YOUR BUSINESS
How to stay connected
with antennas and repeaters
BY LUKE HOPEWELL SENIOR SPECIALIST WRITER, TELSTRA
W
ith many of us now working and learning from home we’re all relying on mobile connectivity more than ever. That means staying online is crucial, especially in regional and rural areas. That’s why we have a range of gear to keep you online when your signal is spotty. Here’s how to get the most out of everything from external antennas to repeaters when in regional and rural Australia.
IOT monitoring.
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WA Grower WINTER 2020
What influences your network coverage? Like any mobile network, coverage on ours depends on a number of factors, including (but not limited to) your device, and whether an external antenna can be attached.
Where you’ll be using your device — whether it’s in a regional, rural or metropolitan area, indoors or out or even outto-sea — also plays a role. Finally, obstructions — such as buildings, trees, vehicles, hills and even building materials — can all reduce signal strength between your device and the cell tower. Check out our coverage maps on Telstra.com and figure out where you can get the best coverage.
Ensuring the best signal strength in rural areas comes down to how you want to use the device out in the bush.
Getting mobile data coverage Using a mobile data device — such as a smartphone or mobile broadband modem — is a great way to stay connected on the move. Data rates are often improved by getting greater signal strength and quality to the device. This is achieved via the use of external antennas. Using a patch cord, you can connect your device to either a mediumgain panel antenna where handheld coverage is available near the installation location, or a high-gain Yagi antenna where handheld coverage is not available near installation location to improve your service.
