The CVGW amplifies two separate radio frequencies in one box: Band 8 at 900 MHz (890–915 MHz uplink / 935–960 MHz downlink), which carries 2G GSM voice calls and SMS across EE, O2 and Vodafone, and Band 1 at 2100 MHz (1930–1990 MHz uplink / 2110–2180 MHz downlink), which carries 3G UMTS/HSPA mobile data and calls across all four networks including Three. A normal booster tunes to one band only; the CVGW's dual-band design means a single unit improves both your calls and your 3G data instead of needing two separate amplifiers. It deliberately does not touch 4G, 5G, Band 3 (1800 MHz), Band 20 (800 MHz) or Band 7 (2600 MHz).

This is the key rural decision. Both the CVGW and the CVGD cost £259.99. The CVGD boosts Band 3 (1800 MHz) 4G LTE data; the CVGW boosts Band 1 (2100 MHz) 3G data. In remote rural Britain, 3G on 2100 MHz is often carried over a wider coverage footprint and is more stable through hills, trees and metal-roofed vehicles than 4G, which is sometimes concentrated in towns. If you drive or caravan mainly in countryside where your phone shows a persistent 3G (not 4G) signal and you want that existing 3G made stronger, the CVGW is the right unit. If you already get a decent Band 3 4G signal outside and want it faster in the car, choose the CVGD instead.

Three customers get a stronger Band 1 (2100 MHz) 3G UMTS signal — both 3G data and 3G circuit-switched calls — which is exactly the band Three relies on for rural coverage. The Band 8 (900 MHz) 2G leg does nothing for Three because Three operates no 2G, but that does not matter for a Three user: their voice already rides on 3G (and 4G VoLTE in towns), and the CVGW strengthens the 3G rural path. Expect clearer calls and more reliable 3G data on Three in the countryside; do not expect any 2G improvement, because Three has none to improve.

The CVW at £139.99 is a single-band Band 1 (2100 MHz) 3G-only unit for up to 10 users — it gives you 3G data and calls but no 2G voice band. The CVGW at £259.99 adds the Band 8 (900 MHz) 2G voice/SMS leg on top, lifting you to 15 simultaneous users and the full dual-band flagship spec. You are paying £120 extra for the 2G voice band, the extra users and the complete dual-band chassis. If your phone already holds 3G calls fine and you only need stronger 3G data, the CVW is cheaper; if you also struggle to hold 2G voice calls on O2/Vodafone/EE, the CVGW is the unit that fixes both.

You need at least 1 bar of outdoor 2G or 3G signal at the point where the magnetic roof aerial sits. The CVGW amplifies that weak donor signal up to 45±2 dB uplink / 40±2 dB downlink into a strong cabin signal, typically lifting 3G HSPA+ speeds from 0.5–2 Mbps to 3–10 Mbps. If your phone shows zero bars and runs emergency-only outside, no Ofcom-legal booster in this price range can create signal from nothing. We recommend checking Band 1 3G (and Band 8 2G) signal in your phone's field-test / engineering mode at the roof position before you order — this is the single most important pre-purchase check.

The CVGW supports up to 15 simultaneous users and devices. That is far beyond a normal family car (four phones + a tablet + a sat-nav) and easily covers a small works van, a taxi or a motorhome. Each device still uses its own SIM and data plan — the CVGW is not a router and does not create Wi-Fi — but every handset and tablet in the boosted cabin area benefits from the cleaner Band 8 and Band 1 signal at the same time. The cheaper CVW is limited to 10 users, so the CVGW's 15-user cap is one of the reasons it costs more.

No, and that is a deliberate honest warning. The neodymium magnetic aerial relies on a steel roof to grip; on aluminium, carbon-fibre or fibreglass / GRP motorhome roofs the magnet will not hold at motorway speed. The box includes an adhesive mounting pad for non-steel roofs, which bonds the aerial base in place, and we also offer an optional permanent screw bracket for a rock-solid fit on a GRP coachbuilt motorhome. If you run a steel-framed van conversion or a metal-roofed car, the magnet alone stays put at motorway speed without any fixing.

No. The CVGW boosts Band 8 (900 MHz) 2G GSM voice/SMS and Band 1 (2100 MHz) 3G UMTS data/calls only. It does NOT boost 4G LTE — specifically not Band 3 (1800 MHz), not Band 20 (800 MHz) rural 4G, and not Band 7 (2600 MHz) urban 4G — and it does NOT boost 5G NR. This is by design: it is a focused dual-band 2G-voice-plus-3G-data amplifier for rural travel. If your priority is fast 4G data on the move, the CVGD (same £259.99, Band 8 + Band 3 4G) is the correct sibling, not the CVGW.

Yes, with the optional 240V AC mains adapter. The CVGW ships with the 5V car cigarette-lighter adapter; for a static caravan or campsite on hook-up you order the 240V AC adapter separately and power the booster from the EHU. The unit itself is identical whether run from the 5V car socket or the 240V adapter. This is useful for seasonal-pitch owners who want cabin / awning 2G calls and Band 1 3G data without the engine running. Note the coverage still tops out at 100 m², so it suits a caravan or annex rather than a whole house.

Yes, it is legal. The CVGW is Ofcom licence-exempt, UKCA and CE certified, and complies with UK mobile signal booster regulations. As long as you use it as supplied — 45±2 dB uplink / 40±2 dB downlink, dual Band 8 & 1 only, on a vehicle or caravan — you do not need to notify Ofcom or pay for a licence. Do not modify the unit, swap to a higher-gain external aerial, or fit it as a permanent fixed-home system; that would void the compliance and the warranty. And no, it is not a Wi-Fi Calling replacement: it strengthens the cellular radio path, it does not route calls over the internet, and it cannot help where the outdoor donor signal is genuinely absent.