Answer up front: for a car, SUV, van, truck, HGV, motorhome or caravan driver who wants O2, Vodafone, EE and Three 4G LTE data boosted on Band 20 plus a universal Band 1 3G fallback for calls and basic data on all four networks, the CVCW at £259.99 is the only matched chassis: ≥45 dB uplink and ≥50 dB downlink gain, ≥10 dBm per-band output, ≤5 dB noise figure, Automatic Gain Control, up to 15 simultaneous users, the three-magnet magnetic fishtail aerial on a 3-metre lead, the interior whip and the 5V DC car adapter in one drill-free kit installed in under 15 minutes.

The CVGW at the same £259.99 pairs Band 8 at 900 MHz for O2/Vodafone 2G voice with Band 1 at 2100 MHz for universal 3G, but it never tunes Band 20 at 800 MHz, so it cannot boost the rural 4G LTE data channel that carries modern maps, streaming, app data and hotspots on UK masts. The CVCG at the same £259.99 pairs Band 20 4G data with Band 8 O2/Vodafone 2G voice, but it never tunes Band 1 at 2100 MHz, so it leaves EE and Three data-only and offers no boosted 3G fallback for any network.

This page compares the three Boost4U £259.99 vehicle chassis side by side rather than in a broad roundup: the CVCW, the CVGW and the CVCG. It separates the shared vehicle engineering — gain, output, AGC, mount, user count and price — from the two decisions a driver must make: whether you need the Band 20 4G data layer, and whether your call fallback should be universal Band 1 3G or O2/Vodafone-only Band 8 2G. A five-branch decision tree at the end follows vehicle type, SIM mix, data needs and legacy-voice reliance so the choice follows your route rather than the loudest marketing label.

All three units 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; the CVCW and CVGW carry Band 1 3G, while the CVCG carries Band 8 2G instead. All run from the 5V DC car adapter, with a 220V AC adapter or mobile power bank optional for a parked motorhome or static caravan. The rest of this page numbers every band, £0.00 tie and spec before you order.

Before the tables, three rules keep the comparison honest. First, the three chassis share the vehicle-grade hardware class: ≥45/≥50 dB gain, ≥10 dBm per-band output, ≤5 dB noise figure, AGC, 15 simultaneous users, the magnetic fishtail and whip kit, and the £259.99 price. The differences are band plans and network service, not build quality or power class.

Second, Band 20 at 800 MHz (uplink 832 to 862 MHz, downlink 791 to 821 MHz) is the UK's rural 4G LTE workhorse and carries EE, O2, Vodafone and Three data. Band 1 at 2100 MHz (uplink 1930 to 1990 MHz, downlink 2110 to 2180 MHz) carries 3G UMTS data, voice and SMS on the same four networks, the universal fallback. Band 8 at 900 MHz carries O2 and Vodafone 2G voice and SMS only; it never touches EE or Three calls. A chassis tuned to one band cannot manufacture another by settings or antenna swaps.

Third, between CVCW and CVGW the shared layer is Band 1 3G, and the deciding question is whether you need Band 20 4G data; between CVCW and CVCG the shared layer is Band 20 4G data, and the deciding question is whether your fallback should be Band 1 universal 3G or Band 8 O2/Vodafone 2G. Between CVGW and CVCG there is no shared modern layer at all: one keeps 3G and 2G without 4G, the other keeps 4G and 2G without 3G.

Because the CVCW and CVGW share Band 1, this comparison never turns the two against each other on call fallback; it turns on whether the route actually needs boosted 4G. Because the CVCW and CVCG share Band 20, it never turns them against each other on data; it turns on which fallback band the SIMs require. Coverage inside the cabin assumes a usable 1 to 2 bar donor outside the vehicle; the booster cleans that donor, it does not create one. The tables below compare specs, the £0.00 tie and day-one versus five-year cost before the decision tree.

Read the band plan row before the price row: CVCW and CVGW share Band 1 universal 3G, CVCW and CVCG share Band 20 4G data, and only the CVCW carries both modern layers. Then read the call fallback rows, where CVGW and CVCG keep Band 8 O2/Vodafone 2G and the CVCW relies on Band 1 3G for every network.

No chassis undercuts another on price, so the £259.99 decision never rewards a bargain; it rewards matching the band plan to the SIM mix. A CVGW buyer who later needs boosted 4G adds a Band 20 unit on top of the £259.99 already spent; a CVCG buyer who later needs universal 3G adds a Band 1 unit; only the correctly matched single chassis closes the job day one without a second purchase.

The CVCW and CVGW share an identical Band 1 plan at 2100 MHz: 3G UMTS data, voice and SMS on EE, O2, Vodafone and Three, together with the same ≥45/≥50 dB gain, ≥10 dBm per-band output, ≤5 dB noise figure, AGC, 15-user rating, vehicle mount and £259.99 price. No call fallback one covers, the other misses; the £0.00 gap exists entirely to choose the second band.

