Answer up front: if your large detached home, villa, medium office, pub, restaurant or small hotel mixes EE-family SIMs (EE, BT Mobile, Asda Mobile, Virgin Mobile) with O2, Vodafone or Three members and needs boosted EE voice calls alongside a universal 3G fallback rather than a data-only chassis, the DW500 at £485.00 is the pick; it pairs Band 3 at 1800 MHz for EE-family voice, text and 1800 MHz 4G LTE with Band 1 at 2100 MHz for 3G UMTS data, voice and SMS across all four networks, cleans at ≥60 dB uplink and ≥65 dB downlink, outputs ≥20 dBm behind a ≤5 dB noise figure, and covers a 500m² (5,382 ft²) space for up to 50 users across three indoor whip zones with the high-gain Yagi included, the 3 dBi whip, 10m outdoor coax and 5m indoor cable. If the property genuinely fits 250m² with three zones, the DW250 at £295 carries the same band pair at ≥17 dBm with an omni standard and Yagi as a paid upgrade; if the business prioritises rural Band 20 800 MHz 4G data over calls, the CD500 tunes Band 20+3 data-only; if it prioritises O2/Vodafone rural 4G plus universal 3G but never needs boosted EE voice, the CW500 tunes Band 20+1.

The £0.00 DW500-versus-CD500 and DW500-versus-CW500 gaps buy different second bands rather than more machine: same £485, same 500m², same 50 users, same ≥60/≥65 dB gain, same ≥20 dBm output class, same 10m outdoor plus 5m indoor cable, same Yagi aerial class. The DW500's Band 3 at 1800 MHz serves the EE family's voice calls and 1800 4G, and its Band 1 at 2100 MHz serves a universal 3G fallback on every network; the CD500's Band 20 at 800 MHz serves rural 4G data with no voice band and no Band 1; the CW500's Band 20 at 800 MHz serves rural 4G data while its Band 1 serves universal 3G, but it never tunes Band 3. The DW250's −£190 gap buys the same two bands at half the room size, half the users, lower output class and an omni aerial rather than an included Yagi. The CD500, CG500 and CW500 trio all sell at £485, and none covers Band 3 voice, Band 20 rural data and Band 1 3G at once, because these channels are separate entries each chassis pairs in twos.

This page compares the four chassis side by side rather than in a roundup: the DW500, the DW250, the CD500 and the CW500, with the CG500 Band 20+8 legacy 2G model noted where it sits in the band matrix. It separates the two roles each chassis fills — a data or voice carrier band versus a fallback band — sizes the shared gain, user and cable spec, maps each MVNO to its host network, and gives a five-branch decision tree so the choice follows which SIMs you hold, whether VoLTE covers your calls, whether the home or commercial space really reaches 500m², and whether EE voice, rural data or universal 3G matters most indoors.

All four are UKCA and CE certified, Ofcom licence-exempt, ship free within the UK on 1 to 2 day handling plus 10 to 15 day transit, and carry a 365-day mail return window. None carries 5G NR; the DW500, DW250 and CW500 carry Band 1 3G, while the CD500 carries neither a voice band nor 3G. All run from the AC 100–240V 50/60Hz to DC 5V UK Type plug. The rest of this page numbers every band, £190 step and £0.00 tie before you order.

Before the tables, three rules keep the comparison honest. First, the chassis split into three distinct UK bands: Band 3 at 1800 MHz (uplink 1710–1785 MHz, downlink 1805–1880 MHz) carries the EE family voice calls, text and 1800 MHz 4G data, reaching direct EE and the BT Mobile, Asda Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Orange, T-Mobile and The People's Operator MVNOs; Band 1 at 2100 MHz (uplink 1930–1990 MHz, downlink 2110–2180 MHz) carries 3G UMTS data, voice and SMS for EE, O2, Vodafone and Three; Band 20 at 800 MHz (uplink 832–862, downlink 791–821) carries the rural 4G data channel across the major networks. Each chassis pairs exactly two of these channels, so the comparison decides which pair your home or business needs and at which room size and output tier.

