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5G Explained: What is Low, Mid, and High 5G?

As you can imagine, here at Geekabit we’re a bit geeky when it comes to all things wireless. It’s really in the name isn’t it?

Our spare time is often taken up with reading the latest on Wi-Fi and other wireless communications. Which of course includes 5G! We read a lot of information related to our field, but a blog from cwnp.com really stood out to us as an excellent explanation of 5G and how it works. 

We couldn’t resist sharing this info with you too! 

Let’s start with the basics – RF

When we talk about low, mid and high 5G we’re referring to the frequencies used. Radio Frequency (or RF) travels in waves – Just like sound or light! In simple terms, RF waves are non-visible electromagnetic waves. 

Let’s make it easier to understand with a bit of visualisation. Imagine you are sitting on the beach, watching the waves as they hit the sand. If you were to count how many waves hit the shoreline in one minute, that would be the frequency. 

In RF, we measure waves per second rather than a minute, but the premise is the same. 

5G Frequencies

Image from cwnp.com

In the above image from left to right, you are looking at 5G low (purple), 5G mid in the middle (turquoise) and then 5G high at the end (red). 

In the sea visualisation, the higher the frequency, the more water is being moved (the more waves hitting the shoreline). In RF, instead of water being moved it’s data. So the higher the frequency, the more data can be moved. 

There is unfortunately a downside to higher frequencies. Whilst they are able to move more data, receiving and processing that data across greater distances is a challenge. 

5G: What are the low, mid and high bands? 

Let’s take a closer look at each one in turn.

5G LOW

The strategy for 5G low is to use the lower band to provide coverage nationwide. This is because whilst it has lower data rates, it travels further. To enjoy the benefits of 5G lowband, the 5G needs to be standalone. This means not using 5G down and 4G up. 

Here in the UK, Vodafone were the first operator to offer customers a trial of their 5G standalone network in January of this year. Customers who opted in to the trial should see better reliability, coverage and battery life. 

5G MID

In 5G mid band we find the sweet spot. Not only do we get a decent range from this band, but its higher frequency allows us to see 600 Mbps to 1 Gbps speeds down. 

Interestingly, the 5G mid band is very similar to Wi-Fi frequencies and travel in a similar way. Where it differs to Wi-Fi is thecarriers ability to transmit at a higher power levels. This means that you can use much weaker signals to a better effect than Wi-Fi. 

This 5G mid band is aimed for use in urban areas, city centres and suburbs. 

5G HIGH

The 5G high band is extremely high throughput (how many units of information a system can process in a given amount of time). This band could see speeds of 10Gbps. 

Unfortunately, because it is such a high frequency, it doesn’t travel well at all. This band works best with ‘line of sight’ as almost any obstruction can significantly block the signal. 

You’re most likely to see this 5G high band in city centres where a mast or tower is put on the tallest building to transmit the signal, and receivers or antennas are put on the roofs of other buildings giving a clear line of sight between the two. 

You can see a visual representation of the 5G low, mid and high bands in the image below, again from cwnp.com with thanks. 

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How To Choose and Install an External 4G or 5G Mobile Broadband Antenna

Like with so many of our utilities, we only really notice them when there’s a problem or they’re not working properly. Wi-Fi is just the same! Just like when the power goes out, if your Wi-Fi is on the blink then you know about it – And it is so frustrating! 

Whilst most people are lucky enough to connect to superfast broadband through a wired connection, there are also many rural homes that cannot access and connect to broadband or internet in the same straightforward way. 

Here at Geekabit, we work with lots of people – Businesses and homes – who struggle with the more traditional ways of connecting to the internet and have to turn to mobile broadband through 3G, 4G and 5G. 

And again, many people are lucky to have a business or home within range of a strong enough UK mobile broadband network.

‘Could I benefit from an external antenna?’

There are some more remote rural homes and businesses that find themselves struggling to connect to mobile broadband too. If your business or home is:

– Unable to connect to a decent fixed line ISP 

– Within range of a mobile broadband alternative but find it unstable on various operators

Then you might find it beneficial to get an external antenna installed. But which one do you need? 

Are External Mobile Broadband Antennas Easy to Install?

In terms of actually installing an external antenna, it’s actually pretty straightforward. All you need to do is choose a high, stable location on the outside wall of your house near the roof, and screw the antenna on. Remember to make sure it’s pointing in the right direction (ie. towards the nearest mast). 

You might also choose to mount your antenna on a pole to raise it higher than your house. If you’re going for this option, always make sure that it is stable and won’t cause any damage to the building you are mounting it to. It’s also worth liaising with your local authority before installing a large pole as in some areas, a tall pole could be in breach of planning rules. 

You will also need to drill the cable into the house – It’s very important to avoid any other electrical cables and water pipes whilst you are doing this as well as sealing up the holes afterwards. 

It’s also pretty important to keep the position of your router in mind. Will it be placed near the where the cable feeds into the building? Ideally, the cable between your antenna and router needs to be 5 metres or less otherwise you could find yourself struggling with interference and/ or signal loss. 

If that all feels a little daunting then you can hire a professional installer to do the job for you – Our expert Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit can do just this! We operate out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff.  

Whilst the physical aspects of installing an external antenna are quite straightforward, it’s not always easy to choose the right kit. The radio spectrum is variable by nature, which makes it very dependent on your environment. You might manage to install the antenna but not get the outcome you were expecting. 

What antenna you need depends on your specific location and needs. This blog will outline some of the options that could be right for you. Sometimes it’s a case of trial and error to find the right antenna for you – But that’s where it might be best to leave it in expert hands. 

‘Do I need an Omni-directional or Directional antenna?’

When it comes to installing an external antenna, the first thing you need to decide is whether you need an Omni-directional antenna or a Directional antenna. 

Choosing a Directional antenna

If you know where your nearest mast is and have a clear line of sight, then the Directional antenna might be the one for you. Whilst it’s weaker in other directions, the Directional antenna will have higher reception in one direction, hence why it works well for a clear line of sight with the mast or base station. This is often the better choice if you live or work in a rural area. 

What problems can you have with a Directional antenna? 

Using a Directional antenna can run into issues if the station is congested or goes out of service. E.g. during upgrades. 

Choosing an Omni-directional antenna

If you live or work in a more urban, built up area and aren’t sure where the nearest mast is then an Omni-directional antenna could be the better option for you. Whilst they have a lower overall gain, they are able to attract similar reception from all directions. Because the Omni is looking at a wider area, you may find that it provides better reliability. 

Generally, if you are finding and installing an external antenna yourself, then the Omni-directional antenna is probably the one to try first. 

What problems can you have with an Omni-directional antenna? 

