Out in the middle of nowhere with no signal? A modern problem but now with a simple solution, check out our handy guide to the best RV cell phone booster for your RVing adventures.
Editors Choice
Smoothtalker X6 Pro
The Smoothtalker X6 Pro has some of the best standard specs we found but it’s the signal range that bags it our top spot on this list. The X6 Pro works across six different bands providing compatibility with multiple carriers and has a robust amplification rating of 50 decibels.
But it is the signal range that got this RV cell phone booster on our radar. With a minimum range of 6 miles and a maximum of 30 miles, the Smoothtalker by far offers the best signal range on our list.
As an automatic cell phone booster, the Smoothtalker also includes some of the best management functions we came across to prevent accidental shutdowns when you are close to a cell tower.
As a bonus, the Smoothtalker X6 Pro is the only model we reviewed that is made in North America, in both the US and Canada.
Bottom Line: The whole point of a cell phone booster for your RV is to maintain a boosted signal for your cellular device even in more remote areas, and none of the products we reviewed does that better than the Smoothtalker X6 Pro.
Best Cell Phone Booster for RV Living
Even if your RV setup has a large, impressive battery array able to power multiple devices and appliances, that doesn’t mean you’ll still get all modern creature comforts while out on the road.
One of the more common issues encountered when RV camping, especially for those who live on the road, is having reliable cell signal reception or an internet connection. Depending on your distance from a cell phone tower, there may be long stretches in more remote locations where you have little to no service.
And it is not only the ability to stream Netflix at stake, with more people remote working reliable access and cell connectivity is now a must for some RV owners. On top of that the inconvenience when trying to look for directions, or God forbid the necessity if you need to contact the emergency services.
This is why we have put together a list of the seven best cell phone boosters for RV travel, detailing each product’s niche. We also explain what to look for and what the different technical specifications mean, so you know which cell phone booster will work best with your carrier and phone.
Looking for a new Cell Phone Booster for Your RV?
- What features to look out for
- Reviews of seven cell phone boosters to suit your individual needs
- Our winner of best cell phone booster for RV living
Things to Consider When Buying a Cell Phone Booster for your Motorhome
Amplification
There are two main specs for determining the amplification power of a cell phone booster; Decibels (dB) and Decibel Milliwatts (dBm).
Decibel milliwatts provide a fixed standard of power that an amplifier can put out and is the more reliable metric of the two for determining the actual amplification power of a cell phone booster. Decibels is a relative metric and tells you how much of an increase in signal strength you can expect but does not tell you what the signal strength is in concrete terms.
The amplified signal can be difficult to gauge since most manufacturers provide the relative amplification spec of dB, rather than the standardized figure of dBm. That said, cell phone boosters that provide a larger relative signal increase in dBs generally provide more total cell signal coverage.
Keep in mind a cell signal booster will only amplify an existing signal to create a stronger signal, it cannot create one. However, if you find even a weak signal most cell phone boosters support multiple users connected at the same time. So no matter how many cell phones or devices you have onboard the RV lifestyle doesn’t have to be a disconnected one.
Carrier Compatibility
Carrier compatibility is determined by what band and frequency your carrier and phone use.
Bands and frequencies are the types of signal cell phones use to communicate and, while they are often used synonymously, differ in how they function. This can make figuring out which band or frequency you need more challenging.
Each service provider uses multiple bands and these differ from provider to provider. However, most use one or more of the same bands as other providers.
This is where frequency comes in as two providers using the same band will use different frequencies on that band. Refer to your carrier and phone to see which bands and frequencies are compatible with any potential booster purchase.
Ease of Use
In terms of interface, there are two types of cell phone signal boosters: automatic and manual. An automatic cell booster is pretty self-explanatory and will handle all of the different signal adjustments for you.
Manual cellular boosters include some knob or button that allows you to manually adjust the dB gain to increase or decrease the dB boost. This can be useful for controlling different bands as well as preventing feedback loops.