Second, the pairings differ: the DW500 pairs Band 3 with Band 1 — EE voice and 1800 4G plus universal 3G at the 500m² flagship output class; the DW250 pairs Band 3 with Band 1 at the 250m² middle tier; the CD500 pairs Band 20 with Band 3 — rural 4G data plus EE 1800 data, with no call band and no 3G; the CW500 pairs Band 20 with Band 1 — rural 4G data plus universal 3G, with no Band 3 voice channel. The CG500 sits beside this quartet with Band 20 plus Band 8 at 900 MHz for O2/Vodafone 4G and legacy 2G voice, carrying neither Band 3 nor Band 1. Third, the DW500, CD500 and CW500 share the 500m², 50-user, ≥60/≥65 dB and ≥20 dBm class, while the DW250 is the deliberate 250m², 25-user, ≥17 dBm middle tier; the choice within the £485 trio is purely "which two bands do my SIMs need indoors?", and the DW250 question is purely "does my property fit the middle tier?"

Because the trio's price, 500m² space, 50-user cap, ≥60/≥65 dB gain and ≥20 dBm output are identical, this comparison never turns on power or size between those three; it turns on band plan and host network. A household that only ever holds one network's SIMs can use the narrowest data unit; a mixed-network large home with EE-family voice requirements and O2/Vodafone/Three members needs the Band 3 plus Band 1 pairing of the DW500.

Coverage figures assume reasonable donor signal outside and sensible antenna separation; the rated 500m² covers a large detached house, villa, multi-floor home, medium office, pub, restaurant or small hotel, and the DW250's 250m² covers a three-bed home, large flat or cafe. On a strong −70 to −90 dBm donor the DW500 can add up to 3 indoor antennas via a 3-way splitter and extra cable, as can the DW250 at its tier; a weak −97 to −105 dBm donor aims the DW500's included Yagi at the nearest mast. The tables below compare specs, the £0.00 trio tie, the £190 DW250 step and day-one versus five-year cost before the decision tree.

Read the voice and fallback rows before the price rows: the DW500 and DW250 keep Band 3 EE voice plus Band 1 universal 3G, the CD500 keeps Band 20 plus Band 3 data with neither a voice channel nor 3G, and the CW500 keeps Band 20 plus Band 1 rural data and 3G without the EE voice band; then read coverage, output, users and aerial, where the DW250 is the deliberate middle tier and the other three match the 500m² class.

Because the trio shares price, area, users, gain and output class, no gap buys more power or more space between DW500, CD500 and CW500; every £0.00 difference buys a different band pair. The −£190 DW250 step buys a smaller room, smaller user cap, lower output class and an omni aerial with Yagi paid at the same band plan. None of the four raises the serving mast's data speed, which still comes from the base station and network load.

The DW500 and DW250 share the identical band plan: Band 3 at 1800 MHz for EE-family voice and 1800 4G, Band 1 at 2100 MHz for universal 3G, and the same ≥60/≥65 dB gain class. The £190 difference is the room size, user cap, output class, aerial bundle and antenna balance, not the networks served.

DW500: flagship three-zone output at ≥20 dBm with Yagi included

The DW500 reaches ≥20 dBm output, a power level sized to feed three indoor whips through the 3-way splitter across a large detached home, villa, medium office, pub or small hotel. It covers up to 500m² for 50 simultaneous users, and the high-gain Yagi directional aerial ships in the box rather than as a paid upgrade; the third whip covers the distant wing, upstairs office, pub counter or annex without dropping near the splitter. The flagship output does not multiply mast speed; it means the cleaned signal reaches the third zone cleanly rather than fading at the splitter legs.

DW250: middle three-zone output at ≥17 dBm with omni standard and Yagi upgrade

The DW250 sits at ≥17 dBm output, covers up to 250m² for 25 simultaneous users, supports up to 3 indoor antennas through the 3-way splitter, and ships the 5 dBi omni aerial, whip, 10m outdoor and 5m indoor cable, with the Yagi as a paid variant. A 250m² three-bed home forced onto the DW500 pays for space, users and output it never uses; a 500m² detached home or pub forced onto the DW250 will find the distant wing weak, the user cap overwhelmed, the ≥17 dBm level strained across three legs, and the omni unable to capture a weak rural donor without the paid Yagi.

