Field note · Australia
Signal Booster for Home: What to Look For
A practical guide to choosing coverage, bands and antenna placement for a home.
Short answer
For a home signal booster, start with the strongest usable outdoor signal and the floor area that needs improvement. Choose a kit covering your network bands, then place the outdoor antenna where it can receive signal and the indoor antenna where people need coverage.
A home reception check
Walk around the property with Wi-Fi turned off and test calls and data at several outside points. Repeat the test at windows and in rooms where service is poor. Note the phone model, provider and time. Compare the observations with the carrier's coverage information, while remembering that a coverage map cannot describe every indoor room.
Ask the carrier whether there is a known service issue and which solutions it supports for your address. Wi-Fi Calling may suit calls where the carrier, phone and internet connection support it. A cellular router and external antenna are a separate option; verify the router's ports and supported bands.
Related reading: home reception guide and ACMA options explainer.
Frequently asked questions
Are mobile phone boosters the same as cellular repeaters?
ACMA distinguishes the terms on its guidance page and identifies mobile phone boosters as prohibited items. Do not rely on casual product naming.
Will a repeater work without outdoor signal?
No active repeater can create a source signal. Test outside and ask your carrier about alternatives.
Can Wi-Fi Calling help?
It may help with calls if your carrier and handset support it and reliable internet is available.