It’s an interesting fact that cellular signal boosters are the highest-volume, highest-margin electronics category that virtually no one outside of the mobile channel knows exists.

Before I continue, let me just make this disclosure: I work for Hitfar Concepts Ltd, a Canadian distributor of Wilson Electronics, a major manufacturer of cell signal boosters.

I’ll skirt my obvious conflict of interest by mentioning that there are several brands of booster in the channel in addition to Wilson, including Signifi, Spotwave and others.

For the remainder of this column I’m going to stay brand neutral, and talk only about the whats, whys and wherefores of the category as a whole, and how it can benefit AV Pros like you.

Cellular boosters take a weak signal, what your customers understand as “low bars” and, alternately, “crappy coverage” and amplifies it, making strong, reliable signal coverage in locations where the signal from the telecom carrier is too weak on it’s own.

Available in both in-vehicle and in-building configurations, a typical system comprises an outside antenna, an amplifier and an inside antenna, to re-transmit the signal within the building or cab of a vehicle, wired together by a low-voltage professional.

A single booster supports multiple voice and data connections simultaneously, and are bi-directional, amplifying both the downlink (cell tower to device) signal and the uplink (device to tower) signal. In the case of boosters for in-vehicle, high quality boosters also incorporate a step-down sensor, which modulates the gain on the amplifier when the vehicle moves closer to a cell tower.

This is an important safety feature, as an unmodulated booster can create a feedback loop that fries and shuts down a tower.

So what does this have to do with AV, you ask? A couple of things.

First, home and commercial automation systems, including security systems, are increasingly dependent upon wireless data connections to the outside world. In installations where the cell coverage is poor, that means the systems you’re installing need a booster for optimal data rates.

It’s not even a case of cell coverage issues being restricted to rural installations, either. In-building boosters are a huge growth category in light commercial work. Construction materials including steel and concrete have an impact in in-building signal strength.

I’ve been involved with multiple projects in brand new offices in new commercial parks, the cell signal is weak, but if you walk out into the parking lot, your mobile device has full bars.

Second, your residential and commercial clients look to you, the AV Pro as their techno-wizard. If they’re having cell reception problems, and you can offer them a solution, then they’re happy and you’re going to profit.

I’ll tell you outright, every one of your clients needs improved cell signal. And in virtually all cases, they don’t even know that a solution exists.

Booster installation is as simple as a category gets: You run coax from the antenna locations to the amplifier location, attach the power supply, fine tune the antenna locations, adjust the gain, test signal strength and you’re done.

Major brand boosters are FCC approved and require no licenses. Major brands also offer plenty of training resources to get rookie installers up to speed, but like I said, installing them is easy.

If you’re an AV Pro, then solving problems is in your blood. Do some research, reach out to a couple of vendors, and add cell boosters to your arsenal of problem solving profit centers.

Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at lee@ravepubs