The £190 step decides by measured floor plan, device count, donor strength and room count

Measure the rooms you need boosted, count active phones, tablets, laptops and tills, count how many indoor zones need a whip, and check the donor strength outside. A three-bed home or cafe under roughly 250m² with up to twenty-five active devices and a moderate donor stays with the DW250 at £295; a large detached house, villa, multi-floor home, medium office, pub, restaurant or small hotel spanning closer to 500m² with more than twenty-five active devices, three zones and a weak or distant donor needs the DW500 at £485. Buying the DW250 for a space that actually needs the DW500 usually means a second unit or an upgrade later, which costs more than the up-tier step on day one.

The DW500 and CD500 tie on price, 500m², 50 users, ≥60/≥65 dB gain, ≥20 dBm output class and the 10m plus 5m cable stack. Both tune Band 3 at 1800 MHz; the whole difference is the second band: Band 1 universal 3G on the DW500 versus Band 20 rural 4G on the CD500.

DW500 Band 1: universal 3G fallback for all four networks

The DW500 adds Band 1 at 2100 MHz. On EE, O2, Vodafone and Three this provides a 3G UMTS data, voice and SMS fallback where 4G alone weakens, including MVNOs riding those hosts. Together with Band 3 it also keeps the EE-family voice path boosted; it does not tune Band 20 rural 800 MHz, so an O2, Vodafone or Three SIM receives Band 1 3G indoors rather than a boosted 800 MHz 4G channel.

CD500 Band 20: rural 4G data, no voice band, no 3G

The CD500 instead tunes Band 20 at 800 MHz for rural 4G data across EE, O2, Vodafone and Three alongside the Band 3 1800 data layer. It carries no dedicated voice channel and never amplifies Band 1, so a call that would ride a boosted voice or 3G path stays native indoors; an O2/Vodafone/Three member has rural 4G data but no boosted fallback if 4G drops. The CD500 suits a data-first office or large home where calls already hold on VoLTE and the weak point is 800 MHz coverage.

The £0.00 tie decides by second band, not by spec

Because price, coverage, users, gain, output and cable are identical, the DW500-versus-CD500 choice is a pure band-pair question: EE-family home needing boosted calls and universal 3G fallback = DW500; rural data-first home needing Band 20 800 MHz and comfortable with native calling = CD500; mixed where both Band 3 voice and Band 20 rural data matter = no single chassis solves both, and a band-specific second unit or larger system is required rather than forcing one box.

The DW500 and CW500 also tie on price, 500m², 50 users, gain, output class and cable, and both keep Band 1 at 2100 MHz for universal 3G. The difference is the other band: the DW500 tunes Band 3 at 1800 MHz for EE-family voice and 1800 4G; the CW500 tunes Band 20 at 800 MHz for rural 4G data.

CW500 Band 20: rural 4G for O2/Vodafone and Three data

An O2 or Vodafone-led business gets boosted Band 20 rural 4G that the DW500 cannot provide, and keeps the same Band 1 3G fallback; in return, EE-family SIMs receive Band 1 3G fallback only, with the Band 3 voice channel left native rather than boosted, and there is no Band 3 1800 data layer. The CW500 cannot add Band 3 later, and the DW500 cannot add Band 20 later; these are fixed band pairs, not switchable modules.

DW500 Band 3: EE-family calls and 1800 4G on the EE host

The DW500's Band 3 keeps direct EE calls, text and 1800 4G boosted together with the BT Mobile, Asda Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Orange, T-Mobile and The People's Operator MVNOs that host on EE. This suits an EE-led large home, a mixed-network extended family where EE members need reliable calls, and a medium office or pub with EE business phones; it does not reproduce a dedicated Band 20 rural 4G channel for O2/Vodafone data. Match the second band to how your handsets actually hold data and call today.

The CG500 at the £485 class pairs Band 20 at 800 MHz with Band 8 at 900 MHz for O2 and Vodafone 4G data plus legacy 2G voice. It does not tune Band 3 at 1800 MHz, so there is no EE 4G data channel, and it does not tune Band 1 at 2100 MHz, so there is no universal 3G fallback on any host. In the head-to-head it ranks behind the DW500 for any modern EE-family or mixed-network home or business: the DW500 carries Band 3 voice and Band 1 3G where the CG500 carries a 2G voice layer that UK carriers are phasing down. The CG500 remains a narrow match only for an older O2/Vodafone handset or legacy property still dependent on 900 MHz 2G calling in a rural patch; every current smartphone family should compare the DW500, CD500 or CW500 above it.

