Cell Phone Signal Boosters and 4G

The term 4G appears to be the "buzz" word for Q4 of 2010. So what is it? 4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is an heir to 3G and 2G standards, with the goal of providing a wide range of data rates, up to ultra-broadband (gigabit), to mobile as well as stationary users. Pre-4G technology is currently being deployed in a number of major US markets. The purpose of this article is to inform you of what 4G is and is not and how cell phone signal boosters will integrate with 4G.
The term 4G is a little confusing, but I will try to break it down as simply as possible. As defined by ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union - Radio communications sector) 4G is to provide data rates of up to 100Mbps for mobile devices and up to 1Gbps for stationary devices. Current networks marketed as 4G are not truly 4G. Verizon's 4G LTE network, which is to roll out in 38 major cities by the end of the year and cover roughly 100 million people, will only support 5-12Mbps on the down-link. While this is a far cry from the required 100Mbps to be considered true 4G it is still roughly 5 to 10 times better than the average 1Mbps downlink currently available with EV-DO. Sprint's 4G network, based on WiMAX, offers realistic download speeds of roughly 4 Mbps. Again, not true 4G. True 4G speeds are not expected to be reached until the release of LTE-Advanced for Verizon, AT&T, and others or WiMAX 2 for Sprint. These true 4G technologies are still in ITU approval process are not expected to be deployed for at least another 2-3 years.
Thinking about purchasing a dual band cell phone signal booster but not sure about how 4G will fit into the picture? Because almost all commercially sold dual band cell phone signal boosters today work in the 850 and 1900 MHz range, they will not work with emerging 4G LTE or WiMAX technologies, which are 700 MHz (Verizon 4G and eventually AT&T 4G) and 2.5GHz (Sprint 4G) respectively. They will also not work with the AWS 1700MHZ and 2100MHz frequencies used by T-Mobile 3/4G. However, here are some points to consider if you're thinking about purchasing a cell phone signal booster but are on the fence about how 4G fits into the picture:

• 4G and the new frequency bands will be used mostly for data, with voice still being transmitted in the 850MHz or 1900MHz range. If you use your phone as a phone and don't have a data plan or use Wi-Fi for data, you don't have to worry about the booster not working or becoming obsolete. This may not be the case with all carriers so it is best to call your carrier and see what frequencies they use for voice in your specific area.
• 4G is not compatible with 3G or older phones. You will need to purchase a new phone if you plan on taking advantage of 4G data speeds. However, 4G phones will be backwards compatible with 3G networks, so if you travel outside of your 4G city you will still have access to 3G data speeds.
• Slow 4G rollout. According to Verizon's website, they do not plan on having 4G coverage to match their existing 3G coverage for another 3 years. If you live in a rural area and don't currently have 3G coverage, you shouldn't expect 4G coverage for at least another 2 - 3 years if at all. AT&T is still focusing on upgrading its 3G network and does not plan on rolling out 4G LTE until sometime in 2011, and just like with Verizon, you'd better plan on waiting a while longer if you don't live in a major metropolitan area.
• Limited 4G phone selection. Most of the demand for 4G is coming from businesses, not consumers. With that in mind, carriers will be focusing on developing reliable 4G laptop solutions before focusing on affordable 4G phones for consumers. Expect maybe 1 or 2 phone models per carrier to choose from until 4G has been fully deployed.

If you came across this article you more than likely do not live in a major metropolitan area, as big cities generally have excellent cell phone coverage, and you wouldn't be searching for information on cell phone signal boosters. So you'd like to purchase an installed cell phone signal booster, but want to make sure that you're not going to have to replace your $300+ investments in another couple years? It is safe to say that if you do not live in a major metropolitan area and you do not currently have 3G in your area, or it took your carrier a couple years to get 3G coverage to you, a dual band 850MHz/1900MHz cell phone signal booster will not become obsolete any time soon.
Additionally, while there are band specific amplifiers on the market, I am currently not aware of any tri-band or quad-band boosters that will work with all carriers and all data technologies. Inevitably, as 4G LTE and WiMAX start to catch on, cell phone signal booster manufacturers will start developing compatible boosters. You simply can't defeat physics and no matter what new cell phone technology emerges there will always be a need for cell phone signal boosters for some people.
Unfortunately, if you plan on jumping on the 4G bandwagon as soon as it comes to your area and find that your signal strength isn't what you hoped it would be there currently isn't much you can do to improve your 4G data. You'll just have to wait until cell phone booster manufacturers release an affordable multi-band booster. On the plus side, if you already have a dual band booster installed in your home, the cabling used to connect your antennas to your amplifier will be compatible with 4G boosters. Just purchase a new 4G booster and antennas (once available) that are specified for your existing cable (usually either 75 Ohm Coax or 50 Ohm Coax) and you're good to go. There is no need to spend hours running new cable.