Reliable cellular coverage is essential for both individuals and businesses. While some people may be fortunate enough to have great signal in their area, most struggle with limited connectivity that comes from being in remote areas with less cellular infrastructure or within structures containing thick building materials where radio frequency (RF) cannot penetrate.
Cellular repeaters, also known as signal boosters or bi-directional amplifiers (BDA), play a critical role in enhancing weak cellular signals in areas where coverage is poor. These devices are particularly useful in rural locations, buildings, or areas with natural or man-made obstacles. A donor antenna picks up the signal from the nearest cell tower and sends it to the repeater and the signal gets cleaned and amplified so it can penetrate obstacles and cover a larger area. The server antenna broadcasts the amplified signal for phones and other devices in the building.
However, not all cellular repeaters are created equally. When selecting a cellular repeater, one must understand the difference between Part 90 and Part 20 equipment, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States regulates these two categories under distinct rules.
Part 90 Signal Boosters
Part 90 signal boosters or repeaters are essentially “professional grade” equipment primarily intended for large enterprises, mission-critical communications, airports, hospitals, and warehouses. Although each Part 90 commercial repeater differs in its specs, they all have similar characteristics that make them more robust (but more expensive) than Part 20 consumer repeaters.
Part 90 repeaters typically have higher output power than their Part 20 counterparts. They are designed to cover larger areas such as multi-story buildings, campuses, or even entire neighborhoods in some cases. Since these repeaters are more powerful than Part 20 repeaters, installers must secure a retransmission agreement from the carrier on behalf of the client, which can be a cumbersome process and may delay deployment. Due to the technical complexity and power, Part 90 solutions always require professional installation and maintenance from system integrators or neutral host operators.
Part 20 Signal Boosters
Part 20 signal boosters or repeaters are designed for the general public to improve cellular signals in homes, vehicles, and small businesses. Unlike professional grade repeaters, they require minimal technical knowledge and oftentimes allow for a DIY installation.
Another major benefit is that Part 20 repeaters do not require a carrier retransmission agreement and can save project time and expenses. Since it requires low power and is unlikely to interfere with the macro network, users can simply register the product on wireless carriers’ websites instead of going through the retransmission agreement process.
Many Part 20 repeaters on the market are often built with cost-cutting in mind, leading to inconsistent performance and reliability issues over time. This is typically due to a lack of experience among manufacturers in designing high-quality, professional-grade repeaters. However, ADRF has raised the bar with the launch of its first Part 20 repeater, the SDRC Series.
The SDRC package is sold as a complete turnkey solution, including four RF bands (700MHz, 850MHz, PCS, and AWS), coaxial cable, and both donor and server antennas, making it ideal for consumer and small business needs. Its patented features such as digital filtering and band equalization allow superior performance to assure that people can enjoy seamless wireless signals inside a building. The SDRC provides a professional grade experience, typical of Part 90 repeaters, with all the instant coverage with off-air Part 20 repeaters.
You can check out more about the SDRC Series features and benefits by visiting here.