Posts Tagged wilson electronics

An unusual testing ground for a cell-phone booster

One of the world’s most important wetland areas might seem like an unusual place to test a cell-phone booster. But swampy Caddo Lake, surrounded by moss-draped cypress trees and straddling the Texas-Louisiana border, is mighty tough on mobile phones.

So that’s one of the places I went to test Wilson Electronics’ new Sleek Universal Cell Phone Signal Booster. There could be no better test than driving down Pine Island Rd., where I’ve spent a lot of time and always had trouble making calls. Sure enough, my phone soon showed no signal. Nothing. Zip. Completely out of touch.

I stopped in a dreaded “dead zone,” not too far from Caddo landmarks like Mill Pond, Alligator Thicket and Hell’s Half Acre.  Then, I plugged in the Sleek amplifier. Just like magic, my phone began showing three and four bars (instead of none) and I was able to make calls like I was back in civilization.

Simply put, the Sleek works. And it works well.

The Sleek is scheduled for release in March, but the folks at Wilson invited me to try one before it hits the stores. Basically, the Sleek is a small amplifier, made for cars, that boosts both the received signal and the signal being transmitted back to the cell tower.

It can (and did) increase a cell phone’s received and transmitted signals by 10 to 20 times. That can mean the difference between a mediocre signal and a very strong signal, which means fewer dropped calls. Or if a phone shows no signal, the Sleek may be able to provide enough of a boost to actually make calls.

I did some further testing in other areas and found the Sleek would typically increase the signal strength displayed on my HTC Tilt2 by two to four bars (out of five).  Then, I put the phone in test mode so I could see the actual received signal strength. The Sleek consistently increased the received signal by at least 10 times.  Better signals also mean improved battery life.

It can be used with all cell-phone models and providers, except the iDEN/Nextel network.

All this works in a very small package that only takes minutes to install.  The light and compact amplifier is built into the back of a cradle that holds the phone. The cradle is adjustable to fit different sizes of phones.

An adhesive mount is included. Wilson also offers other options, including a mounting arm that fits in a cup holder and a suction-cup mount that attaches to the windshield. These mounts are very handy if you also use your smartphone for GPS navigation.

The Sleek is powered by a lighter plug. The cradle also includes a mini-USB port which can be used to charge your phone. The amplifier is connected to a small, magnetic-mount antenna which attaches to the top of your car.

The phone must be in the cradle for the amplifier to work. But you should be using a Bluetooth or other hands-free device while driving anyway, right? If you need a Bluetooth headset, check out a couple of my faves: the Motorola Endeavor HX1 and the Plantronics Discovery 975.

(If you’d prefer an amplifier that works without placing the phone in the cradle, Wilson also offers the Signalboost MobilePro that connects wirelessly to the phone. It can be used in a car or hotel room to boost voice or aircard signals and a home adapter kit is also available. The phone needs to be within two or three feet of the amplifier, but it provides similar performance gains to the Sleek.)

Wilson Electronics' Chief Operating Officer Joe Banos demonstrates the Sleek at the 2010 International CES

The Sleek sets a new price point for cell-phone boosters, with a retail of $129. The actual street price may be close to $100. The Sleek is expected to be available through major online retailers and some brick-and-mortar stores.

Wilson products are made in the U.S. and the company offers free tech support, by phone or e-mail, from its manufacturing facility in Utah.

The Sleek will also include a 30-day, “no questions asked” return policy.

Wilson has been making cell-phone amplifiers for years, but the Sleek is a breakthrough product because of its small size and attractive price point. Other than not working on Nextel/iDEN networks, what’s not to like? In a world filled with advertising hype, it’s nice to find a product that delivers as promised.

If you do ever visit Caddo Lake, it might be a good idea to leave the cell phone behind and enjoy the scenery. But if you do need to make a call there, or in thousands of other places where signals are weak, the Sleek could  have you saying, “I can hear you now” instead of watching your phone search for a signal. And that could be worth more than a case of mosquito spray at Caddo.

More on Caddo: Caddo Lake is included in the Ramsar designation of the world’s most significant wetland areas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department operates Caddo Lake State Park and Wildlife Management Area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also recently opened the Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.  Caddo is also a favorite place to visit for musician Don Henley of the Eagles.