What started out as a drug bust for the Stillwater, NY Police Department turned into a program to provide victims of domestic abuse with backup cell phones. The SPD confiscated a batch of cell phones in the drug case and was going to dispose of them when they were put in touch with an advocacy group at Troy Samaritan Hospital, The Saratogian reported. The partnership morphed into a program that collects cell phones for distribution to women at risk. The program has collected over 3,500 phones since its inception in 2003.

Many victims cannot afford cell phones, and others have theirs broken or confiscated by their significant others, said Maggie Fronk, Executive Director of  Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County. Harboring a backup cell phone in a safe location is an effective extra security measure.

Fronk also said that one in four women experiences some form of domestic abuse or another, which keeps the the need for donated cell phones at a premium.

Fortunately, the program has access to a steady stream of phones due to donations by local businesses. The SPD has also set up drop-boxes all over the city where people can deposit unused cell phones and chargers. Donated phones are then reprogrammed  to dial 911 only. The city is looking for yet more locations to set up as many drop-boxes as possible.

“We’d like to set up as many drop zones as possible,” said Sgt. Ray Cordani, who has spearheaded the program. “To some, their cell phones no longer needed. To others, their lifelines.”

Today, it seems like everyone is cellular-equipped. In fact, a recent UN survey found that the vast majority of people do indeed own cell phones. This can prove frustrating for mobile providers, who thus lack new markets to expand into and are left competing with one another for existing mobile phone users.

There is, however, one location that offers wireless service providers the new-customer opportunities they so crave. Africa, the world’s 2nd most populous continent, has only 40% cell phone penetration, which is a tantalizing target for cell companies. Better yet, Africa is urbanizing rapidly – 37 cities across the continent house 1 million or more people (North America, by contrast, has only 21) and 41% of people reside in cities, according to an IBM report. Analysts predict that this percentage will increase to over half the continent’s population come 2020. Furthermore, while more than half of African’s live below the poverty line, an estimated 35% qualify as middle class, and this number is expected to expand.

These factors deem Africa ripe for the mobile picking. Growing cities require increasingly sophisticated infrastructure, and an urban infrastructure that hope so compete in the 21st century inevitably includes a communications network. A joint study by Groupe Speciale Mobile Association, which represents mobile companies worldwide, and accounting giant Deloitte and Touche concluded that a 10% increase in mobile coverage will result in 1.2% growth in a developing country’s annual GDP.

A highly developed communications system is essential for the establishment of a modern economic system. It’s efficiency and comparable affordability compared to physical infrastructures will serve to greatly benefit both the installers and the instal-lees.

Everyone is familiar with the frustration that comes with Apple product rumors. A plethora of both on point and completely far out speculations are churned out by tech blogs and newspapers worldwide. This is only to be expected though since Apple is usually tight lipped and clandestine about their plans and product rollouts. They tend to keep everyone guessing and possibly tearing the hair off their heads for the longest amount of time.

Rumors about the iPhone 5 have been flying around like no other and Apple is extremely close to announcing its release date. While many of us have been filled on iOS 5’s details, no one is really sure about the iPhone 5’s contents and physical attributes. According to Japanese website Kodawarisan, known for accurately citing Apple’s moves, Apple is planning a media event this September 7 where the iPod lineup will be unveiled. They are unsure of whether the new iPhone will also be revealed simultaneously. Another report by AppleNApps believes that a separate event will probably mark the launch of the long awaited phone.

About a week and a half ago, The Guardian (U.K.) reported that wireless carriers had received highly guarded boxes of iPhone 5’s for network compatibility testing. Rumors of Apple bringing in part time workers for the end of August and beginning of September also support the belief of iPhone 5’s early September release date.

Apple fans are ready for the torture to end and hopefully this planned media event for early September will put a stop to the waiting and of course false fabrications. We can’t wait to examine the phone when it does arrive and discuss the new or maybe just improved features offered.

Many of us have experienced dropped calls and occasionally downright hideous cellphone reception. We tend to put the blame on our service providers but truth is, these phone operators aren’t one hundred percent at fault. Most of us fail to realize that the mobile devices we use today differ in more than just appearance and features.

We expect them all to be capable of making and receiving calls because that really isn’t too much to ask for right? The quality of your cellphone really does make a difference where reception is considered and when browsing for a new one this should really be kept in mind. The quality of your calls depends on certain aspects of the phone being used. One thing that really affects your signal is how much money manufacturers spend on producing receivers. Nokia, known for its high-quality receivers tends to focus on building receivers that help sort out noise and signal.

Bars at the top of screen are also bizarre and misleading since users experience frustrating calls while five of them stare back mockingly. These bars basically inform users of the possibility of connecting to a cell tower and therefore don’t signify the actual strength of incoming and outgoing calls. The bar scale is determined by programmers who do not adhere to a set of standards since there aren’t any to begin with. This is obviously frustrating knowledge and leaves many mobile users feeling hopeless unless they own cell signal boosters.

There are some simple things you can do however, when ready to purchase a new cellphone. Before buying, customers should always test the desired device before purchasing. Try making and receiving calls to phones using the same service provider and then to phones supported to by other carriers. This is especially important since most signal problems occur between different service providers. Phones may offer a lot of knick knacks and apps to lure you in but for the most part (depending on what you use your cell for) a strong signal reception is key to satisfying utility.

The Verizon network is showing off its first 4G LTE amplifier. 3G cell boosters have significantly supplied stronger signals to the many buildings people use them in and 4G boosters are probably going capture the attention of many who seek stronger signals in homes, buildings, and offices.

While the 3G network has been truly supportive and quick enough for the time being, many have been awaiting the availability of a 4G network. Since some offices and large buildings finally do have the speedy service up and running, there’s a likely chance that some users are dealing with weak signals in their buildings. The Cellphone Mate CM700V 70dB is going to change that for its Verizon customers. This cell booster can be adapted for all building configurations and covers a 4G LTE network over an area up to 30,000 square feet. The device requires little installation and is truly suitable for use in any type of building environment. Its adaptability makes it the perfect choice for a variety of consumers.

4G LTE amplifiers will surely help us get more bang out of the network service and speed we have been patiently awaiting.

Alexander Smallwood,

Cell Phone Boosters have several other alias’, such as a cellular repeater, cell phone repeater, or wireless cellular signal booster. Basically, it is a device used for boosting the cell phone reception of a handset. Boosters particularly come in handy for those who are in rural areas where reception is often diminutive, or for those who are living/working in dense urban areas, where the multitude of wireless networks can interfere with signal strength.

Boosters are similar to the cellular broadcast towers that transmit signal to your cell phone, only much smaller in size. Boosters are intended for personal use, and are often portable. A booster system is usually made up of two components-

1. A directional external antenna, which picks up any fledgling signal from cellular broadcast towers
2. An amplifier, which then amplifies the signal sent to it by the antenna, and transmits it locally to your device, improving signal strength considerably.

Boosters  have now been developed broadcast signal to multiple cell phones, making them now suitable for commercial as well as home use.

Booster usage is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years, partially because of users abandoning landlines in favour of communicating entirely from their cell phones. With such a migration to using solely cell phones, more boosters are also expected to be used in order to combat the poor network coverage experienced in certain areas for certain carriers.

Boosters also increase cell phone’s battery life, as they no longer have to strain resources in order to receive reception; they can instead relax and enjoy the strongly transmitted signal from the boosters within their local proximity. They also emit a lower level of radiation when receving signal from a booster.