If you whine loud enough you might get it for free, otherwise it’s about £100.

Best of luck with that, I’ve been told by EE that there’s no way they’ll even allow me to buy one.

They sold me one. Keep trying…

I loved my old house where i didnt get a signal.

Folks had to actually phone me on the house phone.

Great for getting out of on call duty at work.

Although the trade off was i got to live in a scottish glen – not a rabbit warren basement flat

Or it could just be the network where she lives is sh!te (Vodafone where I live is garbage), so may be easier just to try a different provider.
She would need to do a signal check first on each of the providers networks, and zoom in to her locale as Vodafone shows coverage where I live but when you zoom right in on the checker you find there is blackspot over our cul-de-sac where coverage is poor to non existent.

No problems with 3 or O2 though in contrast.

I’ve got a Vodafone Sure Signal – works brilliantly 99% of the time.

Our house has such thick walls reception on any network was a nightmare inside the house before now have a max signal in the house.

Thanks for all that, folks.

Ah, that old chestnut. “Sorry dad, I’d love to talk to you, but you know what the signal’s like…” You’ve been had, mate.

Nah, it’s usually her phoning us for various levels of “help”…..oh, hang on a minute…
She’s on Tesco Mobile, with an iPhone, and has Virgin broadband, btw.