Glossary of cellular and cell phone signal booster terms
Definitions of cellular and cell phone signal booster terms
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100 coax is a 50-ohm coaxial cable with an outer diameter of 0.110″ (2.79 mm). It is marketed and sold under various brand names, including LMR®-100.
100 coax has less attenuation than RG-174 coax but is almost exactly the same diameter. Its size, performance, and flexibility make it ideal for use in runs up to 15′ for use with 50-ohm cell phone signal boosters in vehicles.
100 coax is commonly terminated with SMA-male connectors.
195 coax is a 50-ohm coaxial cable with an outer diameter of 0.195″ (4.95 mm). It is marketed and sold under various brand names, including LMR®-195 and TS-195™.
195 coax has less attenuation than RG-58 coax but is almost exactly the same diameter. Its size, performance, and flexibility make it ideal for use as a jumper cable and in runs up to 30′ for use with 50-ohm cell phone signal boosters in RVs and buildings.
195 coax is commonly terminated with SMA-male or N-male connectors.
Click here to see 195 coax cables available from Powerful Signal.
200 coax is a 50-ohm coaxial cable with an outer diameter of 0.195″ (4.95 mm). It is marketed and sold under various brand names, including LMR®-200 and HiBoost200.
200 coax has more attenuation than 400 coax but is thinner and more flexible. Its size and flexibility make it an occasional choice for runs of cable up to 30′ for use with 50-ohm cell phone signal boosters in buildings.
200 coax is commonly terminated with N-male connectors.
240 coax is a 50-ohm coaxial cable with an outer diameter of 0.240″ (6.1 mm). It is marketed and sold under various brand names, including LMR®-240 and TS-240™.
240 coax has more attenuation than 400 coax but is thinner and somewhat more flexible. Its size and flexibility make it an occasional choice for runs of cable up to 30′ for use with cell phone signal boosters in buildings.
240 coax is commonly terminated with FME-male, FME-female, or N-male connectors.
Click here to see 240 coax cables available from Powerful Signal.
3G refers to the third generation of broadband cellular network technology.
3G improved on 2G networks by offering higher mobile data speeds, always-on mobile data, and greater network capacity. 3G made the mobile internet possible.
3G networks, phones, and cell phone signal boosters were referred to as dual band because they used two bands of cellular frequency (band 2 and band 5).
Major US cellular carriers shut off 3G service nationwide in 2022.
400 coax is a 50-ohm coaxial cable with an outer diameter of 0.405″ (10.29 mm). It is marketed and sold under various brand names, including LMR®-400 and TS-400™.
400 coax has less attenuation than 240 coax but is thicker and somewhat less flexible. Its low-loss, sturdy N connectors make it a excellent choice for runs of cable up to 100′ for use with cell phone signal boosters in homes and businesses. (Half-inch coax is preferred for runs longer than 100′.)
400 coax is terminated with N-male connectors.
Click here to see 400 coax cables available from Powerful Signal.
4G refers to the fourth generation of broadband cellular network technology.
4G improved on 3G networks by offering higher mobile data speeds, digital voice calling (Voice over IP or VoIP), the ability to use a cell phone as a WiFi hotspot, and greater network capacity.
4G networks use the same bands of cellular frequency as 3G networks. There were also the first to use new bands such as band 4, band 12, and band 13.
4G will continue to be the “backbone” of cellular networks for the foreseeable future, while being supplemented and enhanced by 5G.
See also: LTE
50 ohms is the most common impedance used for commercial cell phone signal boosters and their components (like coaxial cable). Many home and mobile boosters are also 50-ohm systems.
50 ohms became a standard impedance in the telecommunications industry because it is the best compromise between minimum attenuation, maximum power, and maximum voltage.
50-ohm cell signal boosters use N connectors, SMA connectors, and FME connectors.
Compare: 75-ohm
Learn more about 50-ohm vs. 75-ohm cell signal boosters in our Knowledge Base.
5G refers to the fifth generation of broadband cellular network technology. Its technical name is 5G NR (5th Generation New Radio).
