Used cell phones can simultaneously be our greatest ally and our worst enemy, with your cell phone reception quality being the deciding factor between good and evil. What if your loved ones can't reach you in a dead zone, or you are in the middle of a very important (or not-so-important) conversation only to be greeted with the dreaded chime of your phone alerting you that the call has been dropped? Despite the content of your phone calls, entering a dead zone is never a welcomed event, especially if that dead zone is your house! If you can't afford another used cell phone or are stuck in a contract that has an expensive early-termination penalty, there are steps you can take in order to boost the connection power between you and your cell phone service provider.

Update Your Roaming Capabilities

Most cell phone service providers offer the ability to update what is called your “roaming capabilities” , which will send information to your cell phone about the locations of newly acquired cell towers in your area. This is the simplest and quickest way to boost the signal strength on your refurbished cell phone. The steps to do this are usually very easy to complete; for example, if Verizon is your service provider, you would simply dial *228 and follow the instructions. If you recently purchased a used or refurbished cell phone, then it would be very wise to update your roaming capabilities as there is no way of knowing how much time has passed between roaming updates. However, not every cell phone service provider has this option, so it would be best to consult a representative regarding this method.

Wireless Extenders

I should preface this by stating that wireless extenders will cost quite a bit of money, but are guaranteed to extend the reception of your used cell phone. Whether or not this would be a wise investment is entirely dependent on your specific situation. For example, if you're restricted to just one cell phone service provider in your area, or if the penalty to be released from your phone contract is more than the price of the wireless extender, than it would be a smart move to purchase one of these.

The most popular choice for a wireless extender is the “repeater” style, which will absorb the cell phone signal from your refurbished phone and amplify it in order to create a stronger connection to the cell tower. You can purchase a model that is specifically designed for motor vehicles, or one that is made for homes, RV's, and other locations where the distance between you and the antenna will be greater than if you were sitting in your car. It is important, however, not to confuse these two models. The wireless extender designed for the home works best when you are at least 20 feet away from the actual antenna. When the distance between the two is less, the amplifying power will deteriorate, so attaching a repeater to you car that is made for home use will not only be a waste of money, but counterproductive to achieving a stronger cell phone signal and can potentially damage the amplifier. So in short, wireless extenders are either designed specifically for short distances (like in your car or truck) or greater distances (such as in your home or office); it is not a marketing ploy, there are important safety reasons why these two repeaters are designed differently.

The Fraud of Cell Phone Antenna Booster Stickers

Most tech-savvy consumers know that those puny stickers with robot-like designs on them (supposedly to represent some sort of wiring that is so modern it can be simply drawn onto a silver sticker) do not improve your cell phone reception strength. In fact, according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled test to determine the actual affect these stickers have on cell phone reception, these decals actually DECREASE you reception strength (four out of five tests show this). The interference caused by placing a glorified piece of tin foil on that newly-bought used Blackberry of yours will apparently interfere with your connection to the nearest cell tower. So essentially, you are actually paying to weaken your signal strength. The only reason these people are still in business is because they are funded by unsuspecting consumers who believe a company that endorses falsified, or at least unfounded, scientific claims about the quality of their booster stickers.

If you feel trapped in a contract with a weak-signaled cell phone service provider, or simply need to boost your phone reception strength, these ideas will aim you down the right path. At the very least, it will help you decide what direction to move in, and what steps to avoid in order to achieve increased signal strength for your refurbished cell phone.