It’s possible that because it’s looking at a wider area, the Omni could attract more interference. If you are able to utilise a well positional Directional antenna then you could get better performance that way. 

‘How much power does my external antenna need?’

So you’ve decided whether you need an Omni-directional or Directional antenna. What do you need to consider next? 

You’ll notice that antennas have gain figures in dB / dBi – This is how the power of the antenna is measured. 

In simple terms, the gain of an antenna is the relative measure of its ability to direct radio frequency energy in a certain direction or pattern. What do the gain (dB / dBi) figures on an antenna mean?

We could go into a lot of complicated detail here, but seeing as we’re writing this blog for someone looking to buy and install their own external antenna, we’ll keep it super simple. 

Basically, the higher the gain (dB / dBi) the better the antenna’s performance and range. Obviously, the higher the gain, the more expensive the antenna will cost. 

When you are at this stage of choosing your antenna, it is worth knowing what bands your mobile operator uses so that you can ensure how the different gain values given for an antenna correspond to the spectrum band you will be using. 

‘Choosing an external antenna – What are the challenges?’ 

As we said above, when you are installing a new external antenna, it’s really important to know:

  • Where and which direction the signal is coming from 
  • How strong the signal is
  • Which bands are being used in your local area by local operators

These are some of the biggest challenges you’ll face when installing your antenna. 

‘How can I find out the spectrum information I need to choose an antenna?’

If you go online to mobile operator’s websites you can find coverage checkers (Vodafone, Three UK, O2 and EE (BT)), but these can be rather vague and not always accurate. It’s worth comparing to what Ofcoms Mobile Coverage Checker says too.

Perhaps the best way to identify which bands are being used by your local operator is to download a relevant app or look up the mobile network details on your Smartphone or router. 

These apps will often just tell you the band number for your own operator rather than tell you the spectrum frequency. You’ll find that operators tend to own several bands, but usually use one band for national connectivity. 

What are the most common 4G Mobile Bands in the UK?

800MHz (Band 20)

900MHz (Band 8)

1800MHz (Band 3)

2100MHz (Band 1)

2300MHz (Band 40)

2600MHz (Band 7)

Remember that 5G uses a different band model and is currently only deployed on the 3.4GHz band. 

‘How do I know where my nearest mast is for installing my new antenna?’

So you’ve made sense of the bands on offer in your area from local operators. Next you need to work out where your nearest mast is and whether it’s the most appropriate for your location. Unfortunately it’s not always the option that looks most logical! 

When you’re choosing the most appropriate mast for your use, you need to consider the following:

  • Forms and features of local land surfaces (artificial and natural)
  • Local surroundings
  • Operator choice

There are apps and websites that can help with this such as Mastdata.com and Cellmapper.net. The Opensignal app could also be of use.

Did you know that operators also have sharing agreements with each other? Just to make things a little more complicated. For example, there is a sharing agreement between Vodafone and O2 as well as between EE and Three. What does this mean? Well it means that a mast could be serving more than one operator. 

How do I use signal strength information to position my external antenna?’ 

If you are able to gain an understanding of signal strength in a few different measurements, then you are more likely to position your antenna correctly. 

Signal strength is measured in quite a few different ways, so we’re going to just focus on a few that you are most likely to encounter. These are:

  • Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
  • Reference Signals Received Power (RSRP)
  • Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ)

These measurements are given by a negative dBm (decibel milliWatts) value. In this situation, negative values are actually good (most of the time). They are negative because they represent tiny yet positive numbers on a logarithmic scale, making them easier to consume. For example, -100dBm would be 0.0000000001 mW.

What is a good RSSI signal? Essentially, the closer to 0 dBm, the better the RSSI signal (although it does get more complicated past a certain point with diminishing returns of data speed). An example of excellent 4G RSSI signal would be -65 dBm. A poor RSSI signal would be -85 dBm. 

RSRP works on a similar scale to RSSI, where an excellent 4G RSRP signal would be -80 dBm.  

RSRQ operates on a very different scale, which means that an excellent signal is anything from around -10 dB (not dBm) and a poor signal would be -20 db.

Interestingly, most mobile modems are able to maintain a pretty fast data connection using a poor signal. Problems may arise however in more rural areas where speeds are slower and stability poorer due to the distance from a mast. 

What factors are most likely to affect signal strength? 

  • Distance to mast
  • Interference from competing signals
  • Router band switching
  • Physical obstacles in the environment like buildings, tall trees etc
  • The weather

Of course, these factors are not in your control, but you need to bear them in mind when positioning your antenna in order to get the best signal possible. 

Feeling confident about choosing and installing your external antenna?

If you are about to choose and install an external antenna to improve your 3G, 4G or 5G mobile broadband signal, then hopefully this blog has given you some of the basic information you need to make your decisions. 

If you’re still feeling a bit daunted, then why not get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi experts? We’ve been installing mobile broadband for clients in and around Hampshire, Cardiff and London for a while and can help identify which antenna solution would best suit your needs. Get in touch today! 

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When Will 3G Be Turned Off in the UK?

Did you know that mobile services here in the UK use 4 different generations of mobile technology? They are 2G, 3G, 4G and most recently 5G. 

Since 2003, we have used 3G networks to make calls, send text messages and use lower speed data services. 

Did you also know that UK mobile providers have decided that they will be switching off their 3G networks?

Why are mobile providers switching off 3G networks?

3G networks rely on older, less efficient technology. By switching off 3G mobile networks, they will make more room for 4G and 5G networks. The 4G and 5G networks are more advanced, which give customers a better, faster and more reliable service. 

When will mobile providers switch off 3G networks?

3G mobile nbetworks will be gradually switched off over the next few years, starting from early 2023. When your 3G network will be switched off depends on your mobile provider. Each provider is switching off their 3G network at slightly different times. 

For the best up-to-date information on when your mobile provider will be switching off their 3G network, you should visit their website. Below is a rough estimate of when you might expect each network to begin their switch off their 3G.

  • Vodafone – Early 2023
  • EE – Early 2024
  • Three – End of 2024
  • O2 – Not yet announced, but they have begun switching off their 3G network in Germany as of July 2021

Wondering why your provider isn’t on the list? These 4 main providers supply all the other mobile network providers in the UK. If you have a mobile contract with another provider, they will be under one of the above networks. To find out which provider runs your services, see below. 

  • Vodafone – Lebara Mobile, Asda Mobile, Talk Mobile and Virgin Mobile (soon to move to O2)  .
  • EE – Your Co-op, Utility Warehouse, Plusnet and BT Mobile.
  • Three – ID Mobile 
  • O2 – Tesco Mobile, Giffgaff, Sky Mobile and Lycamobile 

Will 3G networks being switched off affect me? 

If you have an older mobile device that uses older networks and services then this switch off could affect you and your device. 

