Consumers Go To Extremes To Improve Cell Phone Reception Indoors -- New Wi-Ex Survey Reveals Consumers' Strange Efforts
According to the zBoost Cell Phone Signal Survey commissioned by Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com), the leading provider of consumer cell phone signal boosters, and conducted by Harris Interactive®, 62 percent of cell phone owners who make calls at home have done something special to improve signal reception in an attempt to make or receive a cell phone call indoors including going outside (46 percent), standing by a window (42 percent) or using their landline instead (30 percent).
(PRWEB) March 15, 2007 -- From going outside to standing by a window to "contorting themselves into weird places" or "pulling a matrix move as I tried to keep a signal," today's consumers will do just about anything to secure and keep a cell phone signal indoors. According to the zBoost Cell Phone Signal Survey commissioned by Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com), the leading provider of consumer cell phone signal boosters, and conducted by Harris Interactive®, 62 percent of cell phone owners who make calls at home have done something special to improve signal reception in an attempt to make or receive a cell phone call indoors including going outside (46 percent), standing by a window (42 percent) or using their landline instead (30 percent).
"Mobile phones have evolved from car phones to hand held data devices that increase productivity throughout our business and personal lives. As cell phones have become more integrated into our lives, consumers are demanding better reception at home, in the office and on the go," said Lloyd R. Meese, President and CEO of Wi-Ex. "Our recent survey shows just how far people will go in order to improve their cell phone signal. With the zBoost suite of products, consumers now have access to the first affordably priced signal booster and no longer have to go to these extremes to enjoy quality in-door cell phone coverage."
The zBoost Cell Phone Signal Survey revealed that 69 percent of cell phone owners who make cell phone calls at home have missed or dropped cell phone calls due to poor signal reception or dead zones in their home and many will do unusual things in hopes of improving their cell phone signal indoors. The survey captured verbatim responses on what cell phone owners who make cell phone calls at home have done to improve signal reception when attempting to make or receive a cell phone call in their home including:
- "Stood in the closet with the light off"
- "Stand in my daughter's room while touching the chain from her ceiling fan"
- "Stand on higher things like a couch or chair"
- "Stood by metal [stuff"
- "Lay perfectly still without moving"
- "Run back and forth"
- "Moved my arm around"
- "Held my head at a funny angle"
- "Gone upstairs"
- "Hang out the window"
- "Kept moving my cell phone until I got a signal…and ended up pulling a matrix move as I tried to keep the signal"
zBoost's suite of products creates cell zones for users by improving signal strength for better voice and data transmission. They are easy to install and affordable and increase in-building coverage by up to 2500 sq ft. The zBoost product line is compatible with 800MHz and 1900MHz and range in price from $299 - $399 including:
- zBoost - Cellular frequency works with 800MHz - $299
- zBoost - PCS frequency works with 1900MHz - $299
- zBoost - Dual Band works with both 800MHz and 1900MHz - $399
- zBoost for the car - Dual Band works with both 800MHz and 1900MHz - $299
- zBoost for the Professional Installer - zBoost 600 series of products include single frequencies or a dual-band unit.
About the zBoost Cell Phone Signal Survey
This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Wi-Ex between January 23 and January 25, 2007 among 2,413 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older. Figures for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
With a pure probability sample of 2,413 adults one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. The sampling error for the sub-samples of cell phone owners (n= 2,052) and cell phone owners who make cell phone calls at home (n= 1,755) would be higher and may vary. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
About Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com)
Wi-Ex (www.Wi-Ex.com), the leading provider of consumer cell phone signal boosters, developed zBoost, the first consumer-priced signal booster for the small office/home office (SOHO) cell phone market. They manufacture and distribute the zBoost line of cell phone signal extenders for the home, office or car. The zBoost product line will Extend Cell Zones TM for users by improving signal strength for better voice and data transmission while maintaining the integrity of the carriers' networks using patent-pending technology. They are easy to install, affordable and available at many retail and etail outlets including RadioShack (www.radioshack.com); Smarthome (www.smarthome.com); Fry's www.frys.com, WPS Antennas (www.wpsantennas.com), Tiger Direct (www.tigerdirect.com) and Solid Signal (www.solidsignal.com ). Wi-Ex uses distributors in the U.S. such as DBL Distributing (www.dbldistributing.com); D&H (www.D&H.com; Aries (www.ariesmanufacturing.com); Tessco www.tessco.com; and Petra (www.petra.com ): and international distributors such as Yx Wireless (www.yx.cl) in South America. zBoost works with most carriers including Cingular, Sprint and T-Mobile. Wi-Ex continues to develop innovative products to meet the demands of an increasingly wireless society by enhancing wireless signals. The zBoost product line is compatible with 800MHz and 1900MHz phones and expects to add international frequencies in the year 2007. To learn more, visit (www.Wi-Ex.com).
About Harris Interactive®
Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.
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