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CNET editors' review
- CNET editors' rating: stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 09/14/2006
Like many of you, we too have occasional problems with our cell phone reception. This is especially an issue at home, where signal strength sometimes drops to only one or two bars. While some antenna boosters have offered a solution, we've found them often to be less than satisfactory due to network interference. The Spotwave Zen Z1900 signal booster, however, seems to have solved this with a unique, adaptive technology that avoids interference while improving signal strength. You also get faster data speeds. The Zen isn't cheap though; the whole system costs nearly $400.
The product only works with the 1900MHz band, and not with 850MHz. This shouldn't be a problem in most areas of the country, but certain Cingular and Verizon networks that still run on 850MHz may not be able to use this device. We used Sprint and T-Mobile cell phones for testing, so we were in good shape.
The installation process is fairly simple. First, locate an area in your home that has the strongest signal, usually near the exterior or a window, to place the large Network Access Unit box. Next, place the smaller Coverage Unit in a spot that requires coverage, probably on the other side of the room. Then hook both units up with a coaxial cable, which can become a tangled mess if the units are far apart, unfortunately.
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