This change is unlikely to affect you if you already have a device that uses 4G and/or 5G networks. You will likely just need to do a software update to make sure that any calls use the right network on 4G, but you might not need to do anything. 

If you are going to be affected by the 3G switch off, then your provider will tell you and advise what you need to do. If you’re not sure whether this will apply to you, you can check in your device settings – Look under ‘mobile networks’ or ‘mobile data’ and see if it has 4G available. 

I have an older 3G device – What should I do?

If you have an older device that uses only 3G, then unfortunately that device will need to be replaced before the switch off to avoid disruption to your mobile phone use. 

Any devices that do not allow you to use 4G or 5G will stop working as they won’t be able to access your data. Your provider will advise you if this is the case so do look out for any communication from them. We’re sure they will give you plenty of notice so you will have time to replace your device before the 3G switch off. 

We know that times are hard at the moment. If the thought of having to buy a new device before the switch off is a worrying thought, then do let your provider know. There may be schemes or support available to help find an affordable option.

As with all things tech – Shop around! There are basic 4G handsets on the market for just £10 which should help in the short term. 

What about 2G – Is that being switched off too?

Are you a customer with EE, Vodafone or O2? Then you’re in luck! Older devices with these providers will still be able to make calls and send texts using the 2G network, even after 3G is switched off. 

Bear in mind though that 2G was not designed to access data services, so after 3G is switched off you won’t be able to access most of those. It will just be calls and texts. 

If you’re with Three then you will still need to replace your device if it’s an older model. This is because they don’t have a 2G network. So to make sure you can continue to make calls, send text messages and access data after 2024, remember to replace your device – Or add it to your Christmas list!

2G won’t be around forever though. There are plans to also switch off the 2G network by all providers by 2033. 

That might seem like a long way off, but once the 3G networks have been switched off, we would expect to see mobile providers start to make plans to also switch off their 2G networks. 

Can the 3G switch off affect other devices?

When we talk about 3G we of course think straight to mobile phones and tablets that use data. But there are other devices that also use 3G. 

Think care alarms, security alarms and payment terminals. If you have a device like this, you might need to make an upgrade before the 3G networks are switched off. It’s worth checking with your provider to find out if your device could be affected and whether it will still work after the 3G network is switched off. 

Do you travel?

Whilst these dates are for the UK 3G network switch off, other countries around the world have already begun. 

In the USA, all 3G networks have already been switched off. If you travel a lot for work or leisure, you might want to check that your device will work in the destination you are travelling to. 

If you visit a country where the 3G network switch off has already started, you might run into roaming problems depending on your device. This could stop you from making calls or sending texts, unless you are connected to Wi-Fi. 

Check with your provider before you leave the UK. 

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How 4G / 5G Can Keep Railway Networks Connected

4G and 5G mobile broadband technology could be just the answer to the issues that arise from more traditional railway networks. 4G/5G can offer a more reliable connected railway system, allowing strong communication between different devices and employees. Thus, improving the user experience for both potentially frustrated colleagues trying to stay in control of routine maintenance and discouraged commuters put off from making their journey as a passenger. 

A 4G/5G connected railway network can connect trains with other devices and equipment as well as providing links to tracks, stations and operations providing a unified network with clear communications. 

What are the benefits of 4G/5G connected railways? 

As you can imagine, there are many benefits of using 4G/5G to connect railway networks. 

Maintenance

For technicians, engineering managers and other train maintenance staff, a connected system within the units themselves can help shed light on any future or potential problems with that particular unit and ensure timely maintenance before a breakdown occurs.

A railway network connected with 4G/5G may even find that their operational costs lessen through improved communication and streamlined processes. 

Revenue Opportunities 

Having reliable connectivity on trains opens up new revenue streams. Many passengers rely on a strong connection whilst travelling to continue with work, especially in this digital age of hybrid working. 

The more reliable the internet on your rail network, the better the user experience will be for passengers, which will in turn increase the likelihood of repeat travellers. 

Commuters may have a choice in how they get to where they’re going – Whether that’s rail, bus, driving, cycling or walking. If sitting on the train, connected to a reliable network, means that they can tie up any loose ends from their day before getting home then that could be just the reason they choose rail. 

Why do we need 4G/5G connected stations in our railway networks?

A fast, reliable 4G/5G network at our railway stations offer more efficient service and enhanced security. 

Efficient Service

Digital kiosks can help to reduce queues and offer passengers a quick way of buying their tickets when they are in a rush and don’t need any additional assistance. High speed 4G/5G networks ensure that these digital kiosks can get relevant updates in real-time, checking arrivals and departures status. 

Enhanced Security

4G/5G video surveillance means rail networks can monitor and track any suspicious behaviour anywhere on the train station or depot premises – Even without wires or Wi-Fi / ethernet connections. 

The 4G/5G network can transmit the data anywhere it is needed, providing timely monitoring and interventions where necessary. 

This type of data is invaluable for railway managers who can analyse what is collected from different locations and use these insights to improve operational efficiency, safety and the passenger experience. 

4G/5G Connected Trains

Passenger Experience

Not only do 4G/5G connected trains improve the passenger experience, they also open the door for more revenue opportunities. Selling data plans to your passengers and offering them access to reliable 5G Wi-Fi hotspots on trains means commuters can connect their mobile devices and laptops to a strong, reliable internet connection for the duration of their journey. 

Operations

The more reliably connected the train is, the more efficient the operations. 

Operations managers can effectively monitor the status of trains in operation by relying on accurate, real-time GPS tracking. Likewise, train operators can communicate with operations if any issues arise. Various colleagues on the railway system connected to the same reliable 4G/5G network improves communications.

Particular parts of the train can be fitted with sensors that are connected to the network. This means that the technology itself can communicate with the maintenance teams and notify when that part needs to be repaired or replaced. This helps to reduce the costs associated with delayed or cancelled trains due to unscheduled maintenance and improve service. 

Using smart cameras connected to the 4G/5G network means that train security can rely on high-speed wireless communication, particularly in locations tricky to monitor or wire to. They automatically record footage as well as identify potential suspicious activity and provide alerts to members of staff. 

Why Use 4G/5G for Connected Railway Networks?

4G/5G networks offer an ideal model for railway networks as they offer super-fast speed, low latency and reliability. 

It’s important to ensure that the 4G/5G connection available will be stable and of good quality. This is where 4G/5G testing comes in. 

Here at Geekabit we can provide 4G/5G mobile signal testing to check coverage and performance both in static locations and on the move. We can also determine which Mobile Network Operator would offer the best coverage for your user location(s). 

Geekabit can carry out a 5G survey along London roads, parts of the capital’s transport network and throughout leisure facilities in London and the surrounding areas. Other locations may be available on request, please feel free to contact us on info@geekabit.co.uk.