UK MVNOs do not run their own masts; they ride a host network, and a booster amplifies the host's band plan rather than the SIM brand. The table below maps every listed SIM to the channel it receives on each of the four chassis.

Read the EE-host rows first: only the DW500 and DW250 pair Band 3 boosted voice with Band 1 fallback; the CD500 gives EE data only, and the CW500 gives EE Band 1 3G without a voice channel. Then read the O2, Vodafone and Three rows: the CW500 is the only chassis that gives those hosts both Band 20 rural data and Band 1 fallback, the CD500 gives Band 20 data without fallback, and the two DW models give Band 1 fallback without Band 20 data.

Walk the branches top to bottom and stop at the first yes.

Branch 1 — Does the home or business hold more than one direct network (EE plus O2/Vodafone, or Three) and need a call fallback that works on whichever SIM is weak?

Yes: the Band 3 voice channel plus Band 1 universal 3G matters, so stay inside the DW family. Move to Branch 2 for room size, output and antenna zones; do not pick the CD500, which has no voice or 3G, or the CW500, which has no Band 3 voice.

Branch 2 — Does the space span roughly 250m² or less with twenty-five devices and three zones, versus closer to 500m² with fifty devices, three zones and a weak or distant donor?

Under 250m², twenty-five or fewer active devices, moderate donor: DW250 at £295.00, Band 3+1, ≥60/≥65 dB, ≥17 dBm, omni standard with Yagi upgrade, 3-way splitter. Closer to 500m², large detached home, villa, medium office, pub, restaurant or small hotel, more than twenty-five devices, three zones, weak rural donor: DW500 at £485.00, Band 3+1, ≥60/≥65 dB, ≥20 dBm, Yagi included, 3-way splitter, three whips.

Branch 3 — Is the property O2/Vodafone-led in a rural village, where Band 20 800 MHz data is the weak link and EE voice never appears?

Yes: CW500 at £485.00, Band 20+1, rural 4G plus Band 1 universal 3G, accept that EE-family calls are not boosted on Band 3. No (mixed EE household, town-centre property, or EE voice is the priority): return to Branch 2 and choose the matched DW model.

Branch 4 — Are calls already reliable natively on VoLTE, and the only weak point rural Band 20 4G data across EE, O2 and Vodafone, with no 3G fallback required?

Yes: CD500 at £485.00, Band 20+3, rural 4G data over 500m² for 50 users. Do not reach for a DW model if Band 20 data is the real gap, because neither DW chassis tunes Band 20.

Branch 5 — Do you need both a Band 20 rural 4G channel and a Band 3 EE voice channel alongside Band 1 3G, or do you need 5G, a multi-building estate beyond 500m², a large trading floor, or more than 50 simultaneous users?

Yes: none of the four chassis covers all three bands, and the flagship tier is undersized beyond 500m² or 50 users; plan a band-specific second unit or a larger multi-antenna system rather than overloading one box. No and the space fits the chosen tier: return to Branch 1, 2, 3 or 4 and order the matched unit.

Large detached EE-family home in a town or village. Direct EE phones plus a BT Mobile or Asda Mobile member, calls dropping in the second bedroom and converted office, 1800 data adequate: the DW500 keeps Band 3 calls boosted and Band 1 3G as a fallback across three whips; the DW250 would cover only the middle-tier footprint in a 250m² property.

Mixed-network villa or extended-family house. EE, giffgaff and Tesco Mobile SIMs across six residents' phones, a tablet on Three: the DW500 gives the EE member boosted Band 3 voice and every member a Band 1 3G fallback; no Band 20 rural 4G is missed inside a town property with moderate donor signal.

Rural O2/Vodafone farmhouse or equestrian property. O2 and Vodafone SIMs, 800 MHz the only 4G channel available indoors, EE SIMs absent: the CW500 pairs Band 20 rural data with Band 1 3G, which the DW500 cannot match because it omits Band 20.

Data-first medium office on VoLTE. Calls already hold over 4G voice on every handset; the weak point is rural Band 20 download for video meetings on EE, O2 and Vodafone: the CD500 concentrates the budget on rural 4G data without paying for a voice or 3G channel the office does not use.

