# Cell Phone Boosters

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 25, 2002, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955 "2002-03-25T04:46:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955/1 "2002-03-25T04:46:17Z")

</div>

I need to improve my cell phone reception. I use my cell phone as my home phone as well and to my chagrin, I only get 2 bars on average, pretty weak signal. I don’t use the phone much because of it. I’d like to improve the strength somehow. Has anyone used one of those little stickers that go on the back of the phone under the battery? I’d like to know how well it works before I make an unreturnable mistake.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955/2 "2002-03-25T15:48:51Z")

</div>

I’ve looked into cell phone boosters, and there was a [GQ thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=70449) about them awhile back. As far as I’ve been able to determine, they’re worthless.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955/3 "2002-03-25T23:38:48Z")

</div>

Anecdotal, but a friend of mine bought one and said it did absolutely nothing but lighten his wallet. He was using it to try to boost reception from his condo in the mountains outside of Denver, so maybe it would make a difference depending upon the location and how it is used.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955/4 "2002-03-27T15:11:59Z")

</div>

There are three things you can do to improve your cell phone reception: Buy a better phone, or change your service provider, or both.

Putting a foil sticker behind your battery won’t do a thing for you - it won’t even be connected in any way to the transmitter or receiver in the phone. Don’t waste your money.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ReillyDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@ReillyDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReillyDog)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-boosters/99955/5 "2002-03-27T15:48:31Z")

</div>

from personal experience, I can tell you that they’re worthless. :mad: