Cell Phone Signal Boosters Vs Femtocells - Which One Is Right For You?

Ever missed a call because your phone was in and out of service and it only rang once before going to voicemail?  Constantly having to go to windows or outside to make a call? Tired of playing the "Can you hear me now?" game?  With more and more people opting to do away with their landline, reliable call quality and carrier service has never been more important.  So what can you do to improve your reception and stop dropping calls?

The most popular options are cell phone signal boosters and Femtocells.  Without going into too much detail, by the end of this article you should have enough information to decide which one is right for you.

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Let us start by defining the two technologies.  Most wireless cell phone signal boosters (also called amplifiers and repeaters) work by capturing the signal outside, amplifying it, and then redistributing it inside.  This is done through 3 major pieces: an outside antenna (either directional or omni-directional), the amplifier, and the inside antenna (either directional or omni-directional).  The outside signal can be weak or strong, but must be present in order for the booster to operate properly.  In general, the weaker the signal outside, the more gain the amplifier needs to provide in order to offer adequate coverage inside.  Femtocells are basically miniature cell phone towers, about the size of a wireless router, that are provided by your wireless carrier and are installed in your home to provide coverage of up to a 40' radius.  They are essentially a Wi-Fi router for cellular and PCS frequencies.  Information is transmitted wirelessly from your phone to the femtocell, then from the femtocell to the carrier via your broadband internet connection.

Cell Phone Signal Boosters Vs Femtocells - Which One Is Right For You?

Now let's get down to the purpose of this article.  The easiest way to decide which product is right for you is to take a look at the comparisons below.

Connectivity

Booster:  Dual Band models work with virtually all carriers except Nextel and other iDEN push-to-talk networks, although there are boosters made specifically for Nextel. Femtocell:  Only works with one specific service provider.  Ex. You are a Verizon Wireless subscriber. Provided there is little coverage by all carriers in your current location, installing a Verizon Network Extender will help you out but don't plan on your AT&T friends raving about excellent coverage when they stop over to watch the game.

Data

Booster: Dual Band models work with data plans for all carriers using 850/1900 MHz for their data.  This is most carriers, but does not include T-Mobile 3G Femtocell:  Supported data rates vary by carrier. Some femtocells do not support data at all.  Ex.  Verizon's Network Extender currently only supports 1X CDMA, not EVDO or 3G.  Generation 1 of Sprint's Airwave only supports 1X CDMA, not EVDO or 3G.  AT&T's microcell supports 3G data, but only works with 3G phones.

Multiple Users

Booster:  Most dual band wireless models support more than a handful of users so everyone can be talking or surfing at the same time. Femtocell:  Depends on the carrier.  Sprint's AIRWAVE allows up to 3 simultaneous users. Verizon's Network Extender supports up to 3 simultaneous users. AT&T's Microcell supports up to 4 simultaneous users.

Bandwidth

Booster:  N/A Femtocell:  Prepare to allot anywhere from 40Kbps to 300kbps of your upload and download bandwidth depending  on the number of active calls / data sessions.

Cost

Booster:  Basic Dual Band home coverage kits  can start as low as 5    Femtocell:  Anywhere ranging from free  (with a subscription to unlimited calling), to with a /mo fee, to a 0 one time fee.

Installation

Booster:  Installation of most cell phone signal boosters can be completed in anywhere from 1  to 4 hrs..  Mounting the outside antenna, mounting the inside antenna and running the cabling between everything is the most time consuming.  Amplifier and internal antenna placement are completely flexible. Femtocell:  Physically easier to install - requiring just a simple Ethernet connection to your existing router. However, most require a GPS lock in order to activate and confirm location, so it is advised to install next to a window.  However, it is also advised that they be placed in a central location for best coverage.  Raise your hand if you have windows located in the center of your home?

Boot Up Time

Booster:     N/A - once the amplifier is powered on you can make and receive calls. Femtocell:  Some femtocells require up to 60 minutes to set up and stabilize for the first time.  Subsequent power cycles take 10-15 minutes to stabilize.