Pub, restaurant, salon or small hotel with mixed staff SIMs. EE business phone, O2 supplier line and Three staff SIM: the DW500 keeps the EE voice path boosted while Band 1 holds fallback for the other hosts across three whips; a till or card reader needing Band 20 rural data should compare the CW500 or a larger system rather than stretching the flagship chassis across a function room and outbuilding.

Day one, the DW500, CD500 and CW500 tie at £485.00; the DW250 sits at £295.00. The five-year total separates them when a second purchase or upgrade appears.

The CD500 buyer who later needs boosted voice or a 3G fallback pays a second band-specific unit on top of the £485 already spent; the CW500 buyer who later brings an EE phone into the business does the same for Band 3; the DW250 buyer who outgrows a three-bed home moves up to the DW500 rather than stacking smaller units around a large property. Only the correctly matched single DW500, DW250, CD500 or CW500 closes the job day one at its tier. Because the trio costs the same, the risk is buying the wrong band pair rather than overspending, and a second-box correction doubles the outlay.

The DW500 box at £485.00 holds the booster, the high-gain Yagi directional outdoor aerial, the 3 dBi whip indoor antenna, the UK Type power adapter, the 10m outdoor low-loss coax and the 5m indoor cable; paid variants are the 20/30/40/50m outdoor cable and the 18KA lightning surge protector for an exposed aerial or long roof run. On a strong −70 to −90 dBm donor, a 3-way splitter and extra coax feed up to 3 indoor antennas for the lounge, bedroom, office, pub counter or annex; the included Yagi is aimed at the nearest mast in a weak −97 to −105 dBm rural location. The DW250 box carries the omni, whip, 10m outdoor and 5m indoor cable for its 250m² three-antenna tier with the Yagi as a paid variant; the CD500 and CW500 boxes carry the same 10m plus 5m cable stack for their respective band pairs.

Basic setup takes 10 to 15 minutes without tools: mount the Yagi with a clear mast view, keep the whips a sensible distance inside, run the outdoor coax from the BS outdoor port to the MS indoor port, connect the indoor cable and whips, power from the UK plug, and read steady green before testing. Keep a minimum 10m vertical separation where the floor plan allows, and do not power on until both antennas are connected. The expansion note reads "Expandable coverage by adding indoor antenna, splitter, cable if the outside signal is strong."

All four carry UKCA, CE and RoHS, are Ofcom licence-exempt, ship free within the UK (handling 1–2 days, transit 10–15 days), and carry a 365-day mail return window with lifetime technical support. The £485.00 DW500 price is valid to 2027-10-25, InStock NewCondition, and ships to GB, DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, SE, DK, FI, IE, PT, PL and CZ; the DW250, CD500 and CW500 follow the same shipping and return terms. Each booster needs 1 to 2 bars of external donor signal to amplify and cannot create signal in a fully dead spot.

Large detached home, villa, medium office, pub, restaurant or 50-user hotel, modern phones on VoLTE or 3G, mixed networks needing Band 3 EE voice plus Band 1 fallback, 500m² with three zones and a weak donor: DW500 at £485.00, Band 3+1, the only 500m² chassis that keeps EE-family calls boosted alongside all-network 3G at ≥20 dBm with the Yagi included.

Three-bed home, large flat or cafe under 250m², same Band 3+1 plan, twenty-five devices or fewer, three zones: DW250 at £295.00, middle tier, ≥17 dBm, omni standard with Yagi upgrade, upgrade path to the DW500 if the property grows.

Rural O2/Vodafone-led property on legacy rural data, no EE voice requirement: CW500 at £485.00, Band 20+1, accept that Band 3 EE calls are not boosted.

Data-first VoLTE home or office needing rural Band 20 across EE/O2/Vodafone with no voice or 3G fallback required: CD500 at £485.00, Band 20+3, accept that calls stay native indoors.

Quick verdict: at the £0.00 trio tie, DW500 serves Band 3 EE voice plus Band 1 universal 3G, CD500 serves Band 20 rural data with no call layer, and CW500 serves Band 20 rural data plus Band 1 3G without the EE voice band; the DW250 repeats the DW500 band pair at a smaller room size, lower output class and omni aerial for £190 less. Match the band pair, tier and aerial to the SIMs, hosts and measured floor plan your handsets actually use rather than chasing the largest spec sheet, because the trio delivers identical gain, area and user capacity for the £485 price.