5G improves on 4G networks by offering higher mobile data speeds with lower latency (time between request and response) and greatly increased network capacity for use by IoT devices.
5G networks use the same bands of cellular frequency as 4G, while also greatly expanding the spectrum of radio frequencies used by cellular devices up into the mmWave spectrum. 5G band numbers are preceded by a lowercase n (e.g., band n5, band n260).
5G networks operate alongside 4G networks, and most cellular devices first connect to a 4G network before being handed off to a 5G network and frequency. 5G will eventually replace 4G as a standalone service, but that handover date is still years away.
See also: 5G standalone; 5G non-standalone
5G non-standalone (5G NSA) is a cellular network that uses a hybrid of 5G and 4G standards, protocols, and infrastructure. It provides some of the features and benefits of a pure 5G network, while still leveraging the existing infrastructure of 4G networks.
5G NSA networks may use two bands of cellular frequency, with 4G on the uplink frequency from the phone to the cell tower and 5G on the downlink frequency from the tower to the phone; this allows the phone to make use of faster 5G speeds for the data it is receiving from the network.
See also: 5G standalone; 5G non-standalone
5G standalone (5G SA) is a cellular network that uses 5G standards, protocols, and infrastructure without relying on 4G LTE technologies or infrastructure. It’s a “pure 5G” network, without any data speed limitations of 4G.
See also: 5G non-standalone
75 ohms is a common impedance used for home cell phone signal boosters and their components (like coaxial cable). Some commercial boosters are also 75-ohm systems.
75 ohms became a standard impedance in the telecommunications industry because it has the lowest attenuation.
75-ohm cell signal boosters typically use F connectors.
Compare: 50-ohm
Learn more about 50-ohm vs. 75-ohm cell signal boosters in our Knowledge Base.
A
See: DAS
Automatic gain control (AGC) regulates and maintains consistent signal strength in a cell phone signal booster.
AGC optimizes the performance of the signal booster by automatically adjusting the gain of the incoming signal. If the incoming signal is weak, AGC increases the booster’s gain; if the signal is too strong, AGC reduces the booster’s gain to prevent it from overpowering and shutting down.
When a smartphone or other cellular device is powered on, it searches first for a specific band of cellular frequency to which it can connect and authenticate itself on the carrier’s network. For example, many smartphones will look first for a low-frequency band (like band 12, band 17, or band 5), because those bands penetrate walls more easily and are therefore more likely to be found inside buildings. This band of frequency is the anchor band (also called the pilot band).
Once the carrier has authenticated the device via the anchor band, the phone will then search for and connect to another band (if available) that offers a stronger connection and faster data.
Most 5G devices anchor to a 4G band before being handed off to a 5G connection.
An antenna is a physical device that acts as the interface between two transceivers—electronic devices that both transmit and receive electromagnetic waves, such as the signals used by cellular phones. The antenna receives electrical current from a device (like a cell phone signal booster) through a coaxial cable and and transmits that current through the air as an electromagnetic wave; it also receives electromagnetic waves over the air and sends them as electrical current back through the cable to the device.
The booster’s donor antenna is the uplink path to and from one or more cell towers. The booster’s broadcast antenna is the downlink path to and from cellular phones and devices inside the building or vehicle.
A cellular router uses MIMO antennas for uplink and downlink.
Marine antennas are designed and constructed to resist saltwater spray.
Antennas come in different shapes and sizes that work best in different situations. The types of antennas commonly used with cell signal boosters and cellular routers are:
- Directional antennas (including LPDA, panel, parabolic, and Yagi antennas).
- Omnidirectional antennas (including desktop, dome, NMO, paddle, and whip antennas).
See also: Gain (antenna)
An access point name (APN) is the hostname of the gateway that a smartphone or cellular router uses to access the internet.
Any device that connects to the internet goes through a gateway, a server or router that passes data to and from devices inside its own network to other networks, including the internet. A gateway typically has an assigned hostname that allows devices inside its network to identify and connect to it.
An APN is a hostname used by smartphones and cellular routers to access the internet. An APN that matches the carrier and SIM card must be entered correctly into the phone or router’s settings.