Call Hand-Off

Booster:  N/A - a cell phone signal booster is an extension of the outside tower so you are essentially already connected to it when making and receiving calls.  There is no hand-off to take place.  If you are connected to a tower as you're driving up your street, you'll be connected to the same tower once in your home (just with a stronger signal) Femtocell:  Seamless call transfer to the tower as you leave the femtocell coverage area, but you're going to have to hang up and re-dial if you're entering the coverage area.

In summary, if you live in an area with absolutely no cell coverage, only affiliate with people who are using the same carrier as you, don't mind giving up some of your already-paid-for broadband bandwidth, will never have a need for 3 or more people to be on the phone at the same time and don't mind saying "I'll have to call you back, I'm at home now" then a femtocell might just be the solution for you.  However, if you want to provide great cell and data coverage to just about anyone who enters your home (regardless of carrier), value your already precious bandwidth, and don't mind rolling up your sleeves for a few hours to do the installation, then an installed Cell Phone Signal Booster may be the right solution for you.

Cell Phone Signal Boosters Vs Femtocells - Which One Is Right For You?

Verizon Wireless Reverse Phone Search - Looking Up Verizon Numbers in Reverse Search

Verizon Wireless reverse phone search can help you identify unknown numbers that show up on your missed call list. Most of the information surrounding those unknown phone numbers can be obtained through search engines or by using the Verizon Reverse Lookup site, however, the information is purely limited to numbers that are can be viewed by the public. Other types of numbers are listed as private numbers or cell numbers. As a rule, it is illegal for mobile phone wireless providers to provide phone directories to the public. The United States Congress is in the process of passing a law prohibiting any type of mobile phone directories to be created or made available. As of the moment, the only way to find people by phone no. is through private reverse search sites.

Finding a Verizon Number Online

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There are other ways of locating a Verizon phone no. even without an official Verizon directory on hand. You would need to do extra research online though to find these sites. For example, you can use sites like Reverse Phone Detective to check whether the number belongs to a Verizon customer. This site provides very accurate search results. It also offers one-time search options, money-back guarantee, and friendly customer service. This site has the most up to date database for cellular numbers. You can even conduct a preliminary search on the site for free. If you would want further information such as complete address, complete name of the owner, business, and other information, you would need to pay a certain fee.

Verizon Wireless Reverse Phone Search - Looking Up Verizon Numbers in Reverse Search

When looking up for third-party providers, makes sure to exercise caution. Because of the abundance of these providers online, the reliability and the cost can vary significantly. In addition, some of these "free cell phone lookup sites" are really frauds. What they do is they sell your mobile number and information to data brokers once you have signed up in their database. In the end, they will just redirect you to paid cell phone lookup sites.

Conducting a Verizon Wireless reverse phone search is not that hard once you can find reliable sites that can achieve the results you want.

Verizon Wireless Reverse Phone Search - Looking Up Verizon Numbers in Reverse Search

Major Challenges Facing Nonprofits

Information abstracted from regional and national studies concerning the challenges facing nonprofits indicates that several issues are shared as concerns for nonprofit leaders. Board development and fundraising and are the main issues for nonprofits with a secondary emphasis on difficulties related to improving operations and more effectively managing resources.

EMERGENT THEMES

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Some fundamental concerns were commonly identified in the studies, which surveyed nonprofit executive directors and board members. Five major themes clearly emerged from the various reports' inventories of issues. These suggest areas of the most pressing needs as indicated by nonprofit leaders:

Major Challenges Facing Nonprofits

1. Board Development - Building an active and strategically oriented board of directors was the most frequent concern. Specific issues identified were:

· Recruiting high-impact board members

· Cultivating a dynamic and effective culture among board members

· Fostering a strategic orientation for boards

2. Marketing/Fundraising - Developing effective marketing programs to recruit and retain donors was also a high priority. In particular, respondents were concerned about:

· Applying marketing/communications techniques to donor contact activities

· Expanding their current donor base

· Increasing donations from current donors as well as enhancing donor loyalty and retention

3. Information Management - Utilizing effective information management for measuring and evaluating operations and programs was also very important.

