Fiber
More and more businesses are offering “free” Wi-Fi. Why don’t you take advantage of this?
A company with a passion for technology and signals
English
A company with a passion for technology and signals
EnglishOn this page you will find answers to our most frequently asked questions. The page is divided into 5 sections/topics:
The proposed equipment works with all currently used frequency bands within Belgium. This also means that we support all used technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G and 5G). Both the 5G standard and the 5G frequency bands are not 100% fixed for the time being. If, after introduction of the 5G standard, it turns out that it will work on 1 (or more) of the current frequency bands, then the current equipment will perfectly support 5G. Several countries have plans to turn off their 2G (and sometimes even 3G) networks so they can use these bands for 5G.
We use coaxial cable to link our equipent.
Unlike online repeater stores, our emphasis is on service. So we take care of everything from A to Z. First, we visit you for a site survey, so we know exactly what is needed to bring your cell phone signal to an ideal level (this is sometimes a less invasive installation than what our clients had in mind). Once we know exactly what needs to be done, we send our team who will take full charge of the installation and aftercare. We have teams that work both during the day and at night to minimize the disruption caused (e.g., installing our equipment outside a store’s working hours).
A full site survey can be conducted between 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the building. Certain requirements must be met for a site survey to run smoothly. Availability of plans with cable trays, access to the entire building, access to the roof and a local contact person would make the survey run smoother.
No, this equipment supports all operators as well as all frequency bands simultaneously. So we bring a perfectly balanced and full coverage cell phone signal to your building.
A repeater is a device that picks up the signal outside the building, then brings the signal inside via a cable and an indoor antenna transmits it back. The emphasis here is on the word “send.” A repeater contains a transmitter, which classifies it as transmitting equipment. Ownership of this type of transmitting equipment requires a license in Belgium. The difference with our solution is that instead of a repeater, we place a signal amplifier. Thus, the signal coming from outside is not retransmitted, only amplified. As a result, our equipment is not classified as transmitting equipment and consequently you do not need a transmitting license.
The mobile coverage extender you buy from your provider and consequently only amplifies that provider. Thus, customers or employees with another provider will not benefit from this solution. In addition, they amplify only one technology (e.g., 3G only).
The standard warranty on our installation is 1 or 2 years. An extended warranty is part of our maintenance contracts. As long as the maintenance contract runs on a system, the system is still under warranty. We strongly believe in providing worry-free solutions for the customer and this extended warranty is part of that.
A maintenance agreement is not required but is recommended. In addition to annual maintenance, we also look at external factors, such as operators’ outdoor reception. This may change and for the system to work optimally, we measure it annually.
Our equipment has a lifecycle of 10+ years. Annual maintenance and remote monitoring ensure that we detect problems even before you or a customer will notice them. This proactive approach gives you operational security for a long period of time.
The proposed solution works on the different frequency bands used by telecom providers (between 800 MHz and 2600 MHz). An indoor Astrid amplification system operates at a much lower frequency (around 400 Mhz). No interference or disturbance can occur between the two systems. Thus, both systems are fully compatible with each other for installation in the same store.
A Mobile Coverage Extender is a mini antenna that you always have to purchase or rent from your own provider. As a result, the device only amplifies the operator’s signal and often only one technology (3G). This means that customers with another provider will still have poor reception. Costs vary from provider to provider.
Compared to your provider’s Mobile Coverage Extender, we don’t just amplify that provider’s signal. Our solution amplifies the signal for all operators simultaneously. We also improve the signal for an unlimited number of users (everyone who walks into your business will enjoy a better signal). Besides strengthening all operators, it also improves all technologies (2G, 3G, 4G and 5G) simultaneously.
5G is the successor to 4G. The “G” in 5G stands for generation. So this means that this is the 5th generation of mobile communication networks. It is a variety of technologies with the goal of providing the fastest possible mobile communication and connecting an even greater number of devices to the Internet.
These are just steps you can take…. Remove obstructions Change the settings in your cell phone Find the nearest transmitter mast Make sure you have a full battery Do not block the antenna in your cell phone Switch to another provider Install a cell phone amplifier
Commercial buildings are often surrounded by materials such as metal, brick and concrete that are very good at blocking cell phone signals. The tips above will not always be enough to raise your signal to an acceptable level. Purchasing cell phone amplification equipmentwell be the solution for your business. Mercuron can help you with that. We are the market leader in optimizing wireless communications and therefore cell phone signal amplification.
The cell phone signal is normally read from the bars found at the top of the cell phone. This is not an accurate way of measuring because one dash can vary tremendously from one cell phone and provider to another. Both Iphone and Android cell phones have a hidden menu where you can read what the effective signal strength is in the place where you are currently. In that menu you will find a negative number in decibels. This figure tells you exactly what’s going on with the cell phone signal.
Yes. Many people struggle to figure out why their smartphone battery drains too quickly, despite not using services such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. However, many do not know that poor reception on their cell phone can have a direct impact on battery life. If you are very close to a cell phone mast and have excellent reception, your cell phone does not need to consume much energy to access reception. However, if your cell phone struggles to access decent reception, it will use more energy, draining your cell phone’s battery quickly. The worse the signal, the more energy you will use to maintain good reception. If there is no reception at all, your cell phone will continue to periodically search for a signal, which can have a drastic effect on battery life.
