Cellular Boosters are a powerful addition to any mobile connectivity setup but they have their pro's and con's and are not for everyone. They originally were designed to improve cellular signal when phone calls were the primary use for cellular technology. In general cellular boosters perform best in very low cellular signal areas where you otherwise would not be able to connect. If you are a boondocker, enjoy remote camping, or would prefer to "always be connected" over "fastest download speeds", then a booster can be a great addition to your connectivity arsenal. Boosters support very fast download speeds, usually around 20-30mbps (plenty for streaming, working and doing just about anything on the road) however cellular boosters are limited by the FCC on what cellular bands (channels) they can use. As such many newer technologies that improve speeds in strong signal areas are not supported by boosters.
If the fastest download speeds are a priority for you then generally a roof antenna like those included in our Internet Bundles is a better fit for more customers. Many customers who want to boost voice call quality in their RV or who want to get signal in very hard to reach places opt to add a booster to their setup in addition to a roof antenna. Keep in mind your mobile router cannot use the booster and roof antennas at the same time so disconnecting/connecting antenna cables will be required to switch between the two solutions. Checkout the video from our friends at the RV Mobile Internet Resource Center that goes into more detail on Roof Antennas vs Cellular Boosters.
This antenna requires a ground plane to be installed below the antenna if the antenna is mounted on a non-metal roof. Ground planes are metal sheets of metal (typically aluminum or galvanized steel) that the antenna mounts on top of. The ground plane does not need to be grounded or wired to the chassis ground of the vehicle, the metal sheet simply helps the cellular and WiFi signals bounces into the antenna optimizing performance. Ground planes are available in various sizes on our store including a flexible adhesive ground plane or a 16 inch aluminum ground plane. For more information on ground planes visit the Ground Plane Guide on Mobile Internet Resource Center.