Thankfully, most newer automatic cell boosters include safety measures to prevent these issues without the need to adjust the dB gain manually.
RV Cell Phone Booster Reviews
Anntlent Cellular Kit
Best Value
While not the top product we came across, the Anntlent surprised us with a wealth of features found more commonly on expensive products. For example, this is easily the least expensive product on our list that offers a connection with five different bands.
Ultimately, this makes for a better buy since it is compatible with any cellular phone carrier, particularly useful when you have multiple users using a variety of cell networks. This is also one of the few cheaper units we reviewed that boosts 4G signals, rather than just 3G signals.
The Anntlent has tool-free installation making it one of the easier models to install with its exterior antenna taking the place of your vehicle’s standard antenna. However, this arrangement means that mounting the Anntlent inside the vehicle is more limited and not ideally suited for larger rigs.
Still, once the Anntlent is installed, no need to worry about fiddling with manual dB gain adjustment since it is an automatic model. Not only does this make using the Anntlent easier, but it also helps save on your cellular devices’ battery life.
While not the most powerful product on our list, the Anntlent still provides a solid maximum gain of 45 dB. On the downside, this is one of the less durable models reviewed, potentially due to the IP40 rating, which offers no protection from water.
PROs
- Affordable
- Boosts your signal by 45 dB
- Reduces dropped phone calls
- Boosts your signal over five different bands
- Automatic
CONs
- Not the most durable
- Not ideal for bigger RVs
Bottom-Line: Anntlent offers many of the high-end features you expect to see on more expensive products, but is only really for use with a vehicle towing a camper or trailer than for a larger motorhome.
Proutone Cellular Booster Kit
Best Budget
When funds are tight, the Proutone is a breath of fresh air as the least expensive option on our list. Even better, this product still provides a good boost in amplification to the tune of 45 dB, sitting just under the top-rated products we have reviewed.
A reasonably hassle-free product, this mobile booster comes with several different automatic features, including automatic gain control. The Proutone is also one of the easier RV cell phone boosters on our list to install using your vehicle’s standard antenna connection.
One potential issue with the Proutone is that it only amplifies two different frequencies and only works across four different bands. This may create compatibility issues as the Proutone is only meant to work with Verizon and AT&T carriers.
The Proutone is another model that will not work well with larger motorhomes being more suited to use in a smaller towing vehicle.
PROs
- Pretty cheap
- Boosts your signal by 45 dB
- Reduces dropped phone calls
- Automatic model
- Easier to install
CONs
- Less carrier compatibility than others
Bottom-Line: So long as you don’t intend to use the Proutone for a larger RV, you get an excellent deal with the least expensive product on our list that still offers a solid, albeit limited, amplification.
SureCall Fusion2Go 3.0
Best for Efficiency
Not too many manufacturers advertise the power consumption of their product, and some of them can use a fair bit of energy if activated for extended periods. Thankfully, the SureCall Fusion2Go 3.0 prevents unnecessary draining of your battery with a power draw of less than 10W.
Furthermore, since this is an automatic RV cell phone booster, even this small power draw will not be occurring all of the time. When the Fusion2Go 3.0 is active it provides a robust 50 decibels of signal amplification.
This product also works across five different bands and uses a broader frequency range than some of the other 5-band models. This frequency range means you don’t have to worry about carrier compatibility, or whether you want to connect with 3G or 4G.
PROs
- Low price point
- Boosts your signal by 50 decibels
- Boosts over five different bands
- Uses less than 10W of power
CONs
- More difficult to install
- Not the best internal antenna
Bottom-Line: If your rig doesn’t feature a large or robust electric system array, the SureCall Fusion2Go 3.0 is a solid option featuring some of the better specs at a reasonable price.
weBoost RV Drive 4G-X
Best for Large RVs
The weBoost RV Drive comes exceptionally close to being our top-rated product overall but when it comes to large rigs such as Class A and Class C mobilehomes it is top of the class.