· Establishing a clear set of quality benchmarks for assessing services

· Using IT to reduce costs and create value

· Evaluating programs/services against key performance measures

· Establishing a better model for measuring and reporting outcomes

· Measuring the real benefit of development and marketing investments

· Devising a consistent approach for measuring organizational performance and impact

4. Human Resources - Attracting, developing and retaining productive staff and volunteers was a critical concern:

· Attracting and retaining skilled staff

· Attracting skilled, motivated volunteers

· Developing a leadership transition and succession plan

· Improving workforce performance

· Providing ongoing training and skill building

5. Collaboration - Pursuing constructive alliances, partnerships, and mergers was also a significant issue.

· Developing collaborative partnerships with public sector agencies, including government

· Forging collaborative partnerships with the private sector

· Pursuing mergers with overlapping services/agencies

Extrapolating from these topics, a sixth theme is implied as a supplementary concern:

6. Business Proficiency - the need to embrace the business skills and processes essential to effectively addressing the needs identified in these five major themes.

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

Several changes in the operating environment of the nonprofit sector are impacting leaders' perceptions of the issues facing them.

Funding Challenges - Many nonprofit organizations are simultaneously facing a rapidly changing funding environment and a steadily rising need for services from the communities they serve. Reduced or tightly focused government funding is placing great pressure on the sector, which has also experienced a proliferation of new nonprofits during the past decade, thus increasing the competition for a smaller pool of funds. Countless nonprofit organizations are feeling the impact of federal reductions to their core funding streams at the same time foundation endowments and giving are down and many state and municipal governments are experiencing deficits that are reflected in reductions in spending on social programs.

Accountability Pressures - As a result of a few high profile cases, nonprofits are facing powerful accountability pressures to provide measurable proof that the services they provide have an impact on the communities and populations they target. Funders and the public want to know in detail if the funded organization is effective in doing what it sets out to do and if it is also efficient at what it does. While gaining and keeping the pubic trust is absolutely essential, calls for accountability can lead nonprofits to spend more time searching for financial support and accounting for funded task performance in order to continue receiving funding from the source. This can cause nonprofits to be more business-like but may also draw attention from responding in innovative or distinctive ways to community and/or client needs.

Collaboration Fascination - Government and foundation funders are increasingly requiring the use of interorganizational relationships such as collaboration, partnerships, and alliances as an element of funded projects. However, while there is a growing body of knowledge about the factors that support effective negotiation and integration of strategic partnerships, much less is known about the actual outcomes nonprofits experience and how these compare to expected outcomes. Many nonprofits expend large amounts of organizational energy for questionable returns while pursuing interorganizational relationships. Nonprofits often encounter major barriers to collaboration, such as autonomy issues and "turfism," conflicting organizational cultures, and trust-building among organizations.

ADAPTIVE REPERCUSSIONS

Responding to these difficult circumstances necessitates adaptations that involve more than merely developing additional financial support.

Leadership Challenges - The health of the nonprofit sector depends on the quality of its executive leadership. Agency leadership, including board members, must be able to raise fundamental questions related to strategy, mission, and accountability, as well as the roles that their organizations play within their communities. For many nonprofits, being responsive to changes in the environment means a heighten need to:

· Determine the most effective way to serve a client population that may be growing or changing;

· Develop strategies and processes to access and manage new funding streams;

· Decide where and how to make budget cuts;

· Develop technology to capture information for reporting and billing;

· Manage cash flow challenges;

· Consider new partnerships, explore possible collaborations, and consider mergers or acquisitions.

Given the challenging changes in the typical nonprofit's task environment, effective board leadership becomes particularly crucial. The issues facing the nonprofit sector underscore the need for responsive, skilled and effective board leadership in maintaining and improving the quality of organizational performance. It is appropriate that nonprofit boards take a leadership role in assisting agency management on critical issues such as mission definition and strategic planning, legal compliance and conflicts of interest, oversight of agency financial management, resource development, establishing interorganizational collaborations, cultivating community relationships, and opportunities for capacity-building training.