Common APNs for the major carriers include vzwinternet (Verizon
), nxtgenphone and broadband (AT&T), and fast.t-mobile.com (T- Mobile). The APN for your phone or router may be different, so check with your carrier when you install a new SIM card in your device.
Attenuation is the decrease in signal strength as a signal passes along a coaxial cable or through a connector or other medium. Cell phone signal boosters reverse the effects of attenuation.
Attenuation is increased (the signal loses more strength) over longer distances through the same type of coax cable. It’s also increased as signal is scattered or absorbed by building walls, terrain, trees, etc.
Attenuation can be decreased by using a shorter cable or a different type of cable with less loss over the same distance. It’s for this reason that using the shortest run of cable possible is generally the best practice when connecting antennas to cell signal boosters.
Attenuation also varies in the same cable of the same length depending on the signal’s frequency: Lower frequencies have less attenuation while higher frequencies have greater attenuation.
Attenuation is measured in decibels (dB).
See also: Attenuator
Learn more about coaxial cable attenuation in our Knowledge Base.
An attenuator is a component that provides attenuation (a reduction in the signal strength) between an antenna and a cell phone signal booster.
Attenuators are sometimes used in situations where outside cellular signal is so strong that it’s causing the booster to overpower or shut down. In this circumstance, the attenuator is installed between the booster and the coaxial cable running to the outside donor antenna.
Attenuators are also sometimes used when the booster’s downlink power is so strong that it’s causing signal oscillation. In this circumstance, the attenuator is installed between the booster and the coaxial cable running to the inside broadcast antenna.
Click here to see attenuators available from Powerful Signal.
The Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) occupies a spectrum of low-band cellular frequencies between 1710 and 1780 MHz (uplink) and between 2110 and 2200 MHz (downlink).
AWS came into service in 2006 to provide additional capacity for 3G and 4G cellular phones.
The AWS spectrum was originally auctioned off to carriers as band 4, blocks A–F. More spectrum was opened later with band 66, which adds additional blocks G–J. (Band 4 is now a subset of band 66.)
AWS blocks A–F are amplified by five-band cell phone signal boosters.
See also: Service
B
A band is a spectrum of radio frequencies set aside for a specific use to prevent interference and allow for orderly and efficient use of the radio spectrum.
Specific bands between 617 MHz and 48 GHz have been reserved for exclusive use by cellular phones and devices.
Some bands are divided into specific ranges reserved for uplink transmission and downlink transmission.
In the United States, bands are regulated and licensed by the FCC.
Cellular spectrum chart for 700 MHz (SMH), which includes bands 12, 13, 14, 17, and 29:
Band 71 is a spectrum of low-band cellular frequencies between 617 and 698 MHz.
Band 71 was auctioned off by the FCC in 2016 to provide additional capacity for 4G and 5G cellular phones in remote and rural areas. Prior to that, the 600 MHz spectrum was used by UHF television channels 38–51.
Most band 71 licenses are owned by T-Mobile.
Band 71 is currently amplified by a few industrial cell phone signal boosters.
See also: Band
Bandwidth is the width of the band of frequency, expressed in MHz or GHz.
For example, cellular SMH band 13 has a downlink spectrum of 746–758 MHz and an uplink spectrum of 776–788 MHz. (See diagram.) The total bandwidth for band 13 is therefore 24 MHz: (758−746)+(788−776)=24.
The more bandwidth in a band of frequency, the greater capacity that band has to support cellular devices and heavier data use. With the advent of 5G cell phones and IoT devices, newer 5G bands have much wider bandwidth than older 4G and 3G bands.
Cellular spectrum chart for the PCS service, which has a total bandwidth of 130 MHz (1850–1915 MHz/1930–1995 MHz):
A barrel connector is a connector that has the same connector type on both ends (for example, F-female to F-female).
A barrel connector allows you attach two coaxial cables with same connectors together to create one longer run of cable.
See also: Bulkhead connector
Click here to see barrel connectors available from Powerful Signal.
