Cell Signal Boosters for Rural Areas and Farms: The Complete Guide
Boosting Cell Signal in Remote Areas
Enjoying life in your deep woods cabin or mountain cottage? Or maybe you're tilling the earth, working hard on your farm.
Tis' the life.
But, as they say, every rose has its thorns.
Dropped calls, slow internet, and spotty service are a pain when working or on vacation. Being able to connect is a necessity, especially during emergencies.
A cell phone signal booster for your home, farm, cabin, office, or vehicle can help both your phone and network connection.
We fix poor cell phone signal! Find the right signal booster for you:
Why is Cell Service so Bad in Rural Areas?
Living in a remote, rural area means having limited cell phone reception for calls and cellular data.
The main culprit is cell tower distance. Building materials, thick foliage, hills, and mountains also cause cell signals to go bad.
Unfortunately, carriers don’t want to improve their network in underserved markets because it’s too expensive. They can't justify the cost without multiple users. It’s unfortunate since mobile networks tend to be the main form of communication. Even a study by the National Association of Countries (NACo) confirms this.
How to Get Cell Service in Remote Areas
There are multiple tricks you can try to boost your cell reception anywhere. However, the most reliable long-term solution is investing in a cell phone signal booster. The:
- Outdoor antenna communicates with distant cell towers and fine-tunes received 5G, 4G, and LTE cell signals.
- Coax cables help bypass troublesome building materials.
- Amplifier significantly boosts the signal.
- Indoor antenna(s) broadcast the boosted signal wherever you need it.
See here for a full breakdown of how signal boosters work. Overall, boosters for rural areas will significantly improve cell reception in remote homes, farms, vehicles, and businesses.
Signal Booster Benefits:
- Eliminate searching for usable service.
- Reliable 4G and LTE coverage wherever you need it. 5G ready.
- Uninterrupted calls and faster internet.
- Work with all cellular devices (phones, tablets, hotspots, etc.).
- Compatible with all US carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and more).
- FCC approved.
- Relatively easy to install.
- No need to connect to WiFi.
- No monthly fees.
Do Cell Phone Boosters Work in Rural Areas?
If there’s a sliver of cellular signal outside, cell boosters work wonders in rural areas.
Sometimes the signal may be too weak for your cellular devices to pick up, so you may think there is no signal. Thus, it’s important to measure your cellular signal strength to determine if cell signal is present and how weak it is.
With the use of powerful cellular antennas and an amplifier, cell phone boosters will amplify your signal strength and improve indoor cell coverage.
Don’t believe us? Watch this short video to view the results of a signal booster installation in a rural East Texas home.
For the full story, visit our weBoost Home Complete Review .
Choosing the right antennas is crucial for boosting cell phone signals in rural areas. Click here for our top rural area antenna recommendations.
What is the Best Cell Phone Signal Booster for Rural Areas?
With over 200,000 signal boosters provided across every state and province in the USA and Canada, we’ve compiled a list using our expertise of the best signal boosters for:
- Rural Homes and Farms
- Remote Driving
- Rural RV Camping and Living
- Rental Cabins and Remote Job Sites
- Rural Businesses
Best Cell Phone Boosters for Rural Homes and Farms
Home signal boosters ensure reliable calls, texts, and data speeds in most rural locations. Choosing the right signal booster for you depends on your existing signal strength and coverage needs.
Budget-friendly signal booster for small to mid-size rural homes.
Buy Now at $569.99If you live in a fringe area, don't consider anything home booster less powerful than the weBoost Home MultiRoom. You’ll see minimal results. Featuring up to 65dB gain and high output powers, it can reach distant towers and cover several rooms. It’s a great option for small and mid-size rural homes, cabins, cottages, and bungalows.
Professionally installed cell booster for mid to large rural homes and barns.
Buy Now at $1,299.99The weBoost Installed Home Complete is much stronger than the Home Multiroom. It’s our top recommendation for reliable reception in medium to large remote homes and barns. Including a free professional installation, you don’t have to worry about finding your closest cell tower or running cable. Coverage is likely to range from 2,000 to 5,000 sq ft with weak outside signal. For a non-professionally installed booster with equal power, opt for the standard weBoost Home Complete.
Professional grade cell booster for extremely rural large homes and farm structures.
Buy Now at $1,299.99The weBoost for Business 100 should do the trick for those with large cabins or farm complexes. Unlike the Home MultiRoom and Home Complete, this is a commercial-grade signal booster. It’s the best option for a whole large home solution in extremely poor signal areas. There are many configurations available for this unit. We recommend the Yagi/Panel kit to optimize reach and coverage.
Best Cell Phone Boosters for Remote Driving
You don’t have to put up with spotty cellular signals while on road trips or operating agricultural machinery. Vehicle boosters are designed to communicate with towers on the go and cover most of your vehicle's cabin. You’ll have a dependable connection on remote terrain for GPS, voice, and streaming.
The weBoost Drive Reach is our strongest vehicle booster. Featuring high uplink power, it does a great job at communicating with far cell towers. When compared to the Drive X, it has about 74% more reach. Featuring many antenna configurations, you can customize it to fit many vehicles. Cars, trucks, SUVs, tractors, animal transporters, and more. It's our top recommendation for reliable voice and data on the go in extremely fringe areas.
