The great benefit of rural cell phones is to take communication where it does not reach otherwise. With the amplification of the telephone signal, in many regions, it is possible to have a really efficient telephone.

However, we must emphasize that the rural cell phone does not work miracles: It is capable of amplifying a signal up to ten times, which in certain places may still not be enough.

The amplified signal is not only the cell phone signal, but also the internet. Some models of rural cell phones are capable of receiving frequencies such as 2G, 3G and 4G and, even better, work as a modem to redistribute them to other nearby devices.

The best models are still capable of performing a good number of common cell phone functions, mainly sending and receiving SMS, call logs, scheduling contacts and blocking inopportune numbers.

See the table below for the main advantages and disadvantages of rural cell phones:

Does the rural cell phone have the same characteristics as an ordinary cell phone?

The rural mobile phone is physically similar to a landline. It has a hook and large dial buttons. The screen is capable of showing some simple information. However, there is a SIM card slot and it works on quadriband frequency, which makes it technically a cell phone.

On the other hand, the rural mobile phone is a normal cell phone with an amplifier antenna input. It works just like a pre-smartphone device. It is manufactured by brands like LG and Samsung.

It is still possible to buy a kit that comes with a wifi router and amplifier antenna, capable of also producing a good internet signal that complements the telephony.

The choice between a fixed or mobile rural cell phone is basically due to the need to take it outside the house or to even more remote places. In terms of functionality, both types offer basically the same thing.

It is important to note that with both fixed and mobile models, you can and should install a chip from one of the main cell phone operators, such as Vivo, Claro, Tim and Oi.

In the following table, we compare the two types:

Purchasing criteria: What to consider when choosing a rural cell phone

Decided to purchase a rural cell phone? Great! Let us now discuss some more specific issues before you choose the perfect model for you. We selected four items to go deeper:

• Operator
• Signal gain
• Screen
• Battery life

Below, we discuss each of them in detail.

Operator

The operator does not influence the choice of the device, but the chip. She will be responsible for providing the signal that will reach your rural cell phone and, from there, be amplified.

As we already mentioned, you can choose a chip from any of the main cell phone operators. But how do you know which one is best for you? The region’s signal test is the best idea!

Try to know which of the operators offers the most powerful signal in the region, talk to residents, take devices with chips from each of them to the location, check with representatives of the companies.

The best choice is the operator that already offers the best signal in the place and, therefore, will have a greater amplification!

Signal gain

This technical specification is usually mentioned in the description of each model and indicates how much a rural cell phone can amplify the existing signal in its region of installation.

The best rural cell phones even have a signal amplification rate of up to 10 times.

The further away it is in the place where it will be installed and the more difficult it will be to get the devices to work, the more important it is that this number is high!

Screen

The screen of a rural cell phone is not nearly as complex as that of a smartphone. But it is important that it has a resolution and size sufficient to display basic information, such as SMS messages and a calendar.

In this respect, there is a small advantage of mobile models over desktops, since they are built like old cell phones from the pre-Smartphone era. But even among those that are fixed it is possible to find screens with sufficient quality.

Battery life

Almost all rural cell models have a lithium battery. The autonomy is usually quite high, since eventually they are used even in areas that do not have electricity for a recharge.

When it is necessary for the battery of a rural cell phone to last longer, due to problems with lack of electricity or distance from electrical sources, choose a model that has a long battery life. The number of hours is also specified in the technical details for each device.