Ongoing changes in cell phone antennas create a need for cell phone antennas education and training. Cell phone antennas come in a variety of forms. Originally the cell phone external antenna, on the outside of the phone, was the norm. Manufacturers later introduced the wireless phone antenna. Internal cell phone antennas are now available. A cell phone antenna booster and a cell phone amplifier increase the reception of the phone.

Consumers depend greatly on their cell phones and look for knowledgeable manufacturers, distributors, and technicians who offer the best cell phone parts and accessories. Cell phone antennas education and training are important to cell phone manufacturers, cell phone distributors, and cell phone repair technicians. Consider the following options regarding how your business can gain cell phone antennas education and training:

1. Cell phone repair and technician courses offer information about cell phone antennas.

2. Articles offer information about new cell phone antenna products such as cell phone antennas amplifiers and cell phone antenna boosters.

3. Mobile industry trade shows update your knowledge on cell phone antennas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take a cell phone service and repair course to learn about parts such as cell phone antennas

Cell phone technician courses feature information about all different types of cell phone parts. Students learn about the function and repair of cell phone antennas, as well as cell phone enhancements such as cell phone antenna boosters.

I recommend: Sky Star Trade offers a hardware cell phone repair course featuring information about cell phone hardware such as cell phone antennas. Alfa Institute offers an online repair training course for cell phone technicians.

Learn from resources that offer information about cell phone antenna products

Research articles that feature tips and ideas about enhancing the reception of cell phone antennas using cell phone antenna amplifiers. They discuss internal as well as external antennas. Articles also compare products and give reader reviews. Look to these articles for hot-selling items and upcoming products for your business; consider them part of your continuing education.

I recommend: Repair 4 Mobile Phone offers resources for repairing and taking apart Sony phones. Look for resources on the site that discuss cell phone parts such as antennas for cell phones. Nokia offers instructions on how to replace the antenna on Nokia phones.

Attend mobile industry trade shows and events to learn more about the wireless cell phone antenna

Search for trade shows, events, and conferences for those in the mobile or wireless industry. These events typically offer educational speakers, brochures, and sessions for members of the wireless industry. Look for events featuring wireless parts and products.

I recommend: CITA, an international wireless association, offers many resources for the wireless industry. Check out the association's month-by-month calendar of events. The World Wireless Congress Event in California takes a look into mobile communication. The site offers registration details as well as a list of speakers and session topics.

Mobile phones have certainly become crucial to the successful operation of many businesses. And when they don’t work well--or not at all–the operation of the business can suffer.

Aside from being just plain annoying, poor cellular reception affects how well a business operates on any given day. Not being able to effectively communicate with your employees and clients can decrease productivity, costing you time and money. And, unfortunately, cellular service providers have yet to achieve a perfectly seamless wireless network to solve the seemingly constant problems of dropped calls and poor reception.

A variety of mobile phone antennas, including external antennas, cell phone amplifiers/repeaters and signal boosters, can address the problems of dropped calls, reduced service ranges, fading signals, poor voice quality and poor coverage areas.

You might want to ask yourself the following questions when choosing the cell phone antennas that will meet the needs of your business:

1. What is my budget for a wireless phone antenna?

2. Is cellular reception a concern in the office, at home or on the road?

3. Has my staff experienced poor, localized coverage (due to obstacles and interference) or problems with geographical distance (distance between the tower and the phone)?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Upgrade your antenna

A cell phone external antenna is, by far, the most inexpensive solution to your business's poor cellular reception problems. An external cell phone antenna attaches to the RF port in your cellular phone, via a coax cable. The antennas are portable and can be used whenever and wherever you experience weak or nonexistent signals. Adaptors can be used on cell phones that do not have an RF port. Cell phone external antennas are usually magnetic or glass-mounted.

I recommend: Cellular Solutions carries a wide selection of external antennas, including a mini magnet mount external antenna that offers 10 times more signal than a cell phone without an external antenna. This cell phone external antenna works on all cell phones with a compatible adaptor and can be easily swapped between vehicles. You may want to consider a trucker antenna for use with a truck, RV or boat. You can place this antenna, which is ideal for many applications, on any surface, thanks to its built-in ground plane.

Extend your cellular service in poor coverage areas

A cell phone amplifier amplifies both transmit and receive signals and is ideal in poor coverage areas. You can buy cell phone amplifiers, which can increase your coverage area up to 50 miles or more, as wireless (repeaters) or direct connection units (wired). A wireless cell phone amplifier/repeater amplifies and rebroadcasts the signal back to your cell phone, all without a physical connection to your phone. A direct connect amplifier must be connected to the antenna port on your phone. Amplifiers are designed to operate on certain frequency ranges (800MHz cellular, iDEN and 1900MHz PCS), so you'll need to first find your phone's frequency before purchasing a cell phone amplifier.

I recommend: Wireless Advisor.com can help you by determining which frequencies are licensed by your carrier in your specific area. wpsantennas.com offers a nice selection of wireless and direct connection amplifiers.

Boost your cellular phone signal

A cell phone antenna booster is a portable, extremely effective signal amplifier for those plagued with weak signals on their mobile networks. A cell phone antenna booster can used anywhere, and is typically sold in kits designed specifically for the home/office or vehicle.

I recommend: Check out JDTeck.com’s selection of cell phone antenna amplifiers/boosters. They also offer assistance by helping you obtain the connectors and patch leads needed to complete the installation for your specific cellular phone.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Dual-band cell phone antennas (for analog, digital cellular and digital PCS) make the most sense for improved cellular reception when traveling in and out of coverage areas. Single-band antennas are ideal for rural areas, or if you are on the edge of your coverage area.
• •  Consider Yagi panel antennas if you are located in a remote area.

Cell phones are popular tools in many industries, and high-performing cell phones are essential for communication. Much of the performance of a cell phone depends on the cell phone antenna. Study some cell phone antennas key terms in order to know questions to ask your dealer. Knowing key terms pertaining to cell phone antennas helps you make educated decisions on cell phones. Dropping calls within buildings can be avoided or lessened.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

External cellular phone antennas

When discussing cell phone antennas, the term external refers to an antenna physically attached to the outside of a cell phone. The antenna picks up electromagnetic waves. External antennas are seen on the outside of the phone.

I recommend: Alternative Wireless describes details of external cell phone antennas. In addition to an intro, it also discusses benefits and how to use external antennas.

Internal cell phone antennas

Internal refers to a cell phone antenna that is passive. The antenna gathers lost radiation inside the phone and reuses it enhance the phone's performance.

I recommend: As Seen on TV discusses how internal cell phone antennas work. The passage also describes how the internal antenna is placed under the battery.

Signal strength

Signal strength refers to the amount of electromagnetic waves gathered by the antenna. The signal strength determines the performance of the phone.

I recommend: Read a discussion on measuring signal strength from Switched.

Retractable antennas

Retractable refers to antennas that you move up and down to increase the phone's signal strength. Use the antenna to replace other antennas and boost reception.

I recommend: Day Deal has information regarding the functions of retractable antennas. Images of various retractable antennas are shown.

Frequency bandwidth

The frequency bandwidth is a measure of the frequency span. The phone's performance meets certain standards within this measurement.

I recommend: Silicon offers discussions on frequency bandwidth. One paper looks at bandwidth and indoor communication.

Isolation

Isolation is the measurement of the amount of the power that goes from one cell phone antenna to another cell phone antenna. In some cases, this term is used to refer to dual polarization antennas.

I recommend: Comms Design discusses three factors to consider when choosing a cell phone antenna. Isolation makes the list.