This 4G Drive X RV accomplishes good coverage for larger vehicles with the inclusion of two antennas, a standard mini interior antenna as well as a 4G omnidirectional external antenna. While most interior antennas have some signal strength issues, you can alleviate that concern with weBoost’s dual antenna system.
Furthermore, the Drive 4G-X also boasts an excellent signal amplification of 50 decibels. As is common with high-end boosters, the weBoost Drive X RV works across six different bands and is compatible with every carrier in North America.
Whilst the Drive 4G-X is a great choice for RV owners with larger vehicles, it is one of the more complicated systems to install and set up.
PROs
- Boosts your signal by 50 decibels
- Boosts signal over six different bands
- Automatic model
- Compatible with all carriers
- Higher audio quality
CONs
- Quite pricey
- Not the best internal antenna
Bottom-Line: If you have a large RV the weBoost RV Drive 4G-X allows for great cell phone reception throughout your vehicle.
Smoothtalker X6 Pro Phone Booster
Editors Choice
As far as specs go, none of the other products on our list can compete across every metric with the Smoothtalker X6 Pro. The most impressive quality is the cellular signal range, which ranges from 6 miles up to 30 miles.
Other than range, the X6 Pro has a maximum signal amplification rating of 50 decibels which is near the best on this list. The Smoothtalker also accepts six different bands, making it one of the most carrier-compatible products we reviewed.
Like many other models, the Smoothtalker is an automatic system. Still, it goes a step further by including Stealthtech technology, which helps reduce interference and feedback loops from unexpectedly shutting it down. Keep in mind that, like most models, the standard internal antenna is not especially impressive.
PROs
- Uses Stealthtech technology
- Boosts your signal by 50 dB
- Boosts signal over six different bands
- Has a thirty mile range
CONs
- Pricy
- Not the best internal antenna
Bottom-Line: For every metric the X6 Pro either ties or excels in on our list. Furthermore, it is North American made and comes with patented technology to circumvent issues other products can suffer from.
HiBoost Travel 4G Mobile Cell Signal Booster
Best Mid-Range
A mid-range RV cell booster, the HiBoost is not strictly a “cheap” product however, it does provide some of the top specs as seen in other models on this list.
It still for example provides a robust 50 decibels of amplification power. Furthermore, the five bands that can be boosted with this RV cell booster all feature a wider range of different frequencies than other options. This means it will provide more carrier compatibility than the less expensive models– even if they boost over the same five bands.
We found the HiBoost easier to install than some of the more expensive competitors. However, due to installation positioning, the HiBoost will not work as well with a larger RV, unable to provide complete coverage from front to rear.
Unfortunately, this option does not include the most potent antennas that we came across. Still, the HiBoost is relatively easy to use and, like most of the products on our list, is automatic.
PROs
- Relatively cheaper option
- Boosts your signal by 50 dB
- Boosts signal over five different bands
- Compatible with most carriers
CONs
- Not the best antennas
- Inferior documentation
Bottom-Line: HiBoost is close to competing with the best-ranked brands on our list just as soon as they iron out a few hardware issues. However, this model still provides some of the top specs in its price range.
SolidRF RV SuperKit
Recommended
With a great mix of features, the SolidRF was another product in the running for the top spot on our list. It has one of the better interior coverages we came across, partly due to its list topping, excellent amplification boost of 55 dB.
With automatic gain control the SolidRF sports a range of 5 to 8 miles, the second-best on our list. The SolidRF also accepts some of the weaker signals that we came across being able to pick up cell signals as weak as -105 dB.
While not supporting quite as many bands as other top performers on this list, the SolidRF has a 5-band amplifier that works across a wide range of frequencies and is compatible with multiple carriers.
PROs
- Has a 5-8 mile range
- Boosts your signal by 50 decibels
- Automatic
- Compatible with most carriers
CONs
- More expensive product
- Not the best internal antenna
Bottom-Line: While not excelling at anything in particular the SolidRF RV Superkit still offers a nice mix of high-end specs without any deal-breaking flaws.
Last update on 2021-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API