In today’s world, we don’t just stay in one place – Even while we’re working. We take our need for connection wherever we go – And it needs to be strong and reliable. Gone are the days where we are tethered to a desk – We need the 5G mobile coverage to be available on the go. Whether we are using a smartphone, tablet or other internet enabled device, we need to stay connected – And we need to know that the signal will be strong and reliable. 

Geekabit’s 5G survey can tell you how strong the cellular coverage is in certain areas of London, and which networks would work best for those locations. This information is invaluable.

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PCI: What Is The Difference Between 4G LTE and 5G NR

In this blog we are going to look at the difference between 4G LTE and 5G-NR, specifically in terms of PCI. 

 

What is PCI when it comes to 4G / 5G?

 

PCI is the Physical Cell ID and is one of the most important ways a cell identifies itself in a 4G or 5G wireless network.

The physical layer (or PHY-layer) Cell ID is what determines the Cell ID Group and Cell ID Sector, and it is this that is needed for DL synchronisation. 

DL (Downlink) Synchronisation is the process in which a UE (phone) detects the radio boundary and OFDM symbol boundary. In other words, the exact timing of when a radio frame or OFDM starts. (In telecommunications, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a type of digital transmission and a method of encoding digital data on multiple carrier frequencies.) 

This DL synchronisation process is done by detecting and analysing the SS Block. From a UE’s (phone’s) point of view, Downlink is the ‘receiving’ transmitting direction. The SS Block (SSB) stands for Synchronisation Signal Block and refers to the synchronisation signal and Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) as a single block that always moves together.

 

Why is PCI Planning important? 

 

If you are planning, designing and deploying a 4G / 5G network, then PCI Planning will be one of your most important steps. 

Making sure your network is properly designed with PCI in mind will ensure your network works efficiently and increases how your resources are utilised. 

Excellent PCI planning ensures QoS for those who are subscribed to your 4G / 5G network.

QoS (Quality of Service) is the use of technologies to control traffic on your network, ensuring that the performance of critical applications meets requirements.

The key goal here is to use QoS and PCI Planning to enable your network to prioritise traffic, offering dedicated bandwidth and lower latency.

PCI is one of the technologies used to enhance performance of business applications, WANs and service provider networks. 

Poor planning in this area can result in PCI collisions and conflicts – Which in turn, negatively impact the overall performance of your network.

 

How is the PCI value created?

 

The PCI value is created from two components – PSS (Primary Synchronisation Signal) and SSS (Secondary Synchronisation Signal). 

The PSS is used to obtain the slot, ub-frame and half-frame boundary as well as providing the cell identity within the cell identity group. 

The SSS is used to obtain the radio frame boundary (10ms) as well as enabling the UE (phone) to determine the cell identity group.

After your UE (phone) has successfully decoded the PSS and SSS, it will be able to calculate the PCI. It uses the following formula:

PCI = (3 × SSS) + PSS

 

How is PCI calculated for 4G?

 

PSS has 3 values (0,1 and 2) and is created using the Zad-off Chu sequence.The PSS helps to accomplish slot and symbol synchronisation in the time domain.

SSS has 168 values (0 to 167) and is produced using concatenation (linking together in a series) of 2 m-sequences (max length sequence). The SSS helps to achieve radio frame synchronisation.

The formula to work out PCI for 4G is therefore:

PCI = (3 * 167) + 2 = 503

This means that there are PCI values varying from 0 to 503 LTE, which in turn supports 504 unique PCIs for 4G. 

 

How is PCI calculated for 5G?

 

PSS has 3 values (0,1 and 2) and created using m-sequence. 

SSS has 336 values (0 to 335) and is generated using the product of 2 m-sequences.

In 5G-NR (a new radio access technology developed by 3GPP for the 5G (fifth generation) mobile network), the basic structure of PSS is the same but the number of SSS is increased.

The formula to work out PCI for 4G is therefore:

PCI = (3 * 335) + 2 = 1007

So the PCI values will vary from 0 to 1007. This means that 5G-NR can support 1008 unique PCIs.

 

What does this difference in PCI between 4G and 5G actually mean? 

 

In the simplest terms, 5G-NR has double the number of PCI’s, compared to LTE 4G. 

5G has more Physical Cell IDs (the actual area that the cell antenna on a cell site is covering). Each 5G NR cell has a Physical Cel lD. 5G has 1008 unique possible Physical Cell ID’s, whereas 4G has only 504. 

So if we’re connected to Vodafone on Physical Cell ID No.1, but we could also see Vodafone signals being broadcast out of that cell tower on different cell antennas using Physical Cell ID No,2 and No3, then our mobile device would know to connect to No1. It would get confused if it connected to No.2 or No.3 and impact the quality of service.

The user device connects to the one physically nearest. So for example, a Vodafone tower has two cell antennas out the top broadcasting the Vodafone signal across an area, which will overlap to a small degree. A user’s device will always want to make sure it is connecting to the same one. You don’t want to connect to one antenna and back to another – It’s this that ruins the quality of service. So you will always try and connect back to the one you were talking to, which is normally geographically the one closest to you. 

The Physical Cell ID is used to identify each space. We don’t want those numbers to overlap too often, or our devices get confused and don’t know which to connect to. If a device can see a Physical Cell ID of 2, and there’s another cell antenna using an ID of 2, it wouldn’t know which one to communicate with.

It is beneficial to know that 5G-NR has more PCI’s available in the planning stages, to enable a higher quality of service (QoS) for end user devices.



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Wi-Fi and Connectivity Options for Village Halls

Did you know that village halls in need of a bit of updating and renovation can apply for a share of a £3m fund, all in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?

 

This follows the tradition of village hall investments for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and King George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935. 

 

125 lucky village hall recipients will have a share of the £3m fund, which can be put towards renovations and building improvements including Wi-Fi.  

 

You might well be hosting or celebrating in your local village hall for this weekend’s Jubilee celebrations! Village halls are often the heart of communities, bringing people together. It’s vital these hubs stay well connected with strong, reliable Wi-Fi. 

Wi-Fi for Village Halls – A Quick Guide

If you’re a part of the committee that looks after your local village hall, then you’ll know that there is an ever-increasing need for these community buildings to offer broadband and Wi-Fi access to their users. 

 

Not only will this support a wide range of community activities and events, it will also enhance the facilities you can offer as a venue to those who hire your space. 

 

So what do you need to consider to improve digital connectivity for your communities and businesses by making sure your village hall is well connected? 

 

Get a Broadband Connection


Before even thinking about Wi-Fi or broadband, you need to make sure you have a telephone landline. The only exception is if you are able to get cable or fibre access to the hall. You can read more about FTTP in one of our previous blogs here. Make sure that you have a business contract rather than residential, as it will be for public use. 

