I think we can all agree that as drivers one of the most important things to us on the road is communication.  Whether it is our ability to contact home, deal with work issues, get information on weather and road conditions, or just BS with friends, communicating on the road has become increasingly important.

When I first started driving a truck back in October of 2005. Cell phone service was still spotty and a bit of a luxury to many drivers.  Pay phones were common in truck stops, restaurants, and even at shippers and receivers. We depended on them in order to stay in touch. Over the years several service and features have expanded and the cost of both phones and service has dropped dramatically.

Yet one problem still exists no matter which carrier you use they have coverage gaps and dropped calls are not uncommon.  Each year coverage for the major carriers has improved but they still have a long ways to go. One frustration many drivers have is that different regions seem to have certain carriers that work better than others. It can even vary from state to state, making picking the right carrier a challenge.

We-Boost has brought a signal amplifier system to market that helps to address these issues.  Modern cell phones use less than 1/2 of a watt to send signals to towers. As a result that can cause a multitude of issues for those who travel frequently. The We-Boost system uses a small antenna inside the truck. (Mine is mounted to the side of the passenger’s seat with included mounting tape.) To gather the signal from the phones inside the truck and sends it to an amplifier. This amplifier boosts the signal to the maximum allowed by the FCC and send it to an antenna that is mounted externally improving the stability of the signal, and increasing the range.

Interior Antenna of the We-Boost 4G-X OTR

For a variety of reasons, I switched to T-Mobile several years ago.  Primarily, due to the cost of the plans for the features that I needed. It cut our bill almost in half compared to Verizon. Coverage was comparable, but I did notice a number of spotty areas with T-Mobile.  I began testing a booster unit designed for cars about 2.5 years ago and while it worked it was just not convenient for the truck.  Then We-Boost sent me a unit designed for truckers the 4G -X OTR  while I noticed some improvement I was still not convinced. The cost of the unit I found hard to justify.  Then I had several trips to no-mans land.  Anyone who has hauled into and out of Kraft in Walton NY knows just how bad the cell service can be on NY 10.  Let’s be honest it SUCKS!!!  On a recent trip, I was able to use my phone on almost the entire road with 2 small dead zones.  Also, those have traveled NY 177 between I-81 and Lowville know how bad signal can be there.  With the We-Boost I was now able to use my phone in a snow storm through the state forest.  Places where normally it would not have worked in the past.   To be blunt I was impressed.

We-Boost 4G-X OTR on a KW T680

On to the details of the unit.  Installation is easy IF you have an older style truck that easily allows for the mounting of a CB antenna.  If you are “blessed” with a modern truck such as the Kenworth T680 you are going to have to get a bit creative in your mounting.  With some u-bolts and some duct tape, I was able to easily fasten a bracket on which to mount the Antenna. In the near future, I will be posting more detailed directions on how I did it as this can be used for a variety of after-market antennas such as satellite radio.  Installation is still not difficult but it will take some trucker engineering if you have a KW T680 or a  truck with a similar mirror mount.  They include all of the needed parts for a standard installation. If you have a KW T680 you will likely need to buy a few parts to mount it. I was able to get everything I needed to mount my unit for about 5 dollars from the hardware store.

The cost of this unit is not cheap as it retails for about 499.  I realized the product worked early on but it took me several months of working with and reviewing it to decide if it provided enough value at that price. After all 500 is a big investment in a product. After much consideration, I have decided it is easily worth it for many drivers.  Especially, for Owner Operators or those who have a small side business and staying connected is critical.  Also if you travel in areas with sketchy service it can greatly improve your reception making it easier to stay in contact with friends, family, and even work.  As much as I like this unit if you are just starting out in the industry and are on a budget, or you rarely go to areas with less than ideal coverage.  You probably do not need this unit. However, if you do need travel off the beaten path and regularly deal with coverage issues this may be the solution.

One important thing to note.  This unit does require at least some cell signal. If you are in an area that is a total dead zone such as some national forests and game lands. Then it is not going to help out.

You can order this unit online directly from Wilson or find it at many truck stops. Personally, I do recommend the truck stop for purchasing this unit as you can use some of your points to pay for some or all of the unit.

I have only found 2 areas I can really criticize with this unit:

First, is that there is no mounting hardware available for a vehicle such as the KW T680. Forcing you to trucker engineer a solution. That aid after talking with several CB radio shops. There is really no real solution being made to mount aftermarket antennas to the KW T680. Most of those shops were having to rig up a bracket system for the work they did.  To truck designers and engineers who may be reading this.  PLEASE make it easier to mount aftermarket products to your trucks.

Secondly, I would like to see some industrial velcro included to allow an easier mounting of the boosting unit in the truck.  If you are a company driver like myself and are not supposed to drill holes in your truck. You have 2 basic options for mounting..  The floor or taping it to your dash.  I have used the floor but I feel it puts the cable connections at too great of a risk of damage. So I have ended up duct taping it to the dash.  Red Green would be proud.

On the whole, I am very impressed with the unit. Other than these 2 issues one of which is beyond We-Boost’s direct control there are few if any flaws I have been able to find thus far. If improved cellular performance is important to you for your work and lifestyle. Then this is product definitely worth considering.

Copyright 2018 Tom Kyrk