Illegal Coverage Boosters & Repeaters

This page is written to help you understand why mobile phone coverage boosters & repeaters are illegal in NZ if used and obtained through a non-approved seller.  Coverage boosters and repeaters are two words that are used interchangeably on the web so they often mean the same thing.  Some of this information is also contained in our Repeaters FAQ section.

In general, a coverage Booster is illegal if it connects to power (eg DC power in your vehicle or AC power in your home), unless it is an approved unit.  Cellutronics is the only company in NZ that sells all legal coverage boosters to the public.  You can buy approved boosters from operator retail shops (such as One NZ, Spark, or 2Degrees), and they may in turn purchase them through ourselves but they may not have the complete approved range as we do.  We also work closely with the MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) NZ to ensure all our products meet NZ standards.  If you have a question or have found a product we have not seen before please let us know and if we don’t have the answer, we can contact the MBIE.

Why are they illegal?

They are illegal for two main reasons.

1.       Because they use AC or DC powered amplifiers, they produce interference.  If this interference is not carefully managed by the product it causes degradation to the mobile network.  Of course, this is bad for the network and everyone else that uses it.

2.       The radiated emissions plus the antenna gain can cause over exposure to people using the product and nearby people in close proximity to the booster. Radio frequency products must meet strict performance requirements for health & safety as per MBIE rules and regulations. More on this here.

If they are illegal why can they be bought on line?

Unfortunately, it requires over governance of all imported products to check if a unit is legal from overseas.  Therefore, products make their way into the country to unaware customers.  The overseas companies that sell these products go to extreme lengths to convince you their products are legal and they are based in NZ, often with fake business addresses!  It is also very hard for the NZ operators and MBIE to prosecute these companies when they are overseas.  Instead, all they can do is prosecute buyers of these products in NZ if you get caught using them.

Cellutronics began in 2002 and is NZ’s leading supplier of mobile device booster and repeater kits.  Rest assured that if you use our services or use our products, they are 100% legal for NZ and fit for purpose.  We sell all possible active legal coverage boosters and repeaters, so if you simply need help to decide which one best suits your requirements, or want to learn more, please contact us.