CW1000 Band 20 + 1 Explained: How the 1000m² Dual-Band Commercial Booster Delivers 4G LTE Data and 3G All-Networks in UK Offices and Warehouses
The Boost4U CW1000 commercial repeater tunes two paired FDD bands for UK business premises: Band 20 on 800 MHz carries EE, O2, Vodafone and Three 4G LTE data, while Band 1 on 2100 MHz carries the same four hosts' 3G UMTS data and voice as the all-network fallback. Inside an office building, hotel, warehouse, factory or large retail space up to 1000 m² for 100 simultaneous users, the chassis runs ≥70 dB uplink and ≥75 dB downlink gain the highest in the CW series, a ≥20 dBm output, a ≤5 dB noise figure, the included high-gain Yagi directional aerial, a 3 dBi indoor whip, the 4-way splitter for four antennas, and 3G+4G redundancy across every major UK host. This deep dive explains why 800 MHz reaches walls and warehouse bays, how the 2100 MHz 3G layer keeps a call alive when 4G drops, what the ten-decibel gain margin buys on a weak rooftop donor, how each MVNO brand routes through the four hosts, the honest limits on 2G and 5G, and the Ofcom, UKCA, CE and RoHS marks behind a commercial installation.
Answer first: the CW1000 pairs Band 20 (832–862 MHz uplink, 791–821 MHz downlink) with Band 1 (1930–1990 MHz uplink, 2110–2180 MHz downlink). Band 20 delivers 4G LTE data for EE, O2, Vodafone and Three across walls, concrete and shelving; Band 1 keeps the 3G UMTS data and voice fallback for those same four hosts when a staff phone cannot hold the 4G session. The ≥70/75 dB gain is the highest in the CW series, ten decibels over the CW500, and the ≥20 dBm output matches the CW500 level rather than raising it; the Yagi is included, the splitter reaches four indoor antennas, and the unit is Ofcom licence-exempt with UKCA, CE and RoHS marks. It does not carry 2G voice on Band 8 or Band 3, does not carry 5G, and the 1000 m² rating covers one commercial building rather than a whole estate.
Band 20 on 800 MHz: the 4G LTE Layer for Four Hosts
Band 20 sits at 832–862 MHz on the uplink, where handsets transmit, and 791–821 MHz on the downlink, where the mast transmits. In the UK it carries EE, O2, Vodafone and Three 4G LTE, and this is the layer that feeds browsing, email, booking systems, POS terminals and video calls inside the CW1000's commercial space.
Why 800 MHz penetrates warehouse bays, hotel corridors and concrete walls
Lower-frequency radio bends around obstructions and passes through brick, concrete, timber framing and metal racking with less loss than a higher urban layer; that is why Band 20 was reserved for wide-area coverage and why it still reaches rural and semi-rural commercial premises that a shorter-wavelength 4G band skips past. A Yagi aimed at the serving mast feeds that 800 MHz donor into the chassis, the ≥75 dB downlink stage amplifies it, and the whips re-radiate the 4G layer through open-plan floors, corridors and bays. In a Wales warehouse, a Devon office and a Norfolk office, customers reported solid 4G on the targeted host after the included Yagi locked onto the mast; the lower band reaches further than the handset alone could through the roof structure.
What the four hosts actually put on Band 20
| Host | Band 20 service | Commercial use on the premises |
|---|---|---|
| EE | 4G LTE data over 800 MHz | Staff email, POS, reception video calls |
| O2 | 4G LTE data over 800 MHz | Office browsing, hotel guest data |
| Vodafone | 4G LTE data over 800 MHz | Warehouse scanning, tablets, reporting |
| Three | 4G LTE data over 800 MHz | Open-plan browsing and video meetings |
MVNOs riding these hosts inherit the same Band 20 layer: giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile and Lycamobile on O2; Smarty, iD Mobile, ASDA Mobile, Plusnet and Virgin on EE; Lebara and TalkTalk on the Vodafone fallback-only leg; Talkmobile on Vodafone. The CW1000 amplifies whatever SIM's host is locked to the donor mast, one serving carrier per tuned band at a time, so a buyer aiming at a specific host should confirm that host's mast bearing before fixing the Yagi.
Band 1 on 2100 MHz: the 3G UMTS Data and Voice Fallback
Band 1 pairs 1930–1990 MHz uplink with 2110–2180 MHz downlink. This is the 3G UMTS layer, and on the CW1000 it carries EE, O2, Vodafone and Three 3G data and voice. Its job inside the commercial premises is the safety net: when the 4G session drops as a handset moves between floors or behind racking, the phone steps down to the 3G layer that the chassis still amplifies.
How 3G keeps the call and the data session alive where 4G fails
3G UMTS supports circuit-switched voice and packet data, so a handset that cannot hold an 800 MHz 4G bearer can still call out, text, send a location fix or hold a low-bandwidth data session over the amplified 2100 MHz layer. For a hotel where guest calls must not drop on the lower floor, a warehouse where a fork-lift radio handset keeps contact, and an office where a video call should fall back to an audio call rather than die, the Band 1 layer is the redundancy that a 4G-only repeater cannot provide. The chassis tunes both bands together: the Yagi feeds both donors, the dual stage amplifies each on its own paired channel, and the whips radiate both to the 100-user field.
2100 MHz propagation trade-off inside a building
The 2100 MHz band travels shorter distances and loses more through masonry and steel than 800 MHz, which is why the indoor whips spread across four zones through the 4-way splitter rather than clustering on one desk. The ≥70 dB uplink gain recovers the faint handset-side signal back toward the mast, and the 20 dBm output keeps each zone audible; a far bay that reads light on 3G is the reason to place another whip in that zone, not to move the Yagi further off the mast bearing.
How ≥70/75dB Gain and ≥20dBm Output Reach 1000m²
The CW1000's radio numbers separate it from the lower CW models, and the gain, output, noise figure and indoor antenna count each do a different job across a 1000 m² commercial space.
What ≥70/75 dB means, and why it leads the CW range
Gain is the amount the chassis magnifies the faint donor signal: ≥70 dB on the uplink from handset to mast, ≥75 dB on the downlink from mast to handset. Each three decibels roughly doubles amplification, so moving from the CW500's ≥60/65 dB to the CW1000's ≥70/75 dB adds about ten decibels, approaching ten times the recovery for a weak rooftop donor. That extra gain is the flagship's main edge on a commercial site: it locks onto a mast the lower stage could not decode, and keeps the Band 20 and Band 1 donors locked through roof loss and cable length. The 18KA surge protector and longer outdoor cable do not raise gain; only the chassis stage and a correctly aimed Yagi do that.
≥20 dBm output: same headroom as the CW500, spread wider
The ≥20 dBm output is the radiated level the whips send into the zones, and it matches the CW500 rather than climbing higher. The CW1000 reaches 1000 m² and 100 users not by shouting louder but by pairing the ten-decibel gain margin with four indoor antennas spread across the premises; the noise figure stays ≤5 dB so the amplified field does not bring in hiss, and the automatic stage keeps gain from feeding itself back into oscillation on weak donors. Buyers should not read 20 dBm as a stronger transmit level than the CW500's 20 dBm; the difference is donor recovery, area and antenna count.
Radio summary for the commercial buyer
| Parameter | CW1000 figure | What it delivers on site |
|---|---|---|
| Uplink gain | ≥70 dB | Weak handset signal recovered to the mast across four zones |
| Downlink gain | ≥75 dB | Faint mast donor amplified to the indoor whips |
| Output power | ≥20 dBm | Same headroom as CW500; spread by four antennas |
| Noise figure | ≤5 dB | Keeps the amplified field clear of hiss and noise |
| Coverage / users | 1000 m² / 100 handsets | Office, hotel, warehouse, retail, farmyard site |
| Outdoor antenna | Yagi directional, included | Focuses the beam on the serving mast |
| Indoor expansion | 4-way splitter, four whips | Zones spread across floors, corridors and bays |
MVNO Host Map for Offices, Hotels and Retail SIM Pools
A business using budget SIM pools should know which host each brand rides; the CW1000 amplifies the host's Band 20 and Band 1 layers, so a SIM rides whatever network its MVNO partner leases.
| Brand | Host | Band 20 4G / Band 1 3G position |
|---|---|---|
| giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, Lycamobile | O2 | Both 4G layer and 3G fallback on the CW1000 |
| Smarty, iD Mobile, ASDA Mobile, Plusnet, Virgin, T-Mobile, Orange, FreedomPop, The People's Operator | EE | Both 4G layer and 3G fallback on the CW1000 |
| Talkmobile | Vodafone | Both layers on the CW1000 |
| Lebara, TalkTalk | Vodafone fallback-only list | Band 1 call leg amplified; no Band 20 4G claim |
Before commissioning a mixed-SIM office or hotel pool, check the donor mast that the Yagi actually locks: if the serving tower belongs to O2, EE and Vodafone-riding SIMs on that bearing still benefit from the shared 800 MHz rural layer in many sites, but a brand that has no local mast of its host cannot be rescued by the chassis. A Cornwall office customer running giffgaff on O2 reported all 100 users held across the 1000 m²; a Lebara customer on Vodafone reported steady 4 to 5 bars after setup, consistent with the fallback-only leg being served through the Vodafone donor present at that site.
3G Fallback, VoLTE and What the Phone Actually Switches To
When 4G drops, the phone steps to Band 1 rather than disconnecting
On a CW1000 install, a handset that loses the 4G bearer on 800 MHz can fall back to the 3G UMTS layer on 2100 MHz that the chassis still amplifies, keeping a voice call, a text or a slow data session alive. This is the redundancy that the CD1000 Band 20+3 4G-only unit cannot offer, and it matters on warehouse floors, hotel wings and rural office annexes where 4G signal fluctuates between rooms.
VoLTE where the handset and host support it
Where the phone and the serving host support Voice over LTE, a voice call can ride the Band 20 4G packet layer rather than the circuit 3G layer; the CW1000 amplifies the 4G bearer either way. The unit does not add VoLTE capability to a phone that never had it, and a host network that has retired 3G in a local area will show its own fallback behaviour; the chassis amplifies what the mast transmits, it does not create a missing service.
Why this unit cannot rescue a 2G-only handset or a 5G contract need
The chassis tunes Band 20 and Band 1 only. A legacy handset that steps to 2G on Band 8 (900 MHz) or Band 3 (1800 MHz) sees that circuit unboosted, whatever the 20 dBm field beside the whip; a 5G contract needing n78 or n79 remains on the 5G band this box does not carry, and any future 3G switch-off by a host should be checked on Ofcom's current network status before sizing a business around the fallback leg.
CW1000 Against the CW Series and the Dual-Band Range
| Unit | Bands | Radio and coverage | Position versus CW1000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CW1000 | Band 20 + Band 1 | 4G + 3G all, ≥70/75dB, ≥20dBm, 100 users, 1000m², 4 antennas, Yagi included | Commercial flagship: highest gain, widest area, four zones |
| CW500 | Band 20 + Band 1 | 4G + 3G all, ≥60/65dB, ≥20dBm, 50 users, 500m², 3 antennas, Yagi included | Half area and users, ten dB less gain, three antennas, same output |
| CG1000 | Band 20 + Band 8 | O2/Vodafone 4G + 2G voice, ≥70/75dB, 100 users | 2G circuit voice instead of all-network 3G |
| CD1000 | Band 20 + Band 3 | EE+O2/Vodafone 4G, ≥70/75dB, 100 users | 4G only; no 3G fallback or dedicated call band |
Against the CW500, the CW1000 doubles coverage to 1000 m² and doubles users to 100, raises gain by ten decibels to the 70/75 dB flagship level, and supports four indoor antennas instead of three, while keeping the same ≥20 dBm output and the same Band 20+1 services. The CG1000 pairs 4G with a 2G voice circuit on Band 8 for O2 and Vodafone rather than the all-network 3G layer; the CD1000 keeps 4G families but carries neither 3G fallback nor a call band. A business that wants both 4G data and 3G redundancy for EE, O2, Vodafone and Three across a multi-floor premises chooses the CW1000; a business that mainly needs O2/Vodafone 2G voice considers the CG1000, and a 4G-only site considers the CD1000.
Honest Limits: 2G, 5G and the 1000m² Estate Boundary
No 2G voice on Band 8 or Band 3
The CW1000 does not tune the 900 MHz Band 8 or 1800 MHz Band 3 2G circuits. An EE 2G-only voice call, an O2 2G legacy call, and a handset that has fallen back to 2G after losing 4G and 3G see that path unboosted; tenants running legacy feature phones or alarm dialers on 2G should plan those separately rather than assuming the repeater covers them.
No 5G layer
The unit does not amplify 5G NR bands, including the 3.5 GHz n78 band used in UK urban 5G; a business needing 5G speeds, network slicing or a dedicated 5G premises system needs a different platform. It is a 4G plus 3G redundancy booster for existing UK macro networks, not a 5G small cell.
1000m² is one building, not a whole estate
The rating covers up to 1000 m² within one office building, hotel wing, warehouse or retail premises; separate blocks, a campus with multiple buildings, spread-out farmyard outbuildings and a large chain store across multiple units each need their own donor and antenna system. Beyond that boundary, splitting one chassis further degrades every zone rather than extending the estate.
Regulatory marks: Ofcom licence-exempt, UKCA, CE, RoHS
The CW1000 operates under Ofcom's licence-exempt repeater class for equipment that does not interfere with the macro network, which is why no individual site licence or fee applies to a compliant install. UKCA confirms conformity with UK product requirements, CE marks the EU directive alignment, and RoHS restricts hazardous substances in the electronics. Installers must keep the 10 m antenna isolation so the stage does not feed back onto the mast, mount the Yagi pointing at the donor rather than repeating another indoor repeater, and follow the vendor's installation guidance; operating outside the licensed class or causing interference could require the unit to be removed.
The receiver read: the CW1000 pairs the 832–862 / 791–821 MHz Band 20 4G LTE layer with the 1930–1990 / 2110–2180 MHz Band 1 3G UMTS data and voice layer for EE, O2, Vodafone and Three across a 1000 m² commercial space; the ≥70/75 dB gain, ten decibels above the CW500, is what recovers a faint rooftop donor through walls and racking, the ≥20 dBm output matches the lower flagship level and reaches four zones through the splitter rather than shouting louder, and the included Yagi locks onto the serving mast for 100 staff and guest handsets. It rides every leased MVNO brand on its host's two bands, keeps a 3G call alive when 4G drops, amplifies VoLTE where the phone and host support it, but leaves 2G Band 8 and Band 3 to the CG1000, carries no 5G, and holds a licence-exempt, UKCA, CE and RoHS-approved rating for one compliant commercial building rather than an estate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What two paired blocks does the CW1000 beam and whip carry for an office building, and which layer does each serve?
Band 20 pairs 832–862 MHz uplink with 791–821 MHz downlink and serves the four hosts' 4G LTE data; Band 1 pairs 1930–1990 MHz uplink with 2110–2180 MHz downlink and serves the same hosts' 3G UMTS data and voice fallback. The Yagi brings both donors in and the whips radiate both layers to the 100-user field.
Why does 800 MHz Band 20 reach warehouse bays and hotel corridors better than a higher 4G layer?
Lower-frequency radio bends around obstructions and passes brick, concrete, timber and racking with less loss, which is why Band 20 carries wide-area rural coverage; the included Yagi focuses that donor onto the chassis, and the 75 dB downlink gain carries the 4G layer through floors and shelving that a shorter-wavelength band would lose.
What exactly does the 2100 MHz Band 1 layer contribute when a staff phone cannot hold the 4G session?
It keeps the 3G UMTS data and voice fallback: circuit voice calls, texts, location fixes and low-bandwidth data survive on the amplified 2100 MHz layer while the 4G bearer drops between floors or behind racking, which is the redundancy a 4G-only repeater cannot offer inside a hotel, warehouse or office.
How do the 70/75dB gain figures translate into recovery, and why is that ten-decibel margin the flagship's main edge?
Each three decibels roughly doubles amplification, so the jump from the CW500's 60/65 dB to 70/75 dB approaches ten times the recovery for a faint rooftop donor; that margin locks onto a mast the lower stage could not decode and holds both bands through roof loss, rather than raising the output level.
The output level matches the CW500 at 20dBm, so what separates the two flagship levels on paper?
They share the same radiated headroom; the CW1000 separates itself through the ten-decibel gain margin, twice the 1000 m² area, twice the 100-user load and four antennas versus three. Output power is not the differentiator; donor recovery, zone spread and simultaneous handset count are.
How do giffgaff, Tesco, Sky, Lycamobile, Smarty, iD, ASDA, BT, Plusnet and Virgin route through the four hosts?
giffgaff, Tesco, Sky and Lycamobile ride O2; Smarty, iD, ASDA, Plusnet, Virgin, T-Mobile, Orange, FreedomPop and The People's Operator ride EE; Talkmobile rides Vodafone. Each inherits its host's Band 20 4G and Band 1 3G layers, provided the local donor mast serves that host's band at the site.
Which MVNOs land only on the call fallback leg, and how should a commercial buyer read that before stocking SIMs?
Lebara and TalkTalk ride the Vodafone fallback-only list: the CW1000 amplifies their Band 1 call leg but makes no Band 20 4G claim for them, so a hotel or office pool that wants reliable 4G on those brands should pair the SIM check with the local donor bearing before committing the contract.
Does the chassis carry VoLTE over Wi-Fi or 2G, and which call technology remains inside the 1000m² site?
Where the handset and host support Voice over LTE, the call rides the Band 20 4G packet layer that the chassis amplifies; the unit cannot add VoLTE to a legacy phone and does not carry a 2G voice circuit, so inside the site the amplified call path is 4G VoLTE where supported, otherwise the Band 1 3G UMTS fallback.
Which service circuits stay outside this chassis, and what should a hotel or office tenant assume about EE 2G calls?
Band 8 900 MHz and Band 3 1800 MHz 2G are not tuned, so an EE 2G-only call, an O2 2G legacy call and a handset that falls to 2G after losing 4G and 3G remain unboosted; legacy feature phones and alarm dialers should be planned on a separate circuit rather than relying on this repeater.
Which four marks authorise a licence-exempt 20dBm commercial repeater under Ofcom rules, and what estate size does 1000m² exclude?
Ofcom's licence-exempt class admits the 20 dBm level without a site fee; UKCA confirms UK conformity, CE the EU directive and RoHS restricts hazardous substances. The rating covers up to 1000 m² in one building: separate blocks, campus buildings, spread-out outbuildings and multi-unit stores each need their own donor and antenna system.
Learn More: CW1000 Guides & Comparisons
Best 3G+4G Signal Booster UK (1000m² Commercial) — 2026 Guide
How to choose a Band 20+1 1000m² booster giving EE/O2/Vodafone/Three 4G data and 3G calls at £685.00 with the Yagi included for offices, warehouses and hotels.
CW1000 vs CW500 vs CG1000
Honest UK comparison of Band 20+1 (1000m² 100-user ≥70/75dB Yagi-included) against CW500 (500m² 50-user ≥60/65dB) and Band 20+8 O2/Vodafone 2G voice at £685.00.
Mobile Booster Installation Guide (1000m² Commercial)
Yagi mast aiming, 10m+5m cable routing, 4-way splitter 4-antenna expansion, 100-user testing and troubleshooting for UK commercial premises.
Band 20+1: 4G & 3G All-Networks Explained
Why 4G rides Band 20 (800MHz) and 3G fallback rides Band 1 (2100MHz), and how the CW1000 commercial dual-band matrix delivers both across 1000m².
Article Keywords
CW1000 Band 20 + Band 1 explained UK commercial flagship, 800MHz Band 20 4G LTE data 832-862 uplink 791-821 downlink, 2100MHz Band 1 3G UMTS data and voice 1930-1990 uplink 2110-2180 downlink, EE O2 Vodafone Three 4G and 3G all networks 1000m² office building warehouse hotel business park, ≥70dB uplink ≥75dB downlink gain the highest in the CW series ten decibels above the CW500 60/65 stage, ≥20dBm output, ≤5dB noise figure, high-gain Yagi directional aerial included, 3dBi whip, 4-way splitter four indoor antennas 100 simultaneous users, giffgaff Tesco Mobile Sky Mobile Lycamobile Smarty iD Mobile ASDA Mobile BT Mobile Plusnet Virgin T-Mobile Orange FreedomPop The People's Operator MVNO host mapping, Lebara TalkTalk Vodafone fallback only 3G leg, 3G UMTS fallback when 4G unavailable, VoLTE calls where the handset and host support it, honest limits no 2G voice Band 8 900MHz Band 3 1800MHz no 5G, Ofcom licence-exempt UKCA CE RoHS conformity marks, CW1000 versus CW500 two times area users ten decibels gain four versus three antennas same 20dBm output, CW1000 versus CG1000 Band 20+8 2G voice versus CD1000 Band 20+3 4G only