 

To get a new telephone line, order one through BT.com. After that’s done, you can upgrade to broadband. Always make sure you check with the ISP that you are able to make your internet connection available to the public before placing your order. 

 

If you want to get broadband without a landline, you would need to be able to have a cable, full fibre or mobile broadband connection. More on that later! 

 

Not got an official postal address? Some village halls don’t actually have an official post office address which can cause problems with some ISP’s as they may insist that you have one in order to place an order. If you find this is the case, you can contact the Post Office and request an official address here.

 

Some ISP’s will accept what’s known as an ‘unserved’ building but they may ask to do an initial survey before they confirm your order.  

 

How much will it cost to install Wi-Fi in a village hall?

You will need to incur some costs to get Wi-Fi successfully set up in your village hall. Bear in mind the following likely outgoings:

  • Installation and connection costs for a new telephone line (plus VAT) and broadband connection (if required)
  • Line rental for the telephone line (ongoing costs)
  • Data usage charges from broadband / Wi-Fi use (ongoing costs)
  • Any work required to install the Wi-Fi router in a secure location, plus additional devices that may be needed to boost Wi-Fi signal 

 

You can help keep costs to a minimum by shopping around for the best contract available on price comparison websites. Remember you need a business contract, not a residential one! Make sure you balance out the costs with data usage limits and of course, reliability.

 

Remember though, making improvements with the Wi-Fi in your village hall is investing in its successful future. It’s vital that these community hubs are well connected for their users. And even better if you can get the costs covered by securing part of the £3m Jubilee fund!

 

Security

 

We cannot express enough how important it is to make sure that your Wi-Fi is secure. You should manage and filter the access to your Wi-Fi signal. 

 

If you were to allow unmanaged access to your Wi-Fi, people may use your broadband connection for illegal purposes. By providing the Wi-Fi for this, you could be liable. 

 

Luckily for you, it’s super easy to manage your Wi-Fi security – And definitely not something that should put you off setting up a Wi-Fi connection in your village hall. 

 

To minimise the risk of inappropriate use, you should:

 

  • Install your router in a secure place where only authorised users are able to physically access it. Don’t let people connect to your router via Ethernet cable as they could make changes.
  • Routers usually display the passwords you need in order to manage and access your Wi-Fi connection. If you think it’s possible for unauthorised users to access this information, then consider changing the User ID and admin password (instructions on how to do this should be in your router user guide).
  • Regularly change your Wi-Fi access password for users. This means that only current users will be able to use your Wi-Fi connection, rather than someone who isn’t authorised or is re-using a password they’ve previously been issued with.
  • Always ensure that the parental control setting is switched on. This prevents access to any unsuitable websites on your Wi-Fi connection. You can use your router manual to set appropriate firewall settings to set the level of restriction required. 

 

 

The router in our village hall doesn’t reach the whole building

 

If you already have a router installed in your village hall, but it’s not reaching far enough and you’re struggling with black spots or slower Wi-Fi in certain places then you may need to extend your Wi-Fi coverage. 

 

This is particularly relevant if you have a large village hall building – The signal just may not be strong enough to reach everywhere it needs to from one router. 

 

We mentioned above that it’s important for the router to be in a secure area so unauthorised people cannot access it. This could mean that it’s been placed in a less than ideal location for signal strength and connectivity. It’s vital to balance the two! 

 

Ideally, you will be able to place the router in a central location, but if that is not the case then you may need to install other devices to extend the signal to other locations within your village hall building. You could potentially use a powerline adapter or a Wi-Fi extender to boost the signal strength and get wider Wi-Fi coverage in the building. 

 

Mobile Broadband for Rural Village Halls

You and your users might not be in London, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t expect the same Wi-Fi connection that you get in urban areas – Despite being in more rural ones. 

 

Unfortunately there are many parts of the countryside that are suffering from a broadband deficit – Indeed, there seems to be a connectivity imbalance across the countryside, with many village halls struggling.

Over the past year particularly, we’ve installed countless numbers of external 4G antennas and routers in rural areas, effectively replacing the broadband through the telephone cable using a data SIM card.

 

You can read more about our 4G Mobile Broadband solutions in a previous blog of ours here. 

 

If you are wary about whether Mobile Broadband could work in your more rural village hall, then our Cellular Survey could be just what you need. We can map the availability of cellular and data coverage within a building and report the details of phone coverage for 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE and 5G. We can measure the cellular connectivity, data upload and download speeds and the occurrence of dropped and failed calls for all the main mobile network operators. You can read more about this here. 

 

Want to know more about how Geekabit could help get your village hall connected?

For further information about securing a strong Wi-Fi connection in your village hall, please email our Wi-Fi experts at info@geekabit.co.uk and someone will be in touch as soon as possible.

 

We work out of London, Hampshire and Cardiff, covering community buildings, businesses and larger residential properties. 

 

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5G Hampshire Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi Advice
What is 6GHz Wi-Fi?

Did you know that following the historic decision by USA’s FCC in April 2020 to release 1200 MHz of bandwidth in 6 GHz space for unlicensed use, UK regulators cleared unlicensed wireless usage in the 6 GHz spectrum to give 6GHz WiFi a huge boost back in July 2020. 

 

This regulatory go-ahead enables your router to broadcast over the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. What does this mean in real life terms? Simply, it means there are now a lot more open airwaves that routers can use to broadcast Wi-Fi signals. This in turn means faster, more reliable connections from the next generation of devices.

 

This is the biggest spectrum addition in over 30 years – In fact, since the FCC cleared the way for Wi-Fi back in 1989. Pretty huge right? It means the space available for routers and other devices have quadruple the amount in this new spectrum. This means a lot more bandwidth for the user and less interference for their devices. 

 

For the past 20 years we’ve had the Wi-Fi Alliance that oversees the implementation of Wi-Fi. This change in the spectrum is the most ‘monumental decision’ during their existence. You’ll be seeing this implementation as Wi-Fi 6E, with more and more enabled devices becoming available. 

 

Will Wi-Fi 6E fix my bad Wi-Fi? 

 

There’s a good chance that spectrum congestion has interfered with your ability to connect to your Wi-Fi network in the past. When there are a lot of devices all trying to connect over the same band of frequencies, some devices will drop out. Have a look at your local area for Wi-Fi networks – If there is a long list, that could be why you’re struggling with a slow connection and less than favourable reliability. This is because there are too many competing signals, which stops your device getting through. It’s hoped that gains in 6GHz performance will last, even when they are more widely used than they are now. 

