The Cell Phone Junkie

Wilson Electronics announced the Sleek 4G-V at CES this year, the world’s first 4G LTE signal booster. The unit is specifically designed to boost the strength of Verizon Wireless’ LTE service, along with conventional 2G and 3G signals on the 700, 800 and 1900 MHz bands. The Sleek 4G-V will sell for $150 and while designed for use in a vehicle, can be used indoors with the optional accessory pack. The Wilson 4G-V will be available in the second quarter from most Wilson resellers.  The device used in this review was provided by Wilson.

Manufacturer installation demonstration video

In the Box

• Wilson Sleek 4G-V Universal Cell Phone Signal Booster
• DC Power Supply
• Mini-Magnet Mount Antenna
• Vehicle Dash Adhesive Mounting Bracket

Optional Home/Office Accessory Kit

• Adjustable desktop Cradle Mount
• Antenna Window Mount
• AC Power Supply
• Carrying Case

Full Description (from Wilson)

The Sleek 4G-V – Get peak cellular performance in your vehicle for all phones including Verizon Wireless® LTE devices.

Now there’s a mobile signal booster for those using Verizon Wireless® LTE devices – the Sleek 4G-V from Wilson Electronics. This powerful signal booster helps you stay connected by providing a strong reliable signal in weak-signal areas, reducing lost connections and speeding data rates. It boosts both voice and data communication – making it perfect for phones and wireless WiFi hotspots like the Verizon JetPack™.

The Sleek 4G-V works with all devices on all conventional 2G and 3G networks,* as well as the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. Wilson signal boosters feature cell site protection technologies refined over more than a decade of research and development. Optional indoor accessory kit allows use at home or in the office. FCC type accepted.

Specifications

Installation

Installing the Sleek 4G-V in a vehicle is a 3 step process.

First, install the outside magnet mount antenna.  The location should be in the center of the vehicle’s roof, 12 inches away from other antennas, and at least 6 inches away from the side windows or sunroof.  Route the coax cable from into the vehicle through a door, trunk or tailgate opening, running it under the door seal if possible for less wear and tear on the cable and a more professional look.

Next, choose a location inside your vehicle where you’d like to mount the cradle/signal booster.  Use the included mounting bracket (or optional accessory kit) to adhere the cradle to your chosen location, using the alcohol prep pad to clean the area before installing.

Finally, attach the coax cable, and mini USB power adapter and ensure that the green light on the left side of the Sleek 4G-V is on.  This light ensures that the booster is functioning properly.

Installing in a home or office is fairly similar, it just requires the use of the optional accessory kit.

First, mount the suction cup bracket to a window or some sort of structure located as close to an exterior wall as possible.  I chose to use the side of my desk next to a window.

Next, place the cradle mount in a convenient location, such as on your desk or a cabinet.  Hook in the Sleek 4GV cradle and connect the antenna and power cables.

Finally, place your phone, USB stick, or MiFi in the cradle, and watch as bars rise!

Use and Results

Through the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to test out a number of signal boosting products from various companies.  Wilson continues to be at the top of my list of recommendations for reliable, consistent products that are fairly easy to install, but more importantly, work well.  The 4G-V is no different.  I’ve been using the original Sleek in my personal vehicle for the last 15 months, and without it, I wouldn’t hold phone calls or keep data streaming on my iPhone.

Now, with Verizon’s new 4G LTE network maturing throughout the Phoenix area, I have been looking for a solution to increase my data speeds on my USB modem.  The Wilson Sleek 4G-V fills this need perfectly with ability to use it either in my office, or in my car.  Thanks to its simple 3 part system, it can also be moved from place to place, and even comes with a travel carrying case.

In recent testing, I’ve found that the LTE signal in my office is not very strong.  dBm readings on pretty much any device hover in the mid -100′s, and occasionally devices will fall back to the Verizon 3G network.  Testing out the Sleek in this same area, my signal strength shot up to a very respectable -74dBm using the Sleek connected to a Cradlepoint to create a hotspot.

Plugging the USB modem directly into my laptop typically shows 2 bars.  Above is an image of the VZAccess software without the 4G-V.

Immediately upon putting the USB modem into the cradle, the bars jump to 3 (as seen above).

For speedtest comparison purposes, the top 2 tests (at 7:27pm) were done without the 4G-V, and the bottom 2 tests (at 7:25pm) were with it.  Note the delta between the first and last is 6Mbps on the download side, and 1.5Mbps on the upload.  Yes, 10Mbps is still very good, but a 50% increase makes it great.

Overall

Like the original Wilson Sleek, I’m happy to recommend the Sleek 4G-V as an economical and effective passive signal amplifier for either in-vehicle or home/office use.  The easy installation and universal nature make this a good option for most people, and the 4G amplification for Verizon LTE bands makes this the first of its kind in the market.

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