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NEW ORLEANS–Cell phone signal boosters may sound like snake oil, but when you bring in a heavy hitter like Wilson Electronics, you’ll find that some products actually work.
Utah-based Wilson always shows up at CTIA 2012 with a new product in hand, so I had to swing by its booth to check it out. And in New Orleans, it expanded on its Sleek booster line with a device compatible with AT&T 4G’s LTE network.
The Sleek 4G is similar to Wilson’s existing Sleek 4G V, which debuted at CES in January for Verizon’s LTE network. Though each product supports only one carrier’s brand of LTE, they are compatible with all GSM and CDMA networks at the 2G and 3G levels. So if you don’t need 4G, you could use either one.
Designed primarily for use in your car, the Sleek comes with a cradle for holding your phone, a power cable for the cigarette lighter or USB port, and a small antenna for catching your carrier’s signal. You can use it in your home as well, though you’ll need to purchase an optional accessory kit with a standard electrical outlet plug.
I tested the original Wilson Sleek two years ago. In addition its improved design over the company’s earlier products, it did a great of boosting reception in spotty places.
The Sleek 4G should go on sale in the next few weeks for around $129. I’ll take a closer look then.
For more from CTIA 2012, check out CNET’s full coverage.