 

Not only does Wi-Fi 6E offer new airwaves for routers to use, they are also more spacious airwaves that have less overlapping signals which can cause problems on some other Wi-Fi channels. 

 

The new spectrum doesn’t use any of the previous spectrum, yet offers space for up to 7 maximum-capacity Wi-Fi streams which can all be broadcast simultaneously without causing interference with each other. 

 

Here’s the geeky bit… The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, made it possible for home Wi-Fi networks to harness 500MHz of radio spectrum frequency in the new 6GHz band, which will significantly boost the speed of licence-exempt indoor home wireless networks via Wi-Fi 6/6E. 

 

What is 6GHz? 

 

Basically, Wi-Fi works by broadcasting over airwaves that are open for anyone to use. Previously, this was over two bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This third band, 6GHz, is quadrupling the available space for traditional Wi-Fi. 

 

What do the numbers mean? 2.4GHz can travel further, but 6GHz travels faster. The main thing however is that the number of airwaves available on the6GHz band is quadruple what has been available before. Exciting stuff! 

 

On a personal ‘how will this affect me’ level, it means that if you live in a block of flats, and you are the first person to get a 6GHz router, then you won’t be competing with anyone for a connection. The great thing is that even as 6GHz routers become more popular, it’s likely that signals will stay faster and stronger than previously as it’s a more spacious spectrum.  

 

Will Wi-Fi 6E be faster?

 

It’s not quite as straight forward as that, but Wi-Fi 6E will sort of be faster. Theoretically, 6GHz Wi-Fi has the same top speed as 5GHz Wi-Fi. The maximum Wi-Fi 6 standard speed is 9.6 Gbps. Now, you’re not going to actuall get that speed in real life, however having access to the new airwaves could well increase your speed. 

 

The available spectrum at 5GHz means that Wi-Fi signals aren’t as large as they could be. Whereas, it’s thought that routers at 6GHz will broadcast at the current maximum allowable channel size. That in itself, means a faster connection. 

 

These new networks could see smartphone Wi-Fi connections hit 1–2 Gbps. You might be wondering how this compares to 5G – Indeed, these are the speeds expected from millimetre-wave 5G. However, that has very limited availability. 

 

Remember that your internet speeds will also always depend on / be limited by your provider. But it could still be a huge jump for connectivity.  

 

Can I buy Wi-Fi 6 devices?

 

Here in the UK we started to see Wi-Fi 6 devices creep onto the market in the last year or so, once the Wi-Fi Alliance started offering certification for Wi-Fi 6E. Deployment has been slow and steady, with more Wi-Fi 6 enables devices appearing bit by bit. We’re on course for the next generation of Wi-Fi networks.

 

Wi-Fi 6E enabled devices are most seen in smartphones and then tablets, with TV’s likely to follow suit. We use our phones for almost everything, so it’s no surprise that it’s this device that will be top of the list for Wi-Fi 6E. 

 

How do I know if a device supports Wi-Fi 6E?

 

The most widely used Wi-Fi standard on current devices is probably still Wi-Fi 6, the standard previous to Wi-Fi 6E, which you could still see on the box of a new device. This isn’t such a bad thing – It means that the device supports that Wi-Fi standard and offers efficient Wi-Fi performance. 

 

What you should probably start looking out for when buying a new device is Wi-Fi 6E – It’s this one that is extended into the 6GHz band. All devices, like smartphones, tablets, laptops and routers should have backward compatibility – Meaning they will work with any previous Wi-Fi standard to the one that’s stated on the box. This means that you can enjoy available connections even when Wi-Fi 6E isn’t available. 

 

Be aware that even if you buy a Wi-Fi 6E compatible device, you will enjoy the benefits of that when you use it with a Wi-Fi 6E router. 

 

6GHz will become an integral part of Wi-Fi 6 and future generations of Wi-Fi. This means that at some point, you will have to replace your devices with ones that are Wi-Fi 6E compatible to be able to enjoy all the benefits the extra spectrum has to offer. 

 

Due to the Wi-Fi Alliance certification programme, only efficient Wi-Fi 6 devices will be certificated. 

 

It’s worth bearing in mind that the 6GHz spectrum does have some existing licensed users. This means that particularly in outdoor spaces,  Wi-Fi will have to work around them. Outside, routers will need to use something called an “automated frequency control” system. This ensure that they don’t interfere with these existing 6GHz users. Because that means less space to broadcast, there could be degradation of overall performance in some areas.

 

Does Wi-Fi 6E have anything to do with 5G? 

 

We touched on this earlier, but no, they don’t have anything to do with each other really. It just happens that both of these networks are being spoken about a lot, simultaneously. 5G is everywhere, is it not!

 

We keep saying about Wi-Fi 6E being a new spectrum, but really it’s not new, it’s always been there, it’s just been unlicensed. Now, people can use the 6GHz spectrum without a license in their homes. 

 

This also means that other technologies could try to make use of the 6GHz band, which could in turn take up some of the space that Wi-Fi wants to use. 5G is one of the technologies that could be a rival for the space on the 6GHz band. 

 

There is a possibility that 5G could overlap on the new Wi-Fi 6E spectrum through mobile network carriers. This could in turn lead to interference issues, but it’s a bit early to say. If you’re wondering whether 5G will become dominant and replace Wi-Fi altogether, then we think probably not. There doesn’t need to be a winner or a loser when it comes to Wi-Fi 6E vs 5G – They dont necessarily have to be in competition with one another. The spacious nature of this spectrum means there should be enough room for both. 

 

6GHz Wi-Fi is certainly being revered by the tech industry, so we’re pretty hopeful that Wi-Fi will be the main beneficiary of the newly opened 6GHz spectrum. 

 

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4G 4G Mobile Broadband 4G survey 5G 5G survey Business Wi-Fi Robustel Robustel Remote Monitoring Robustel Router Monitoring Router
How to Remotely Monitor a Robustel 4G Router

In this blog we’re going to show you how you can link the Robustel 4G router with other platforms, so you can monitor your router remotely in real time, in a way that best fits with your business operations. 

 

Who are Robustel?

Robustel are used across various industries including Retail, Healthcare, Transport, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Security, Agriculture and Smart Cities. 

 

The design and manufacture of Robustel products provides industrial quality wireless routers, modems and gateways for Wi-Fi, cellular and LPWAN networks. This includes 3G/4G/LTE/5G in cellular networks and Cat-M1/NB-IoT/LoRaWAN/Bluetooth in LPWAN networks. 

 

Robustel customers are provided with EDGE Computing, Cloud Software and end-to-end IoT Solutions to complement the hardware. 

 

If you’re an enterprise or mobile network looking for a competitive edge in the IoT market, then Robustel could be just the thing. They are passionate about long-term relationships with their customers and partners, and work alongside many distribution partners in 120 countries including the UK.