Management Challenges - Nonprofit managers are challenged to perform multiple functions and roles as they guide their organizations through today's complex environment. They must be highly skilled not only in the technical aspects of their organizations' mission, but also in management areas such as finance, human resources, information technology, program evaluation, resource development, and many other management responsibilities. Also, an organization's human resources represent the collective capabilities and experiences of its people. Unfortunately, nonprofit organizations are often challenged when it comes to managing staff talent actively. Attracting and retaining skilled staff as well as heightened accountability and competition create a need to develop the specialized business skills and processes that are required of for-profit organizations. Consequently, like their counterparts in the business world, nonprofit managers need to continuously seek out and utilize the latest methods and techniques of organizational management and leadership.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SUCCESS

Restating the six identified needs as positive attributes indicates that resilient nonprofits will have:

1. A strong governance structure and visionary board members with the right skills and access to resources.

2. Sufficient and flexible funding.

3. A defined set of best practices in service and management functions and an effective way to measure performance against these benchmarks.

4. A skilled workforce operating in a culture that facilitates opportunities for innovation and growth.

5. Effective community relationships that include collaborative partnerships with other providers, funders and other organizations and systems.

6. Management capacity to support services, including accounting, human resources, technology and marketing/development functions.

A SEVEN-STEP PRESCRIPTION

Seen from this perspective, there are seven actions that nonprofits can take to achieve these characteristics and address the challenges they face:

1. Undertake an organizational assessment and create a strategic plan to address any capacity deficits.

2. Engage board members to ensure quality governance structures, practices and oversight.

3. Embrace and adopt sound marketing and communications strategies.

4. Build business skill sets and integrate basic business practices and tools.

5. Identify and implement appropriate metrics and make better use of technology to enable evaluation of the success and impact of delivery of services and programs as well as internal operations.

6. Institute progressive human resource practices focusing on skills and team building.

7. Explore and adopt new collaborative business models with complementary organizations.

Major Challenges Facing Nonprofits

Reverse Phone Lookup - 1,220,000 People Did it in April - Are You Using an Accurate Tool? Important!

I knew that a lot of people do Reverse Phone Lookup every day. But I had no idea that that many people do it every day. According to Google, 1,220,000 (that is 1.2 million people) searched for the term reverse phone lookup in April of 2009. That is a staggering 40,000 people a day. Isn't that unbelievable?

Cheating Spouses, Prank Callers etc.

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One wonders why so many people are doing reverse cell phone searches. Apparently, a very common reason is cheating spouses, and another is prank callers, and another is parents checking on who their children are speaking to.

Reverse Phone Lookup - 1,220,000 People Did it in April - Are You Using an Accurate Tool? Important!

Important - Irrespective of what the reason is, you must use an accurate tool!

You may have already seen that there are dozens, if not hundreds of reverse cell phone number lookup tools out there. Some are good and most are not (just like everything else). It is extremely important that you choose an accurate web service for this job. Not all databases contain 100% accurate data, there's a reason for that.

There is no national mobile number database!

Unfortunately that is the truth. Cellular numbers are considered personal information and that's why they're not published on public phone directories. This is the reason why you haven't seen a Verizon or T-mobile phone book. Because there is no central database containing all the cell numbers in the USA, none of the private databases maintained by these private companies are 100% complete.

In other words, they don't have all the mobile phone numbers in the USA (which is over 250 million numbers). And some of them have very much outdated databases. What this means is that when you do a reverse telephone lookup, you will get very inaccurate results e.g. previous owner's name and address instead of the current owners.

This is why it is extremely important that you pick an accurate database for your reverse cell phone lookup.

Reverse Phone Lookup - 1,220,000 People Did it in April - Are You Using an Accurate Tool? Important!

How to Flash Your Cell Phone

If you are like most people today you have a cell phone and like most of us you don't stick with the same carrier forever. When you change carriers you need a phone that will work on their network so you have two choices, buy a phone through your new carrier and get locked into a one or two year contract or use your current phone on their network. For most people the cheapest and best solution is to use your current phone. Thus phone Flashing. Flashing is the process of loading Carrier specific files to handsets from other carriers in order to connect the phone to the new carrier.

What do I Need to Flash My Phone?