CVGW: Band 8+1, legacy 2G voice plus universal 3G, no 4G channel

The CVGW pairs Band 8 at 900 MHz for O2/Vodafone 2G voice and SMS with Band 1 at 2100 MHz for universal 3G. Its 900 MHz layer reaches well through bodywork and caravan insulation, and its Band 1 layer keeps a 3G fallback on all four hosts. What it does not tune is Band 20 at 800 MHz, the rural 4G LTE channel that carries EE, O2, Vodafone and Three data on modern UK masts. On a browsing, navigating or streaming handset the CVGW leaves 4G untouched; the driver rides native 4G outside the boosted vehicle signal.

CVCW: Band 20+1, modern 4G data plus universal 3G, no legacy 2G channel

The CVCW pairs Band 20 at 800 MHz for all-network 4G LTE data with Band 1 at 2100 MHz for universal 3G fallback. It never tunes Band 8 2G, so an O2 or Vodafone legacy-2G-only handset that cannot use 3G or VoLTE keeps relying on the native network for that 2G call; modern VoLTE phones keep calls over 4G, and older devices fall to Band 1 3G rather than losing the call. The 4G layer is what boosts maps, music, app data and the driver's phone hotspot across valleys and rural A-roads where a 3G-only chassis runs out of data speed.

The £0 tie decides by data need, not by call quality

Because Band 1 and the hardware class match, the CVGW-versus-CVCW choice is a pure data-plan question: choose the CVGW when the vehicle route depends on voice over 2G or 3G, data use stays light, and the driver accepts that Band 20 4G is never boosted; choose the CVCW when modern data is part of the daily job — rideshare apps, sat-nav, hotspot streaming, fleet tablets or a motorhome tourer checking campsite conditions. A CVGW bought for 4G hotspot use underperforms from day one, because the missing Band 20 cannot be added by an antenna upgrade.

The CVCW and CVCG share an identical Band 20 plan at 800 MHz: EE, O2, Vodafone and Three 4G LTE data, plus the same ≥45/≥50 dB gain, ≥10 dBm output, AGC, 15-user rating, mount and £259.99 price. The deciding question is which fallback band the vehicle needs once 4G alone weakens.

CVCG: Band 20+8, O2/Vodafone 4G plus legacy 2G voice, no universal 3G

The CVCG pairs Band 20 4G data with Band 8 at 900 MHz for O2 and Vodafone 2G voice calls and SMS. It works well for an O2/Vodafone-led driver who still relies on legacy 2G calling: the 900 MHz call path penetrates metal bodywork, and the Band 20 layer keeps data strong. On EE and Three, and on giffgaff, Sky, Tesco, iD and Smarty MVNOs, the CVCG provides Band 20 data only with no boosted call fallback; it never amplifies Band 1 3G on any host.

CVCW: Band 20+1, all-network 4G data plus Band 1 universal 3G, no 2G voice layer

The CVCW pairs Band 20 4G data with Band 1 3G across EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Wherever 4G drops in a village or valley, the 3G layer keeps voice and basic data alive on every host rather than O2/Vodafone alone. It carries no Band 8 2G channel, so the trade is a universal modern fallback against a single-network legacy voice path. For a mixed-SIM fleet, an EE driver or a Three driver, the Band 1 layer covers what the CVCG leaves native.

The £0 tie decides by SIM mix, not by 4G strength

Because Band 20 and the hardware class match, the CVCW-versus-CVCG choice is a pure fallback question: mixed-network car, van, taxi or motorhome needing calls on EE, O2, Vodafone and Three through a 3G layer = CVCW; O2/Vodafone-only enterprise or personal SIMs where legacy 2G calling matters = CVCG. A CVCG installed in an EE-heavy fleet boosts data but leaves those drivers' call fallback native; adding Band 1 later means a second chassis rather than a setting change.

Buyers often ask whether a 3G booster still matters given network shutdowns, and whether a 2G booster is safer. The honest UK picture is mixed by host network, and a booster should match the handset and SIM rather than chase a headline retirement date.

2G remains the legacy voice layer for O2 and Vodafone customers who keep older handsets, while EE and Three rely on VoLTE over 4G for calls where coverage allows; 3G has been progressively retired on some hosts while remaining the fallback on others in rural areas, which is why a vehicle booster with Band 1 keeps a universal option for older devices and non-VoLTE MVNOs such as giffgaff, Sky and Tesco in weak patches. No £259.99 chassis tunes 5G, and none can compensate for a mast that has switched both 3G and 2G off locally: the booster only cleans and spreads whatever the external donor provides.

Practical guidance: a modern handset with VoLTE enabled keeps calls over Band 20 4G, which makes the CVCW's 3G layer a fallback rather than the primary call path; an older device or an MVNO without VoLTE needs the Band 1 3G channel the CVCW and CVGW provide, but the CVCG cannot supply it on EE or Three. A CVCG owner who needs 2G should confirm their SIM is O2 or Vodafone first; an EE or Three driver relying on a legacy voice layer should not expect the Band 8 channel to work on their network at all.

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

Branch 1 — Do you need boosted 4G LTE data on Band 20 for maps, apps, streaming or a hotspot in the car, van, taxi or motorhome?