Cell booster exclusively designed for off-road and overland vehicles.
Buy Now at $549.99For off-roading enthusiasts, the weBoost Drive Reach Overland is the way to go. It features an all-terrain outdoor antenna and a folding mounting bracket. Camp, climb mountain ranges, and explore the backcountry all while remaining connected.
The weBoost Drive X will do just fine for those non-extreme signal environments. It’s slightly less powerful than the Drive Reach, but still effective. Anything with less gain and output power may result in insufficient amplification. Like the Drive Reach, it also has numerous antenna options for easy install on any vehicle.
Best Cell Phone Boosters for Rural RV Camping and Living
The best RV booster will depend on whether you want enhanced signal while driving or camping.
Powerful booster for stationary RVs in rural campgrounds.
Buy Now at $649.9If you tend to stay parked for long periods, we recommend the weBoost Destination RV. It’s like the Home Multiroom, but optimized for stationary RVs, campers, and mobile homes. It uses a powerful Yagi antenna to capture weak signal and a panel antenna for maximum coverage. When you’re ready to move to a new location, the 25’ telescoping pole allows for quick setup and takedown.
Powerful RV booster for rural roads and campgrounds.
Buy Now at $519.99On the other hand, if you’re constantly on the go, the weBoost Drive Reach RV is a much better choice. It can reach distant cell towers and keep you connected while driving or camping in remote locations. Since it’s designed for mobile use, you can set it and forget it.
In incredibly poor signal areas, the Destination RV will outperform the Drive Reach RV.
Best Portable Cell Phone Booster for Rental Cabins and Remote Job Sites
Portable signal booster and LTE router for cellular and internet in remote applications.
Buy Now at $3,999.99Many rely on vehicle boosters to reduce reception issues when staying in a secluded cabin or visiting remote job sites. However, it’s not feasible to constantly run to your vehicle to make a call or surf the web.
The Bolton Technical Portable Signal Unit (PSU - weBoost Edition) allows you to enjoy reliable cell signal and internet anywhere. In the woods, off-the-grid, on the mountains, and other fringe areas. It’s a portable, battery powered box that includes a signal booster and LTE router., and comes with LED lighting and power outlets to keep your whole setup running, too.
Equipped with a Yagi, the booster captures signals from miles away and delivers reliable service for all cellular devices. This includes the LTE router. You and the family will be able to receive calls, send texts, livestream, or work without interruptions. That’s with or without electricity.
You can get up to 18 hours of operation with the two included batteries. To save battery juice, use the built-in plug socket to power the unit when electricity is available. An extension cord will be needed.
For optimal results, use the PSU in enclosed areas with the lid open.
Best Cell Phone Signal Boosters for Rural Business
Businesses need robust repeaters designed to cover large spaces and handle more capacity. The weBoost for Business line ensures reliable connectivity for customers and employees alike.
The weBoost for Business Office 100 is perfect for small rural business buildings. It’s important to choose the right configuration for optimal results. We recommend the Yagi antenna bundle for remote areas. To maximize your coverage, additional antennas are required. While it can cover up to 25,000 sq ft, you may get up to 8,000 sq ft with weak outdoor signal.
Best for small to medium rural businesses.
Buy Now at $1,699.99If you need more than 8,000 sq ft of coverage, go with the weBoost for Business 200 Yagi bundle. It’s more powerful, and it’s capable of covering up to 35,000 sq ft under perfect conditions. Realistically, you may get up to 14,000 sq ft.
There is also a professionally installed Office 200 version. Though, it comes with an omnidirectional outdoor antenna and two dome antennas. Depending on your signal environment, this configuration may not be ideal for you. Call us at 1-800-919-7442 to discuss which version will yield the best results for your small to medium remote business.
For a complete comparison between the two Ofice units, visit our weBoost for Business Office 100 vs Office 200 review.
For commercial buildings over 50,000 sq ft, the WilsonPro line by Wilson Electronics is the way to go. Contact our signal experts at 1-800-887-1961 for a free consultation. These require a site survey and a professional installation.
Best Cell Phone Booster Antennas for Rural Areas
The two types of outdoor signal booster antennas are omnidirectional and directional.
If you live in a rural area with faraway cell towers, don't bother with an omnidirectional antenna. Even though it’s easier to install, it will provide less gain for your system. This is critical when you live far away from a cell tower.
In terms of directional antennas, there are two main types: Yagi and LPDA.
Best antenna for very rural areas. 50 Ohm.
Buy Now at $249.99LPDA antennas are more powerful than Yagis. They should be used in very rural areas to provide more powerful signal. However, they're expensive and harder to install. Yagi antennas, on the other hand, are easier to use and tend to work well if you live within 3 miles of a tower.
Common directional antenna. 50 or 75 ohm.
Buy Now at $63.18If you need to upgrade your Yagi or LPDA, it’s important to keep impedance in mind. Antennas, cables, and signal boosters all have impedance ratings of 50 Ohm or 75 Ohm. Mixing and matching impedance can lead to signal loss. It’s best to stay consistent. In some cases, however, we need to connect a 50 Ohm antenna to a 75 Ohm system for the extra power. This can be done with an adapter. To connect our 50 Ohm antennas to our 75 Ohm booster, we recommend an N-Male to F-Female adapter.
