[LINK] Telstra now admits booster useful - $720 useful

[Tom Worthington]

On 06/07/12 19:24, Ivan Trundle wrote:

> ...which is fine so long as you get a signal in the first place. My
> second mansion is not big enough to stretch the 1km to a place with a
> good signal ...

Telstra have a 'Blue Tick' symbol on Next G phones which have longer 
range, as well as suggesting use of an external antenna: 
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/coverage-networks/our-coverage/maximise-coverage/

There are small antennas for less than $50 which plug into the socket on 
the phone used for a car antenna. I have one of these which fits my 
mobile phone and 3G wireless modem. This type of antenna should get you 
a few extra km: 
http://blog.tomw.net.au/2009/03/external-3g-data-card-antenna.html

You can buy larger, higher gain, directional antennas. The longest range 
ones look like a TV antenna and mount on a pole above the house. These 
should extend the NexT G range tens, or under ideal conditions, hundreds 
of km.

There are an assortment of antennas at: 
http://www.citytechnology.com.au/microbeam/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=36

You may be able to connect a directional antenna on the roof, to an 
omni-directional one indoors, to boost the signal without a plug on the 
phone, or using any electronics.

ps: The NBN terrestrial wireless system uses simialr antennas to mobile 
phones.


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
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Adjunct Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science,
Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/