We have a rented office with rubbish phone signal. The Vodafone sure signal says you need a home broad band. What other (cheap) options are there as I am sick of sitting on the windowsill to talk.

Only option other than that which actually works is to change networks to one that has good signal where you need it.

You can get bits and pieces you attach to phones that supposedly improve reception, but they are snake oil and do nothing.

Joe

Cheapest solution i found was a bluetooth headset and put the phone by the window.

We have a booster installed in our office. Phones don't work at all when it's not on. No idea how much it cost though, sorry. Its not network specific either.

Oh yeah, you can get mobile repeaters, which is probably what the box described above is – I think they're illegal to run, with hefty fines in the (very unlikely) case that they catch you though.

Joe

we have same problem.. was funny tendering process though, Rep comes in, "ok have you got a signal ? " Answer = "no" then byebye, Answer = "yes" congrats you win !

Oh right, well I'd better not tell anyone where I work then! My boss wouldn't be too happy. Actually on second thoughts. I do like it when the mobile phones don't work and you get some peace and quiet…

Not sure whether it is actually illegal or not, but there is a UK company making and selling mobile phone boosters..

See here.

EDIT: Although looking at the Ofcom site it would appear to be a no-no…

Cellular enhancers / boosters / repeaters

In the UK the use of any radio transmitting device is required to be either licensed or specifically exempted from licensing under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (WT Act 2006). For mobile telephones, the use of the spectrum by the network operators is licensed to cover the use of transmitters and repeaters, while user devices (i.e. handsets) are covered by a general exemption.

Repeater devices transmit or re-transmit in the cellular frequency bands. Only the mobile network operators are licensed to use equipment that transmits in these bands. Installation or use of repeater devices by anyone without a licence is a criminal offence under Section 8 of the WT Act 2006. Any person found guilty of installing or using such devices without a licence would be liable on conviction to a fine of up to £5000 and/or up to 51 weeks’ imprisonment (Six months in Scotland and Northern Ireland)

Anyone wishing to improve coverage in a particular area is advised to contact their network provider.

Mob-Dev are based round the corner from me.
They're reasonably priced, but you can buy broadly the same things from ebay for ~60% of the cost. Cheapest route to get one worked out at about £125 for antenna, cable run & internal repeater unit.

You need to decide if you want one that does every network, or just one of the two main GSM frequencies. One that sorts out the 3G signal too is more money as well.

As said above, they're illegal to operate in the UK without a license as they are repeaters. I very very much doubt that you'd get caught out though.
I didn't bother in the end, and instead changed to a network that did give reception where I needed it – are you sure none of the networks give reception in your office?

Unless your phone has an external antenna socket, there aren't any other options apart from the SureSignal boxes.
Drop me an email if you want any info.

http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/lg-gt505

home signal boosting

Everyone knows someone with a patchy signal at home. At Orange, we've done something about it by adding UMA technology to our network and some of our phones.
what is UMA technology?

UMA links your mobile phone with your wireless broadband, boosting your signal at home. No more conversations leaning out the kitchen window, no more texts sent from the garden.
it's easy to set up

Just switch on your broadband and activate UMA in your phone. The clever technology automatically senses whenever your phone is within range of your Wifi and connects you.

Just buy a DAS / Booster kit eg http://mobilesignalbooster.co.uk/

Technically illegal but no one will ever detect it / or cares in the slightest (I work in the industry and if I had crap coverage in my house, I'd install one without a 2nd thought).

Sure Signal can be used on office broadband too, I have one at home and was well pissed of with it. It just kept rebooting, turns out it was trying to update the firmware right at a time they were all being updated. Once it did that, took over a week, it’s worked like a dream full signal through out the house rather than zero or weak.

Drac – surely helpisphere is spam!?

Suresignal will work on any broadband, it just needs a fast enough network connection.
It is not a signal booster though, it is a proper 3G phone cell, so completely agnostic to phone type, unlike UMA.
It is Vodafone only at the moment though and will only work with phones that you register to it, but if its the same people in the office all the time then that should not matter.

I’d be interested to know who racing_ralph works for, because his post looks awfully like an advert for his employer to me, text C’n’P’d from sales blurb. Personally, I will never go back to Orange after getting endless cold calls to upgrade my handset and contract; even after I’d moved to O2 I was getting them for nearly two years, because I took my number with me. I’ve never had a cold call from O2, which makes me happy. I do use Orange Wednesdays, tho’…

Well spotted Crispo Ta.