For indoor antennas, avoid whips. Try and get a panel antenna or a dome antenna if possible.
Rural Area Signal Booster FAQs
1. Are Signal Boosters for Rural Areas Legal?
In the United States, FCC-approved signal boosters are 100% legal. You’re free to use them to improve cell coverage in your rural living spaces or vehicles.
2. How Well Do Cell Phone Booster Work in Rural Areas?
If you have a sliver of signal, they work well.
Cell boosters were made for people in low-service areas. You won't have to head into town or beg for a bar anymore. They reach to AND from the cell tower to deliver reliable reception.
3. How Do Signal Boosters Boost Cell Phone Reception in Remote Areas?
A cell phone signal booster works by doing 3 main things:
The outside antenna pulls in existing 5G, 4G and LTE signals.
The amplifier boosts cell signals.
The inside antenna broadcasts the boosted signal inside your cabin, office, or vehicle.
It's important to note that cell phone booster ENHANCES signal. They do not create it. Think of it as healing the injured and not raising the dead.
Usually, if you can get some signal near your home, a cell phone booster will work for you.
There are areas where cell signal doesn't exist or is spotty, including:
- The Ozark Plateau
- Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee
- White Pocket, Arizona
- Certain Areas in Upstate New York
- No Return Wilderness, Idaho
- Steens Mountain, Oregon
- Wasatch Mountains, Utah
- Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
- Texas Hill Country
- The Great American Southwest
If you live or travel to one of these areas, you might see very limited results, even with a booster. But something is still better than nothing.
4. Is There a Way to Get Cell Service Anywhere?
Unfortunately, no. If there is absolutely zero cell signal, not even a signal booster can help improve connectivity. However, with the right antennas, a signal booster will enhance reception anywhere a sliver of cell signal is available.
5. Will Signal Boosters Work for My Farm Out in the Country?
Yes.
The best cell phone signal booster for farms depends on a few factors:
- How far away you are from your nearest cell tower.
- Where you need coverage (buildings or vehicles).
- The strength of your outside signal.
If your signal strength is very weak, you’ll need to invest in a strong booster to get decent results.
As a general rule, you should buy the strongest booster possible if you live far away from a cell tower. However, if you live pretty close to one, you can get away with a weaker booster.
Many farmers have opted for the Bolton Technical PSU. Portable, it allows them to get signal anywhere on the farm.
6. Does a Cell Phone Signal Booster Work for Camping?
Cell reception is often less than ideal when camping. If you have access to a power source, vehicle and residential boosters work great when camping in environments with existing cell signals. They must be used in enclosed areas due to FCC regulations and for optimal results. If electricity isn’t available, the PSU would be a better option. It can keep you connected for up to 18 hours on pure battery power.
7. How to Get Cell Service in the Woods?
Reliable cellular reception is a bit tricky in the woods. With so many trees, cell signal is easily blocked.
Whether you live or camp in the woods, as long there is an ounce of signal, you’ll be able to get decent service with a signal booster. You may need to upgrade the included Yagi antenna for a stronger one. If you don’t have access to electricity, we recommend the Portable Signal Unit.
8. How to Get Cell Service in the Mountains?
If signal can reach the mountain or close enough to it, a booster can help you get better cell reception. That is unless you're on something like Mount Everest. If you don’t have access to electricity, consider the PSU.
9. Will a Cell Phone Booster Work for My Phone?
Absolutely.
Cell boosters work with all CELLULAR DEVICES. Smartphones, tablets, hotspots, cellular routers, etc.
10. What if I Switch Carriers in the Future?
The booster will continue to improve your signal.
Our Wilson Electronics units (weBoost & WilsonPro) are multi-carrier systems. This means they’re compatible with Verizon, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and all other carriers.
They are future-proof!
11. What About 5G Service?
Signal boosters are 5G ready, meaning they work with 5G.
However, even though AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and other carriers have started deploying 5G, it’s not available everywhere. It’ll be a while for 5G to reach rural areas.
12. Will 5G Make Rural Signal Boosters Obsolete?
Nope.
4G LTE is the backbone of the nation's wireless service. It's not going anywhere anytime soon, AND it's getting faster. These boosters are also 5G ready.
4G LTE is expected to peak in 2030-2035. So... come back in a decade and ask the same question. We might have a different answer.
Contact Us to Get Cell Service in Remote Areas Today!
Wilson Amplifiers is the leading provider of cell phone signal boosters. We hate dropped calls and poor coverage. It’s our goal to eliminate spotty signal, especially in remote, rural areas. If you have questions about our products or need help choosing the right one, call us at 1-800-568-2723 or e-mail us at sales@wilsonamplifiers.com.
- Free consultations with our US-based customer support.
- Free shipping.
- Better signal or industry-leading 90-day money-back guaranteed. No questions asked.
- Lifetime technical support and a 2-year warranty for all products.
Ask us anything, we’re happy to help!
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