Blog Post

What are mobile signal boosters and are they legal?

Your Questions
July 6, 2021

Poor mobile phone signal can cause all manner of problems for modern businesses.

It’s not an issue that’s simply going to go away either. In fact, it’s likely to worsen as the 5G rollout gathers pace (check out our blog on where we’re at with 5G for more info on that).

So, what can you do when your business is hampered by naff phone signal?!

What are Mobile signal boosters?

You might have heard about mobile signal boosters before but you’re not sure exactly what they are or how they work.

Have no fear, we’ve got you covered.

A mobile signal booster will take the mobile signal that surrounds your building and bring it inside, distributing it throughout the building to significantly improve the mobile signal.

Are mobile signal boosters legal?

Yep. 100%.

In April 2018, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, enforced new regulations that allow you to use specific mobile signal repeaters without the need for a licence.

And we ONLY use boosters that comply with Ofcom’s regulations as per the Wireless Telegraphy (Mobile Repeater) (Exemption) Regulations 2018 stipulations.

All of our boosters are classified as static mobile phone repeaters for indoor use, and they’re absolutely perfect for commercial buildings with poor signal!

What happens if I use an illegal booster?

Annoyingly, there are plenty of outdated models still available on the market. Which means it’s perfectly possible that you might have an illegal signal booster, or might accidentally buy one now.

And according to Ofcom, “the unlicensed use of mobile repeaters could result in a fine of up to £5,000 and up to a year in prison.”

Not something you want to get slapped with, particularly if you had no idea you were doing anything wrong in the first place.

But it’s the reason why it’s really crucial you choose a reputable, legal provider when you come to rectify your not-spot problems and beam great signal all around your premises.

Is a mobile signal booster a good solution for me?

Now that we’ve looked at what mobile signal boosters are, we can look at whether you should invest in one. There are many reasons why a mobile signal booster is the ideal solution to your signal woes – so long as you buy it from a reputable provider like Signal Solutions:

They’re 100% legal, made by the only manufacturer that’s currently licence-excempt (Nextivity)
Accepted by UK regulators
They’re compatible with every mobile network
They provide high-quality signal in areas where coverage is either poor or non-existent
They’re unconditionally network safe

How does the Signal Solutions process work?

The first thing we’ll do is establish your exact requirements, asking some initial questions to figure out the extent of your signal problems. We’ll then carry out a remote desktop survey before an on-site survey to confirm that the solution we’ve proposed is the right one. And double-check there’s nothing else that might cause any issues… Once we’ve taken all the measurements, readings and got the techy stuff boxed off, we can move on to the actual installation! We always aim to begin every job within 4 weeks, and you’ll be kept up to date throughout the entire process – so you know when you can stop holding your phone in the one exact position that gives you a single bar of signal! Post-install we’ll come out and carry out quality checks on everything to make sure you’re good to go. We’ll then run some additional signal tests so we both know you’ve got the best signal strength you can get. Then you’re good to go, free from the tyranny of terrible mobile phone coverage!

How do I start the process of installing a mobile signal booster?

If you’ve got a problem with poor signal in your home or business premises, and you want to stop grappling with cut-out calls and unreliable surfing, an Amplifi-Qx smart signal solution is the way to go.

And we can help you there.

All our products comply with Ofcom licensing laws, ensuring complete coverage for every nook and cranny in your building – and they won’t get you into any trouble with the law!

If you’d like to have a chat about how we can help improve the signal in your building, give us a call on 020 3823 7365.

John Baker

John is a key part of the Signal Solutions Senior Team, having co-founded the company in 2020. With over 20 years spent working in telecoms, John brings a wealth of experience to the team.