A base station is an antenna or cluster of antennas in a specific location that are operated by a carrier and provide cellular service. These antennas may be pointed in all directions or may be aimed in specific directions, depending on where local cellular coverage is needed.
A single cell tower may be owned by a specific carrier and be the base station for just that carrier’s service, or the owner of the tower may lease space on it to multiple carriers to operate base stations.
See also: Neighbor cell; Serving cell
Beamwidth refers to the angular width of the main lobe of the radiation pattern of an antenna. The main lobe is the central part of the pattern where the antenna’s gain is the strongest; it’s surrounded by smaller lobes and nulls (directions where gain is significantly weaker or zero).
A narrow beamwidth indicates that the antenna concentrates its energy in a specific direction, while a wider beamwidth means the energy is spread over a larger angle.
Since an antenna’s radiation pattern is a three-dimensional shape, beamwidth is measured horizontally and vertically:
- Horizontal beamwidth represents how wide or narrow the coverage is in the left–right direction when looking at the antenna from the top (the horizontal plane).
- Vertical beamwidth represents how tall or short the coverage is in the up–down direction when looking at the antenna from the side (the vertical plane).
The beamwidth of an antenna is usually measured at the points where the signal strength has dropped to a certain percentage of the maximum signal strength in the main lobe. Commonly used fractions for measuring beamwidth include half-power (−3 dB) and quarter-power (−6 dB) points.
For a directional antenna, as the antenna’s gain increases, its horizontal and vertical beamwidths become narrower and longer. Higher-gain antennas require more precise tuning (aiming at the cell tower or other transceiver) than lower-gain antennas, which have wider beamwidths and are more forgiving about directionality.
An omnidirectional antenna has a horizontal beamwidth of 360°—it sends and receive in all directions on a horizontal plane. As the antenna’s gain increases, its vertical beamwidth flattens and extends outward into a disc shape.
Choosing the right antenna beamwidth depends on the specific application and the desired coverage area. A narrower beamwidth provides more focused and concentrated coverage, while a wider beamwidth offers broader coverage at a lower signal strength.
A block is a subset spectrum of radio frequencies within a band.
Blocks allow the FCC to auction off licenses to carriers so they can use the same band in the same geographical area. For example, AT&T may hold the license for block B of band 12 in a certain large city, while T-Mobile may hold the license for block C in the same city; this would allow both carriers to use band 12 without causing interference on each other’s networks.
Cellular spectrum chart for 700 MHz (SMH), which includes blocks A–E of bands 12, 13, 14, 17, and 29:
Bluetooth is a short-range, peer-to-peer wireless technology that allows electronic devices to connect to each other.
Bluetooth technology has many uses, including connecting a cellular phone to a wireless headset, a wireless keyboard, or a hands-free navigation and entertainment system in an automobile.
Some cell phone signal boosters have Bluetooth smartphone apps that allow you to monitor the booster’s performance and change its settings.
See: Wideband antenna
In a cell phone signal booster system, the broadcast antenna (also called the server antenna) is the antenna inside the building or vehicle that provides amplified downlink signal to cellular phones and devices.
The broadcast antenna connects to the booster’s inside port via a coaxial cable.
A broadcast antenna is either a directional or an omnidirectional antenna.
Common types of broadcast antennas include dome, panel, desktop,and paddle antennas.
See also: Donor antenna; Isolation
Click here to see in-building broadcast antennas available from Powerful Signal.
Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Educational Broadband Service (EBS) occupy a spectrum of mid-band cellular frequencies between 2496 and 2690 MHz (2.496–2.690 GHz).
Cellular phones on this band are high power user equipment (HPUE), with up to 31 dBm of uplink power, more than six times that of consumer phones on other bands. The greater uplink power allows BRS/EBS cellular signals to travel farther and penetrate building walls better.
This frequency spectrum was originally reserved for commercial (BRS) and educational (EBS) wireless video broadcasts. In the mid-2000s, it was licensed to the wireless cellular carrier Sprint and used for their WiMax service.
BRS/EBS is now band 41, which is owned exclusively by T-Mobile and used for their mid-band 5G service.