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1.) Flashing software (which you can download)
2.) A USB cable for the phone you're flashing
3.) A computer with Windows 2000 or Newer, a USB Port, 800Mhz+, 256MB RAM
4.) A CDMA cell phone (see below)

How to Flash Your Cell Phone

How Difficult is it ?

There are a number of good downloadable cell phone flashing programs out there that will guide you through reprogramming your cell phone to use on many other carriers. If you have basic computer knowledge and a few simple cables almost anyone can Flash or reprogram a cell phone. To begin you will need a Flashing program. Onceyou have the flashing software. Search for the instructions or read me docs with your program and follow them carefully. Look for instruction on your specific phone. This will give you a good overview of what you will be doing. You should be able to complete the process in about ten to fifteen minutes once setup. You will be Flashing a CDMA phone to a CDMA carrier. See a description of the two major networks below.

The Networks

In addition to the list above you will need an account with the CDMA carrier you wish to sign up with. There are two major networks for cell phone carriers. They are GSM or Global System for Mobile Communications. Examples are AT&T, T-Mobile The second CDMA or Code Division Multiple Access.Examples are Qwest, Metro, Sprint and Verizon. These are technologies which essentially allow a mobile device to communicate with a mobile communications network.

How Good Is The Carrier I am Flashing To?

As with most great deals you probable heard about a better carrier through a friend or co-worker. But before you change carriers you should make sure the coverage you are going to is at least as good as your current provider. One way of doing that is compare your current coverage with your new carrier at cellreception.com. Here you can enter in your zip code and get ratings for all carriers in your area along with comments from others using the different cellular services.

How to Flash Your Cell Phone

The Cheapest Cell Phone Plans

So you're in the market for a new cell phone plan. You start your search online to give you an idea on wireless phone service prices. Free cell phones, the lowest rates, compare prices. Starting to look familiar?

Free cell phone offers and lower rate plans are indeed enticing, but are they really the cheapest cell phone plans? To say they have the cheapest service is also to say they know your calling habits. There is a little more to this than cents per minute.

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Isn't the cheapest cell phone plan the one with the smallest bill at the end of each month? It makes sense to me. So how do you find the best plan with the lowest rates that will leave you with a smaller monthly bill?

The Cheapest Cell Phone Plans

Cell phone plans come in two forms. Prepaid, otherwise known as pay as you go, and regular monthly, or post paid plans. When deciding which is best for you, think about how much you'll use the cellular service each month.

Prepaid cell phone plans are great if you will not be using the service very often. If you use your cell phone for emergencies only, you'll benefit from pay as you go since it doesn't cost much to add minutes to your prepaid cell phone and you won't need to top up again for awhile.

Monthly plans are best if you are going to use your service fairly often, since many cell phone services offer unlimited nights and weekends, free mobile to mobile, and a healthy amount of anytime minutes. You can even get a free cell phone with a service agreement.

The secret formula to getting the cheapest cell phone plan is figuring in your usage, plus rates, plus incentives. Incentives being the freebies like free cell phones or free minutes. Find a healthy balance of all three factors, and you'll have your cheapest plan.

The Cheapest Cell Phone Plans

Can You Trace Mobile Phone Numbers For Free?

It is not easy to trace a mobile phone number unlike landlines. You cannot simply dial Information and inquire about a mobile phone number as they are usually not listed in directories. Lately, you can call and ask a company for a trace of a phone number but a fee will be charged for the service or search. However, not much information can be given. Many methods can be used at the moment to trace a mobile phone number for free.

Simple Search on the Internet - This is the simplest way to trace a mobile phone number for free. The mobile phone number is entered on the search site and some information about the mobile number will be obtained for free. The internet is a storage of vast information and the mobile phone number could be listed for many reasons thus it is likely to work well. People may forget or not know for what reason their number is listed on the web and it might be on any site such as a network site or a business site.

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You can try inputting the entire number with the area code on the search site. If that yields an overwhelming quantity of search results, then the number can be inputted by placing the main number in quotations except the area code such as: 555 "555 5555". Another way to narrow down the search is to use the state or city of the area code of the mobile phone number, if that is known.

Can You Trace Mobile Phone Numbers For Free?