 

Robustel work with businesses across the world in various industries – Solving connectivity problems with scalable, robust and secure IoT solutions. Whether you are just looking for the hardware or a complete  ‘IoT in a box’, Robustel will have a solution. 

 

So where does Geekabit come in, you might be wondering?

 

Well, while Robustel has an excellent interface for remote diagnosis and simple email notifications, it does not provide automated notifications to other platforms, with checks sent to your IT support teams.

 

How can Geekabit help with Robustel 4G router monitoring?

 

Here at Geekabit, we can provide access to our router monitoring software platform for real-time notifications of uptime, downtime, speed issues via:

  • Slack 
  • Teams
  • Text message
  • Automated phone calls

If none of those are sufficient, we can also provide an API connection to automatically import your Robustel notifications to the platform of your choosing.

 

Get in touch

 

If you have or are considering a Robustel router for your use case, but are not sure of the benefits vs a Teltonika router, please speak with one of our Wi-Fi experts.

 

If you think a 4G router will not provide sufficient upload and download speeds for your use case, please get in touch with us here at Geekabit. 

 

By using the right combination of equipment, external antennas, research and evidence based placement, we can dramatically increase what is possible.

 

Image from Robustel.com – Product shown is the R1520 Dual-SIM Cellular VPN Router.

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5G 5G survey Enterprise 5G
Enterprise 5G: What You Need To Know 

You may be wondering what 5G means for enterprises. You may well have googled it and landed here! The prevalence of 5G will help to empower businesses – Allowing them to create new experiences and connect in more inventive ways.. 5G will help to change how we work and how we play as well as providing the solution for many problems. Some of them we might not even know about yet! There is a constant buzz in the air surrounding 5G and the excitement of all the possibilities it brings. It might also be causing a bit of FOMO – Businesses will not want to be the ones left behind. 

 

5G is quite often used as a backup for 4G – But those days may soon be over. Businesses will need to start considering using 5G as their primary mobile network, as well as the possibility of using it or their wireless environment – Negating the need for office wiring. 

 

Transformation is happening across all industries – As it tends to do with the introduction of new technology. An ever-changing world! 5G could well be the latest key when it comes to boosting the ambition of your business and increasing the confidence of enterprise customers. 

 

There are 3 main take homes when it comes to Enterprise 5G:

  • This year, the investment in 5G looks strong in enterprises across industries
  • Confidence in the ability to implement 5G successfully is low (only 25% of enterprises feel very confident about effective implementation)
  • Sustainability needs must be met by 5G providers and IoT use

 

The level of current and future spending on emerging technologies is looking healthy, yet there are some significant challenges that industrial 5G needs to overcome. With only a quarter of enterprises feeling confident in their ability to implement 5G successfully, it is vital that 5G providers can help enterprises to get set up. 

 

So what do our 5G providers need to know? Well they need to know what enterprises are thinking when it comes to 5G implementation in order for them to become trusted business partners. 

 

There are several key insights that need to be considered for Enterprise 5G. 

 

Adoption of 5G is not guaranteed


Just because the intention to invest in 5G is there, doesn’t mean it’s a given. The future looks bright in terms of enterprises adopting emerging technologies over the next few years, with investments likely to rise.  The intention to invest in 5G is highest amongst enterprises adopting new technologies. 17% have already invested, and 56% plan to invest in the next 1-3 years. Only 12% are not planning to invest whilst they monitor technological changes.

It seems that organisations are mostly interested in 5G for its use in helping them to meet their sustainability goals as well as improving supply chain management.

This doesn’t mean that 5G implementation is guaranteed. Indeed, just because 5G is becoming more mainstream, doesn’t mean that all organisations are going to stay receptive to it. Asian companies planning to invest in 5G is actually down 10% in comparison to last year.

 

Enterprise 5G Vision Becomes Defensive

 

The mindset towards 5G and IoT is prizing efficiency and optimization instead of entering adjacent markets and driving top-line growth. The top priority of enterprises when it comes to IoT is operational efficiency. Similarly, less enterprises want to spend on IoT for new products and services. 5G application uses for VR and AR seem to be diminishing.

We also need to look at Environmental, Social and Governance consideration as although these are fueling interest in 5G, they are also necessitating new demands on tech providers. Sustainability is a hot topic at the moment, and almost 50% of businesses don’t feel their sustainability needs are being met by 5G vendors.

 

New ways of buying and deploying 5G are well received by enterprises

 

Enterprises seem very receptive to 5G solutions, with over three quarters of businesses interested in using private networks to support the implementation of 5G. Furthermore, 50% of businesses thought that purchasing private network capabilities was an important 5G investment strategy. The reasons being that it provided more control of their network and improved reliability.

It would seem that the lack of confidence in 5G implementation could lead to businesses purchasing 5G through a MVNO (mobile virtual network operator). This implies that the relationship between telecommunications operators and enterprise customers could be in jeopardy. They need to ensure that 5G offerings are offered with easy market strategies.

 

Focus on 5G’s relationship to other technologies, with less attention on cyber risks

 

It looks like one of the top priorities for businesses is looking at the relationship of 5G with other technologies. It would be beneficial for enterprises to receive ongoing information and education on emerging technologies and how they relate to each other for their business needs. Not understanding the relationship between 5G and other emerging technologies could cause challenges.

Rather incredibly, less than a quarter of businesses viewed reducing the risk of cyber threats a priority in terms of IoT and 5G. We cannot stress enough how vital it is for enterprises to design their 5G and IoT deployments with security in mind. This is not a blind spot that can be ignored.

 

Telecommunication operators are falling behind network vendors



Enterprises are supporting their 5G deployments with their technology and telecoms providers, often following selection criteria based on price. Pricing seems to even come above the speed of execution.

It seems that enterprises don’t just want a technology supplier – They want a transformation partner. And who the experts are in this area is fairly evenly split between application and platform vendors and professional services firms. Hot on their heels are network equipment vendors! Less than a fifth of enterprises view telecommunication operators as experts in digital transformation. Whilst trusted as IoT experts, they need to prove their ability to deliver new connectivity transformations.

 

Ambitious ecosystem strategies for enterprises

 

Enterprises are wanting to take advantage of new technologies and ecosystem collaboration is one route towards these new skills and knowledge. Much of their 5 year growth is based within business ecosystem collaboration. There is a growing emphasis on developing cross-sector partnerships as well as shortening the time between new products and services, and revenue. These are ambitious drivers of ecosystem strategies.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from all this is that nearly three quarters of businesses are prioritising suppliers that can offer the relevant ecosystem relationships as part of their 5G capabilities. This means that any 5G provider needs to meet their customers needs and expectations by tapping into these fast-changing corporate ecosystems.  

