So Steve Jobs says we’re holding the iPhone 4 wrong and that’s why Apple’s handset is having problems with its signal. But aside from replacing a limb with something more conductive, there are other fixes for the iPhone 4’s signal problem. One solution: a femtocell. Nope, it isn’t a form of contraception, it’s a bit of extra hardware for your house.
The idea is that a femtocell creates a 3G network in your home, boosting your signal massively, acting like a mobile network tower, and also reducing the power your phone is pumping out. The catch is that it creates this only in your home or office, meaning it’s not much use if you’re after a solution to making calls from your shonky-signalled iPhone 4 out and about.
Currently the only provider shipping femtocell devices in the UK is Vodafone, with its Sure Signal, but with rollouts from major networks picking up pace in the US and Japan (AT&T are getting involved, as are Verizon), and the likes of femtocell producers Airvana increasingly hobnobbing the press and network operators across the UK, we wouldn’t be surprised if other networks start rolling these things out very soon.
Got any better ideas? Let us know…