BRS/EBS is not currently amplified by cell phone signal boosters.
See also: Service
A bulkhead connector is a type of barrel connector that’s inserted in a panel or thin surface and serves as a pass-through connector for coaxial cables.
For example, if a boat owner needs to connect an outside donor antenna to a cell phone signal booster, the owner could install a bulkhead connector in the boat’s top deck, attach the donor antenna’s cable to the bulkhead connector’s outside connection, and attach another cable that runs from the bulkhead connector’s inside connection to the booster.
Click here to see the Top Signal N-female bulkhead connector.
C
C band (band 77) occupies a spectrum of mid-band cellular frequencies between 3700 and 4200 MHz (3.7–4.2 GHz).
This frequency spectrum was originally reserved for commercial satellite TV and data, but it has recently been reallocated by the FCC for use by 5G cellular networks. It’s also used by airplane radio altimeters, so cellular C-band deployments have been restricted near airports.
C band is currently amplified by a few industrial cell phone signal boosters.
See also: Service
Capacity is the amount of user activity (or traffic) that a cellular network is capable of handling. The greater the capacity, the more users and traffic the network can handle.
Capacity affects mobile data speeds and the ability of phones and other cellular devices to connect to a cellular tower, especially at a distance. As traffic increases, cell towers reduce their downlink power, making it more difficult for distant cell phones to establish a connection.
A cell phone signal booster can improve the connection to a distant tower that’s reduced its downlink because of capacity issues.
A wireless carrier—also called a mobile network operator (MNO)—is a company that provides cellular service by selling access to its wireless network.
Major and regional carriers own and operate their own wireless infrastructure, including cell towers (base stations), base station controllers, switching centers, and other hardware and communications links.
The three largest major carriers in the United States are Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile; examples of regional carriers include UScellular and GCI Alaska.
A carrier that does not own its own infrastructure is called an MVNO.
When a 4G or 5G cellular phone communicates with a cell tower, it typically uses one band of cellular frequency for downlink and uplink. With carrier aggregation, the tower uses two different bands simultaneously to increase throughput for faster data speeds and greater capacity.
A carrier-agnostic cell phone signal booster is a wideband booster that amplifies cellular signal from all carriers simultaneously, without regard to which carrier is transmitting the signal. The booster is designed to amplify specific bands of frequency, regardless of how many carriers in the area are using those bands.
Most dual-band and five-band boosters are carrier-agnostic and will work with any major or regional carrier or MVNO.
See also: Carrier-specific
A carrier-specific cell phone signal booster amplifies cellular signal from one carrier only. A carrier-specific booster may amplify one band or multiple bands of frequency used by that carrier.
Some carrier-specific boosters will allow you to change the carrier that they amplify. This is usually done with a smartphone app or touchscreen menu.
Carrier-specific boosters typically have a higher maximum gain than carrier-agnostic boosters. They also create less noise and therefore broadcast higher-quality cellular signal than carrier-agnostic boosters.
Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) occupies a spectrum of mid-band cellular frequencies between 3550 and 3700 MHz (3.55–3.7 GHz).
This frequency spectrum was originally reserved for military radar and satellite communications. The spectrum is now licensed by the FCC and shared with cellular carriers as band 48.
BRS/EBS is not currently amplified by cell phone signal boosters.
See also: Service
A cell phone signal booster—also called a cellular amplifier—is an electronic device designed to increase the strength of cellular signals within a specific area.
Boosters are typically used in remote or rural areas where outdoor cellular signal is weak. They are also used in areas where outdoor signal is adequate but dense or reflective construction materials prevent the signal from reaching phones inside a building.
Most cellular boosters have four primary components:
- The outdoor donor antenna transmits cellular signal to and from the cell tower.
- The booster takes the weak signal it receives from the donor antenna, increases its gain, and sends it to the broadcast antenna.
- The indoor broadcast antenna transmits the amplified signal to phones and other cellular devices inside the building or vehicle.
- Coaxial cables connect the donor and broadcast antennas to the booster.
Different types of cell signal boosters are designed for use in commercial buildings, in homes, and in vehicles.