Ok, it's a simple antenna, no amp.. keep that in mind.I use this while out on field collects for work. This normally means being out in some form of missile range, test plot, or detonation zone.. meaning the nearest cell tower is out of reach of my phone. While I'm sure a directional coffee can would be just as, if not more effective, this has usually been just enough to have minimal data connectivity back to the rest of the world. It's also been great, thanks to the generous cable length, to poke outside of Faraday-like enclosures to bring data to everyone inside. The magnetic base makes it easy to toss or slide the antenna up the side of a corrugated building, or to throw onto the top of a metal roof. Fits great in my laptop bag.I normally pair this with a Verizon MiFi hotspot, using http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002DV0GU8