A dropped call happens when your cell phone is somehow disconnected from the cellular network. Usually this happens because of a bad cell phone signal which causes the call to be disconnected. The reasons are: Distance from the transmission towers Change of the transmission tower Obstructions It is raining The transmission tower is overloaded You are misinterpreting your signal strength
The make and model of your cell phone certainly have an impact on the cell signal. Technology changes every minute, so it also makes sense that new cell phones automatically have better technology to receive a strong cell phone signal. In addition, there are manufacturing differences of the built-in antenna, among others, which bring differences by brand and model.
No, the opposite is true. The radiation from our antennas is 100x smaller than the radiation from a Wi-Fi system. Thanks to these antennas, mobile devices use the minimum transmission power and emit 50x less radiation than devices that have and poor reception. In addition, you also increase the battery life of your device, as much less energy is required to make a connection.
The SAR value of a mobile phone is a parameter that indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic waves that the phone can transmit to our body. The higher the SAR value, the higher the energy radiated to our bodies. Learn more about the SAR value and the effects of cell phone signal on your body.
The first step in improving the quality of the cell phone signal in your home or business is to determine the nearest cell phone mast of your provider. The location of the nearest transmitter mast and obstacles between them can potentially cause signal problems. Knowing where the nearest cell phone mast is can help you determine if there is an easy way to improve your signal.
A cell phone converts our conversations into electromagnetic radio waves. These are sent to the nearest cell phone mast and forwards them to the next. This process the radio waves continue to follow until when they reach the other party and are converted back to a conversation.
If the placement of the antenna requires an environmental permit then you can file an objection. An environmental permit must be obtained when an antenna is placed on a new structure. If the antenna is built on a pre-existing structure, e.g. on the roof of a building, then this permit does not need to be applied for and, consequently, you cannot object. If the antenna is installed anyway, but you still doubt whether it meets the standards, you can request a measurement on the Flanders website. The following link will take you to Flanders’ contact form: https://omgeving.vlaanderen.be/aanvragen-van-een-stralingsmeting
All transmission towers must adhere to the standards mandated by the Flemish government. The lower the frequency, the easily that radiation can penetrate us. So the lower the frequency, the stricter the standards. Exactly how much each antenna and transmitter mast is allowed to transmit can be found here https://omgeving.vlaanderen.be/normen-zendantennes
Here are some tips you can start with:
Select a good spot for your router
Update your router regularly
Make sure you don’t have any “wifi leeches”
Use one wireless standard
Change your wifi channel
Change frequency band
Control applications or users that take up a large portion of your bandwidth
Are you on a private or a public Wi-Fi network? On a private network, which is what you find in homes and offices that are password protected, you are relatively safe. This is not so obvious when you are on a public network. Read our blog on the security of connections over 4G, private network and public network.
If you do not use a VPN, you are never fully protected from cyber criminals and data leakage. Read our tips and tricks in our blog post and protect yourself
ASTRID stands for All-round semi-cellular Radio communication system with Integrated Dispatchings. ASTRID is a telecom operator that focuses solely on emergency services in Belgium. It allows fire, police and other emergency services to communicate efficiently with each other.
The target groups for ASTRID service are two-tiered. The first category of possible customers are the services, institutions, companies or associations, of public or private law, which directly provide services in the field of public assistance and security. The second category concerns services, institutions, etc., that do not directly provide services in the field of public assistance and security, but are confronted with them during the performance of their duties.
TETRA, or “Terrestrial Trunked RAdio,” is a standard for digital voice and data communications developed in Europe to meet the needs of those working in emergency and security services. The ASTRID system is based on this. For more information, visit ETSI’s Web site.
Walkie talkies (also called walkie-talkies) are mobile two-way radios. A two-way radio is a radio that can both transmit and receive audio. Walkie talkies can be divided into unlicensed, licensed and walkie talkies over the cellular network.
A licensed walkie talkie has a higher transmit power than a license-free one, so it also has a longer transmission range. They also offer discretion. The frequencies you use are specifically assigned to you. So for an unlicensed walkie talkie, you don’t pay for a license, but your range is shorter and anyone can listen in on you if they bump into your frequency. The walkie talkie over the cellular network has all the advantages of a licensed walkie talkie and a cell phone, but without the disadvantages (no license required). They work just like the walkie talkies mentioned above, but over the 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks. So without a broadcast license, you have global reach and discretion. Each has a unique ID and only walkie talkies over the cellular network that are matched can communicate with each other.
More and more businesses are offering “free” Wi-Fi. Why don’t you take advantage of this?
More and more businesses are offering “free” Wi-Fi. Why don’t you take advantage of this?
Venturing into nature without a cell signall. This sounds liberating, but think twice before you do this!
Mercuron is a Belgian company that is fully specialized in wireless communication. Our knowledge of the radio spectrum allows us to design Wi-Fi, Astrid and Mobile phoen signal amplification systems from scratch, i.e. the radio waves themselves