Statement: Mobile phone repeaters

Statement published 4 November 2021

Repeaters are devices that can help people with a poor indoor mobile phone signal get better indoor coverage . They work best when there is a good outdoor signal that can be boosted indoors

We have decided to extend the range of static indoor repeaters available for people to buy and install themselves without a licence. In particular, we will allow the use of two additional types of repeater:

• provider specific repeaters; and
• multi-operator repeaters.

Both these types of repeater may amplify the frequencies of more than one mobile operator at a time, provided they meet appropriate technical requirements specified by Ofcom.

In order to help the public identify repeaters that can be ‘legally’ used without a licence – rather than ‘illegal’ devices that risk causing interference – we have decided to publish on our website a list of mobile phone repeaters that we understand comply with the technical requirements of our licence exemption regime. We will publish the list in due course.

To be clear, Ofcom will not endorse or approve particular products. Instead, the list will simply identify devices that have been subjected to testing by an accredited test house to show they meet our technical requirements, using a voluntary testing standard produced by Ofcom.