The FCC on Thursday said new rule changes (pdf) should make it easier for people to use consumer-grade wireless signal boosters.
Signal boosters general work by gathering and amplifying the existing signals from wireless network operators in environments such as homes, cars, and office buildings.
“The rules adopted today eliminate the current personal use restriction on provider-specific boosters so that businesses, public safety entities, educational institutions, and other enterprise users and their customers can also benefit from the use of boosters,” said the FCC.
Some are carrier specific, meaning they only work with a certain network operator, while others can work with many carriers. The FCC wants signal boosters to be more widely available, allowing more flexible uses, such as embedding them in cars. It also wants non-customers to be able to operate carrier-specific signal boosters.