Yes: the CVGW's missing Band 20 rules it out; move to Branch 2 for the fallback question. No, voice-only use with light data: stop at Branch 4 and compare the CVGW legacy-voice path.

Branch 2 — Do your SIMs mix EE, O2, Vodafone and Three, and do you need a boosted call fallback on all four rather than O2/Vodafone alone?

Yes: choose the CVCW at £259.99, Band 20+1, 4G data plus Band 1 universal 3G, 15 users, three-magnet fishtail on the 3m lead, AGC. No, every SIM is O2 or Vodafone: move to Branch 3.

Branch 3 — Do your O2/Vodafone handsets rely on legacy Band 8 2G calls rather than VoLTE or 3G?

Yes: CVCG at £259.99, Band 20+8, boosted O2/Vodafone 2G voice; accept that EE and Three receive data-only on this chassis. No (VoLTE phones, mixed hosts, universal fallback wanted): stay with the CVCW's Band 1 layer.

Branch 4 — Without Band 20 data, is the job voice over 3G plus O2/Vodafone 2G for an older device or a low-data route?

Yes: CVGW at £259.99, Band 8+1, universal 3G plus legacy 2G, no boosted 4G. No (modern data required): return to Branch 1 for the CVCW.

Branch 5 — Do you need 5G, a static-house 200m² installation, more than 15 active devices, or both Band 1 3G and Band 8 2G simultaneously in one box?

Yes: a single £259.99 vehicle chassis is the wrong tool; choose a larger static booster, or plan two band-specific vehicle units. No and the vehicle fits a cabin installation: return to Branches 1, 3 or 4 and order the matched unit.

The scenario table shows why chassis matching beats a universal label: the motorhome and rideshare cases need the modern 4G layer, the legacy-voice HGV case can tolerate the CVGW, and the O2/Vodafone-only static pitch can stay on the CVCG without paying for a Band 1 layer it never uses.

Day one, all three tie at £259.99. The five-year total separates a correctly matched vehicle chassis from a late band purchase or an antenna upgrade that cannot fill the missing band.

The CVGW buyer who starts using a rideshare app or hotspot later adds a Band 20 unit on top of the same £259.99 already spent; the CVCG buyer who takes on an EE crew member adds a Band 1 unit. Only a correctly matched single CVCW, CVGW or CVCG closes the vehicle job day one; over-buying a modern data chassis for a legacy-voice route pays for a Band 20 layer unused, while under-buying the CVGW for app data forces a second purchase later.

The CVCW kit includes the booster, the three-magnet magnetic fishtail aerial on a 3-metre coax lead, the interior whip antenna, the 5V DC car power adapter, cable and mounting hardware. The CVGW and CVCG share the compact cigarette-box chassis, AGC and vehicle mount class. Basic setup takes under 15 minutes without tools: fix the magnetic aerial to the highest clear roof point, run the lead through a door seal or window gap, clip the interior whip at least one to two metres away to stop feedback, connect both antennas before powering on, and read steady green before testing on the road.

The expansion note reads verbatim: "Expandable coverage by adding indoor antenna, splitter, cable if the outside signal is strong." In a large motorhome, coachbuilt caravan, HGV sleeper, horsebox or multi-compartment van, extra interior antennas, a splitter and extension coax can place a second antenna in the living area or bunk while the cab keeps the main whip; extend only where the external donor is strong enough to feed extra cells. An optional 220V AC adapter runs the unit from a static caravan hookup, and a mobile power bank works where no socket exists.

All three carry UKCA, CE and RoHS marks, are Ofcom licence-exempt for vehicle use, 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. The £259.99 prices are valid to 2027-10-25, listed InStock as NewCondition, and ship to GB, DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, SE, DK, FI, IE, PT, PL and CZ. The booster needs 1 to 2 bars of external donor signal to amplify; it cannot create signal in a fully dead spot.

Mixed-network car, van, taxi or motorhome needing Band 20 4G data plus Band 1 universal 3G for EE, O2, Vodafone and Three: CVCW at £259.99, the only chassis carrying both modern layers in one Ofcom-legal UKCA kit with the three-magnet fishtail and AGC.

Voice-led older-device route with no boosted 4G requirement: CVGW at £259.99, Band 8 2G plus Band 1 3G, accepting that Band 20 data is never boosted.

O2/Vodafone-only SIMs on legacy 2G calling: CVCG at £259.99, Band 20 data plus Band 8 voice, accepting that EE and Three stay data-only.

Quick verdict: the CVCW and CVGW speak the same Band 1 universal 3G language at the same gain, output, AGC and £259.99 price, with the CVGW trade being a Band 8 2G voice layer in place of the Band 20 4G data layer; the CVCW and CVCG speak the same Band 20 4G language at the same price, with the CVCG trade being O2/Vodafone Band 8 2G in place of the Band 1 universal 3G fallback — pick the CVCW for mixed-network 4G data and all-network calls, the CVGW for a legacy 2G-plus-3G voice route without boosted 4G, and the CVCG for an O2/Vodafone 2G fleet that does not need EE or Three fallback.