If you're struggling with weak 5G coverage in your home or office, you might think a signal booster is the perfect solution. 

But before you rush out to buy one, there's something you need to know: 

FCC regulations limit signal boosters from amplifying many 5G bands.

The FCC, or the Federal Communications Commission, is the agency that regulates the sale and use of wireless devices in the US.

The Commission's rules for signal boosters haven't been updated in over a decade, and as a result cell booster manufacturers aren't allowed to sell devices that amplify newly-licensed 5G bands.

But while that's true, it is still possible to amplify 5G signal in some cases. It all depends on which 5G bands your carrier has rolled out in your area.

The best way to tell if the 5G signal in your area is boostable is to look at the "5G" signal indicator on your phone.

First, turn off your WiFi. If the signal indicator at the top of your phone simply says "5G" (without additions like "5G+", "5G UC", or "5G UW"), boosting might be possible. 

However, if you're on T-Mobile, your options are very limited, even with regular 5G.  

For those eager to dive deeper, let's explore exactly which frequency bands are boostable and which are not.

The rules governing which bands can be boosted were originally issued back in 2014 by the FCC.

These rules were focused on the cellular frequency bands in use at the time: bands 2, 4, 5, 12, and 13. 

A few of the newer bands (for example 25, 26, and 66) partially overlap with these older bands and are at least partially boostable. 

If your phone or device is connecting to 5G on one of the bands listed above, it’s very likely you can use a booster to increase your signal.

5G operates across a wide spectrum, generally divided into low-band (<1 GHz), mid-band (1 GHz to 10 GHz), and high-band (10 GHz+). 

The fastest, most exciting 5G experiences happen on mid-band and high-band due to the greater amount of spectrum available. 

Unfortunately, this is where signal boosters fall short – current regulations prevent the boosting of most mid-band frequencies and all high-band frequencies.

Let's break down the situation for major carriers:

AT&T 5G Bands

Verizon 5G Bands

T-Mobile 5G Bands

In summary: disable WiFi on your phone. If your phone shows 5G, then that signal is boostable. If it shows 5G+, it is not.

The only exception is T-Mobile: their 5G signal isn’t boostable by any devices.

Most wideband boosters (such as those from SureCall or weBoost) will amplify 5G signals on the standard, boostable bands we discussed earlier. 

Devices like the CEL-FI GO X G32 can only amplify the “DSS” flavor of 5G. 

The CEL-FI GO G41 offers a bit more flexibility by supporting both NR, SA and DSS 5G signals, however, the boosting limitations related to the frequency bands remain.

We don’t recommend using a booster if you’re using 5G Home or Business Internet.

Instead, a more effective approach is to invest in a MIMO antenna setup like our QuadPro and QuadMini antennas. These antennas provide a stronger, more direct connection to the cell tower, improving your speeds. 

You can find helpful guides on setting up MIMO antennas for hotspots on our website:

• MIMO Antennas Explained: An In-Depth Guide
• External Antennas for 4G LTE & 5G Hotspots, Modems, Routers

Honestly, we're just as baffled as you are. 

The FCC's current stance on signal boosters seems out of step with the rapid advancement of 5G technology.  The best guess is that it's a complex mix of politics and bureaucracy.

However, that doesn't mean we should stay silent. If you're frustrated by these limitations, make your voice heard! 

We’ve started a campaign here asking the FCC to update rules and enable 5G boosting. Please join us by adding your name to the campaign.