zBoost State of the Signal Survey Reveals 65 Percent of Online Cell Phone/Smartphone Owners Experience Cell Phone Signal Issues Indoors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the recent zBoost State of the Signal Survey, commissioned by Wi-Ex, a leading provider of consumer and commercial cell phone signal boosters, and conducted online by Harris Interactive in April 2011, 65 percent of online cell phone/smartphone owners experience problems with their cell phone or smartphone service including dropped calls or data, poor reception or dead zones in their home or poor signal reception or dead zones at work. Showcased this week at Pepcom Digital Experience and CEA Line Show, the survey also found that 71 percent consider their cell phone/smartphone their essential voice and/or data connection tool.

“What else have you done to improve signal reception when attempting to make or receive a cell phone/smartphone call indoors?”

"A strong indoor cell phone signal helps customers maximize their experience on their smartphone, iPhone, DROID, iPad or other connected devices and tablets. However, with 65 percent of smartphone/cell phone owners still experiencing things like dropped calls, poor reception, slow data and dead zones, there are a lot of unsatisfied users," said Sharon Cuppett, vice-president of marketing at Wi-Ex. "The zBoost line of cell phone signal boosters provides a solution that will improve indoor cell phone signal, provide faster data and increase battery life. No longer will users have to go outside, stand by a window or as we learned in our recent survey crouch down in a corner, lift one leg, move around the room or wave around in air, spin in circles and hop on one leg - all in an effort to use their smartphone or cell phone."

From standing in one room to heading outdoors, the zBoost State of the Signal Survey found that 69 percent of online cell phone/smartphone owners who make calls indoors have done something to improve signal reception including:

51 percent: Gone outside
43 percent: Stood by a window
29 percent: Remained in one room
24 percent: Used landline instead

The survey also revealed some interesting verbatim answers to “What else have you done to improve signal reception when attempting to make or receive a cell phone/smartphone call indoors?” including:

Stand in one spot without moving... sometimes it seems without breathing helps too!!!
Turned my phone upside down
Wandered all over the building
Wave around in air, spin in circles, hop on one leg
Lifted one leg, while holding aluminum foil fashioned into a makeshift lightening rod, standing on a three-legged chair near a window, flapping my free arm and chanting old proverbs

The zBoost line allows consumers to take full advantage of data, voice and Internet services on their iPhones, iPads, connected devices and smartphones including 3G high-speed data and video, instant messaging, pictures and more - at home, in their personal workspace or in the office, both in the U.S. and abroad.

About Wi-Ex

Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com), a leading provider of cell phone signal boosters, developed zBoost, the first consumer-priced signal booster that “extended cell zones” for the small office/home office cell phone market. Wi-Ex expanded their “extending cell zone coverage” beyond consumers to corporate enterprises and large commercial applications. From M2M applications to large commercial complexes to the rising number of teleworkers, the zBoost line provides a business-centric solution for improving poor in-door cell phone coverage domestically and internationally. The zBoost product line works with most carriers in the US and abroad including AT&T, Sprint, Vodaphone, Verizon and T-Mobile. The award-winning zBoost home and office solutions help today's connected consumers including iPhone, iPad, Android (DROID), BlackBerry, and smartphone users with dropped calls and slow data. They were awarded a 2007 and 2010 Consumer Electronics Association Innovations Honoree by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). They also were selected as a finalist for the 2007 and 2009 CTIA Emerging Technologies (E-Tech) Award. As the leader, zBoost has more awards, more sales and more locations than all their competitors combined. Wi-Ex continues to develop innovative products to meet the demands of an increasingly wireless society by enhancing wireless signals.

About the zBoost State of the Signal Survey

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Wi-Ex from April 5-7, 2011 among 2,260 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Deanna Anderson at danderson@aquapr.com.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.