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Bob692

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My Idea for a mobile phone booster is a non starter as I am informed it is illegal even though a NB is almost a Faraday cage. I guess the law is really for wooden and GRP boats as its OK in a car or truck. We are not continuous cruisers and don't want to sign up to MiFi with a contract. Is there any legal way of getting an improved mobile signal within a NB so as to use our data allowance?

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Stick your phone in the window or a porthole.

 

Some sim providers,of course, allow you to stick their sims in a router or mifi connected to an external aerial and use the data that way.Three, giffgaff etc, but few routers then allow access to the voice call minutes (Huawei b525 is one that does).

Edited by rusty69
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2 minutes ago, Bob692 said:

My Idea for a mobile phone booster is a non starter as I am informed it is illegal even though a NB is almost a Faraday cage. I guess the law is really for wooden and GRP boats as its OK in a car or truck. We are not continuous cruisers and don't want to sign up to MiFi with a contract. Is there any legal way of getting an improved mobile signal within a NB so as to use our data allowance?

?eh? that's not corect surely? Loads of peeps have got routers with an aerial socket and stick a box on the roof. 

Ditto miFi kit with a sim in it.

 

Smacks of someone in a phone shop misdirecting you

 

More info please...

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1 minute ago, OldGoat said:

?eh? that's not corect surely? Loads of peeps have got routers with an aerial socket and stick a box on the roof. 

Ditto miFi kit with a sim in it.

 

Smacks of someone in a phone shop misdirecting you

 

More info please...

It seems mobile phone signal boosters are illegal not the type of equipment you have

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Ive got a 4G external aerial with a 4G router in the boat. Then everything connects via wifi to it.

When we go there I usually put my 3 sim (unlimited data) in it out of my phone or when we are there for a day or night we just use a prepaid sim card  think I've got a 40gb one that last for 2 years.  

  • Greenie 1
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2 hours ago, rustydiver said:

Ive got a 4G external aerial with a 4G router in the boat. Then everything connects via wifi to it.

When we go there I usually put my 3 sim (unlimited data) in it out of my phone or when we are there for a day or night we just use a prepaid sim card  think I've got a 40gb one that last for 2 years.  

Now there is some good thinking.

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5 hours ago, Bob692 said:

My Idea for a mobile phone booster is a non starter as I am informed it is illegal even though a NB is almost a Faraday cage. I guess the law is really for wooden and GRP boats as its OK in a car or truck. We are not continuous cruisers and don't want to sign up to MiFi with a contract. Is there any legal way of getting an improved mobile signal within a NB so as to use our data allowance?

All I ever use aboard my narrowboat for WiFi, mostly streaming to my TV,  is my mobile phone's hotspot. Occasionally I need to put it near a window/porthole, but mostly it just works. Sometimes, when cruising in a rural hilly area maybe, there's no signal, but that's pretty rare and you can't pick up a signal that's not there with any antenna. If there's an issue here that demands pushing any legalities, I'm not sure how.

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5 hours ago, Bob692 said:

My Idea for a mobile phone booster is a non starter as I am informed it is illegal even though a NB is almost a Faraday cage. I guess the law is really for wooden and GRP boats as its OK in a car or truck. We are not continuous cruisers and don't want to sign up to MiFi with a contract. Is there any legal way of getting an improved mobile signal within a NB so as to use our data allowance?

Phone boosters or repeaters  are illegal unless you have a licence to transmit which network providers have, so you can use one of their boosters if you can get them to provide one. (good luck with that one!) The prob is interference from boosters but if it's a low powered one, especially in a steel boat, I don't think you would be bothered by the powers that be.

 

But don't take my word for it. 

 

ETA: The law changed recently to allow certain very low powered boosters. 

Edited by nb Innisfree
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2 hours ago, rustydiver said:

Ive got a 4G external aerial with a 4G router in the boat. Then everything connects via wifi to it.

When we go there I usually put my 3 sim (unlimited data) in it out of my phone or when we are there for a day or night we just use a prepaid sim card  think I've got a 40gb one that last for 2 years.  

I did not realise that a phone sim would work in a 4G router I had assumed you needed a data only sim. Now that is interesting.

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7 hours ago, Bob692 said:

My Idea for a mobile phone booster is a non starter as I am informed it is illegal even though a NB is almost a Faraday cage. I guess the law is really for wooden and GRP boats as its OK in a car or truck. We are not continuous cruisers and don't want to sign up to MiFi with a contract. Is there any legal way of getting an improved mobile signal within a NB so as to use our data allowance?

One way is to use a GSM desktop phone with a builtin usb 3/4G modem. The phone uses a external aerial and is more comfortable to use for long calls. It can be powered from a 12v socket. To connect to your computer you just need a usb lead.

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Thank you everyone, I now have a few options I can explore without getting myself in trouble with the law. BTW this retailer https://www.mobilesignalboosters.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAiA66_xBRBhEiwAhrMuLThdBZ0ki3_MukFipmzp5vZTkbwgrDw1J0E1FkGQz7qU9uUXEwRgrxoCuxsQAvD_BwE

does not mention that it is illegal for a booster on a boat in fact helps you choose the best type for a boat.  Nearly got myself in hot water but the people here put me on the right track.

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9 hours ago, Bob692 said:

I did not realise that a phone sim would work in a 4G router I had assumed you needed a data only sim. Now that is interesting.

You need a sim that allows ‘tethering’, virgin used to not allow that (had to have a data only sim) but I think they do now.  Don’t know about the others.

Edited by Chewbacka
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12 hours ago, Bob692 said:

I did not realise that a phone sim would work in a 4G router I had assumed you needed a data only sim. Now that is interesting.

My phone has a 3 sim unlimited data, calls etc £22 a month which works. 
then when we don’t want heavy usage we have a payg SIM card. 
I know 3 allows tethering. 
but one month I did get through 190gb on the phone sim and nothing was said by 3. 

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  • 1 month later...
4 minutes ago, Kenharris said:

[Signal booster spam removed] it is vital to know what you would like and what you're buying before you purchase it.

 

It certainly is.  Especially as they are explicitly forbidden for use on boats in the UK.

 

Oh, and I have reported your spam link too.

  • Happy 1
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On 25/01/2020 at 22:58, nb Innisfree said:

ETA: The law changed recently to allow certain very low powered boosters. 

 

From https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/mobile-phone-repeaters

 

"Ofcom has legalised use of two types of mobile phone repeater.

Static indoor repeaters

The first are known as static mobile phone repeaters. These are for indoor use, and are designed to improve coverage inside peoples’ homes, offices and other buildings. They must not be used in other situations.  For example, while in motion, such as in a vehicle.

.

.

.

Low gain in-vehicle repeaters

The second type of repeater, known as low gain mobile phone repeaters, are allowed to be used to help coverage inside’ cars and other road vehicles - but not in boats or static caravans."

 

There doesn't look to be much scope to use these legally in canal boats.

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