 

 

Get in touch

 

If you’re struggling with wired broadband, and not getting the reliable internet connection you need in your business, then 5G could be a fantastic option for you.

 

It can feel like a big jump to give up on your wired broadband connection and opt for 5G – Which is where our Cell Coverage survey comes in.

We can tell you exactly whether 5G broadband would work for you, and which network would be most reliable.

 

Give our Wi-Fi experts a call or email us today!

 

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4G 4G LTE 4G Mobile Broadband 4G office survey 4G survey 4G Wi-Fi 5G 5G survey 5G Survey London Broadband Cell Coverage 4G Survey Cell coverage 5G survey Cellular Survey Hybrid Broadband Mobile Network 4G Survey Mobile Network 5G Survey Mobile Phone Coverage Survey Mobile Phone Survey
How can I improve my 4G signal speed?

Is there anything worse than slow Wi-Fi or a poor data connection? Waiting for a webpage to load or watching a video b-b-b-buffer. It is so frustrating! 

 

More and more people are now opting for 4G or 5G cellular connectivity in their homes, replacing fibre broadband that’s too slow. Many households are also using 4G/5G connectivity as a back up in the form of hybrid broadband. 

 

Why do people choose cellular broadband? Sometimes it’s because of the price of regular wireless broadband, which can be expensive – Especially in more rural areas where it’s also slow. In these instances, cellular signal if more often than not a faster option. 

 

4G LTE and 5G do have their own restrictions though. Slow data rates on 4G LTE and 5G are also common. But is there a way to improve your 4G signal speed and data rates?

 

How Can I Improve My 4G LTE or 5G Speed?

 

There are three main things you can try to help improve your 4G and 5G data rates:

  1. Update your Device

    If you are using old devices, you may only be connecting to older bands. Using a new phone, tablet, laptop or hotspot could help you to connect to new bands. The newer the device, the more likely they are to support a newer version of the 4G LTe or 5G spec, which would in turn bring you faster data rates.

  2. Try using External Antennas

    Many major carriers have hotspots that support external antenna ports. You may find that using an external antenna could help you to improve signal strength, signal quality and help you access bands that aren’t getting indoors. 

 

  1. You could try a Signal Booster

    The majority of phones (as well as some hotspots) do not have external antenna ports. If you are trying to improve data rates on your phone, you could use a signal booster. They work by amplifying your signal as well as increasing the signal strength of the signal. You can also use them alongside external antennas – They enable the rebroadcast of improved indoor signal.

What configurations can I use to improve 4G / 5G signal strength?

There are a couple of configurations that our Wi-Fi experts would recommend giving a go.

 

1. Latest Hotspot + Directional Outdoor Antennas

 

If you’re happy to use Wi-Fi for distributing your signal indoors, then you can use a hotspot (from your chosen carrier) used alongside external antennas which are mounted on the outside of the building.

Pros

  • If you already have a hotspot, this can prove highly cost-effective
  • Easy to support MIMO (multiple input, multiple output). Using multiple antennas can help improve performance
  • Offers the fastest available data rates
  • Using directional outdoor antennas can help improve signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) as well as enabling you to access weaker outdoor bands, and improve MIMO performance


Cons

  • It requires a hotspot, with a line of service
  • Your system will be hard-wired. Mobile phones will be able to connect via Wi-Fi but won’t see better 4G/5G signal.

 

  1. 4G LTE or 5G Signal Booster + Directional Outdoor Antenna

 

A mobile signal booster is a great alternative if you don’t have a hotspot, don’t fancy one or simply cannot afford the monthly charges associated with adding a phone line. You may also just want to have wireless 4G / 5G coverage inside, which a mobile signal booster will give you. 

 

A mobile phone signal booster works by amplifying the signal from outdoors and then rebroadcasting it indoors via wireless. Thus getting you the best data rates. 

Pros

  • Provides wireless coverage for multiple devices
  • Will works with existing phones
  • You don’t need a hotspot or extra phone line
  • Using the directional outdoor antennas can help to improve SINR
  • A booster could enable you to connect to weaker bands

Cons

  • Boosters are SISO (single input, single output) with one antenna outside and one antenna inside. This means you cannot use MIMO with this option, and it decreases speeds by approximately 33% 
  • This option can be more expensive than external antennas

 

What can cause slow 4G / 5G data rates? 

 

If we’re trying our best to improve our 4G and 5G data rates, it would make sense to identify what actually causes rates to be slow. There are five main factors that can affect the 4G LTE / 5G data speeds you experience.

 

  1. The Signal Quality (SINR)

    The quality of signal in 4G / 5G networks is measuring in signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR). If you can increase your SINR, you can dramatically improve your data connection speed. As outlined above, you can improve your SINR by using a directional outdoor antenna, which can also be connected to a signal booster or directly to your 4G / 5G hotspot.

  2. The Number of Connected Bands

    Carrier Aggregation is when your phone (or hotspot) is able to use multiple bands to connect to the tower simultaneously. This means that the more bands you are connected to, the higher your data rates.

  3. The Signal Strength (Reference Signal Received Power)


You might be thinking that signal strength must be the most important factor, but it’s actually not. In 4G and 5G networks the RSRP signal strength certainly does matter, but it’s not the most important thing. Check your RSRP – If it’s already stronger than -100dBm, then having a stronger signal won’t help to increase your data rates. 

 

  1. Congestion

    As you can imagine, the more users there are on the tower, the lower your data rate is going to be. The congestion in the tower will also vary by band. In general, lower frequencies penetrate buildings more than higher frequencies. This means that the higher frequency bands are usually less congested. This means that using an outdoor antenna and connecting it directly to your hotspot or signal booster Ican really help you to access the less-congested bands.

  2. MIMO Support

    Using MIMO means that you can use multiple antennas to increase data rates by about 30%. The majority of mobile phone signal boosters are SISO (Single Input, Single Output) but you could install two systems in parallel to get a MIMO booster. 

  3. Throttling

    If you’re with a Mobile Virtual Network Operator, it means that the service provider does not own the wireless network infrastructure. This means that the main carrier’s network may treat your connection like a second-class citizen and find yourself throttled! Throttling may also occur if you use a lot of data per month. Throttling is how the service providers manage the data they provide – They can de-prioritise certain users and even stop their connection going over a certain speed.

 

Get in touch

If you’re struggling with wired broadband, and not getting the reliable internet connection you need in your rural business or home, then 4G / 5G could be a fantastic option for you.

It can feel like a big jump to give up on your wired broadband connection and opt for 4G – Which is where our Cell Coverage 4G survey comes in.

We can tell you exactly whether 4G broadband would work for you, and which network would be most reliable.

 

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