Reverse Search Sites - Reverse search sites are the most reliable and accurate way to trace cell phone numbers. You can search phone numbers for free to see how many results are in the database, but to access the name, address and other information, you will have to pay a fee.

Volunteer Directory - This will only work by chance if the phone number of the person that you are looking for has his/her number and contact information listed voluntarily in a volunteer directory. If not, then no information will be found. The mobile number can be traced free of charge.

Protect your Privacy! Having known the ways to trace a mobile number, you might want to block your mobile phone to protect your privacy if you don't want your identity known.

Although you can't get all the information you need on the internet, it gives you the possibility to trace a mobile phone number for free to see how much information may be available.

Can You Trace Mobile Phone Numbers For Free?

The Original Old Fashion Paczki Recipe

This is the original recipe for making paczki that was brought from Europe by my wife's grandmother when she first arrived at Ellis Island and the onward to Pennsylvania where she finally settled.

Just how old this recipe really is I have no idea but the only thing I know is how good the paczki's are.

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You must follow this recipe exactly or it will not work well, I know, I have tried to create some shortcuts that were ok but not as good.

The Original Old Fashion Paczki Recipe

This recipe yields 4dozen of the most delicious punczki that you ever had.

Remember all ingredients should be room temperature.

1.Disolve:

¾ ounce yeast in ¼ cup warm water

warm ½ quart milk

add to the yeast and warm milk 3 cups flour and let rise for about ½ hour to create what is called a sponge.

2.Put together:

½ quart warm milk

¼ lb. Butter

2 tablespoons shortening

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons whiskey

3.Mix steps 1 and 2 with 6 eggs, pinch of salt, 9 cups flour and mix until you get a really good textured dough.

Let the dough rise until double in size, cut the dough into 2 ounce pieces and form balls.

Place the dough balls on a well oiled flat pan, let them rise for about ½ hour to about ¾ hour.

Fry dough balls in 350 degree oil until well browned on both sides then put them on a brown paper bag to drain the oil form frying.

Let cool for a while and fill using a pastry bag with a tip that has a whole about the size of a pencil, roll in sugar or 10x sugar and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.

You can fill them with prune leckvar or any jellies that you like.

The Original Old Fashion Paczki Recipe

Things to Do in VA Beach

There is a lot to do in Virginia Beach! When I first visited this huge city it was a little uncomfortable trying to find my way around. After living here (and playing here) for many years, I thought it would be helpful to write an article that provided a few pieces of advice for others who may be new to the area like I once was.

The first thing that needs to be mentioned in any article about things to do in Virginia Beach, is the Ocean front! Virginia Beach has the largest pleasure beach in the entire world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The entire boardwalk along the beach is full of fun stuff to do on a summer day! The shopping includes dozens of gift shops and clothing stores for souvenir collecting if you are looking to take something home with you after your trip.

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In addition to the shopping, there is an enormous outdoor concert hall called the Verizon Amphitheater. Located right on the beach, famous bands and musicians come year round for shows that attendees are likely to never forget, right on the sand! The warm Atlantic Ocean atmosphere makes for a concert experience like few other venues can offer.

Things to Do in VA Beach

While in Virginia Beach, you will also want to check out a few of the many malls the city has to offer. The largest of which is the Lynnhaven Mall, just off of the Lynnhaven Parkway. This mall includes everything you would expect from a metropolitan mall, such as a giant AMC movie theater, as well as Dick's Sporting Good's, JCPenny's, and Macy's department stores. The mall is two stories tall, with the second floor focusing mainly on the food court that offers a variety of options that allow anyone in your party to eat exactly what they crave.

Virginia Beach is also home to three major military bases which makes it's large population of nearly half a million people constantly changing. Locals in the area are strong supporters of our military personnel, because much of the population consists of these individuals. Chances are you will run into a military family or two while visiting the beach this summer!

When it comes right down to it, the best way to find things to do in Virginia Beach is to get out there and explore the city. I could give you recommendation after recommendation, but the things you will always remember and enjoy the most are the things you stumble upon with your loved ones while out on the town. I would encourage you to get to know this great city the same way I did; get out of the house and see it for yourself!

Things to Do in VA Beach