Seems to be available to me... and at $250 https://www.verizonwireless.com/accessories/samsung-4g-lte-network-extender-2/

Verizon wireless does have forums with Verizon reps and other customers answering questions, have you tried there? Maybe the person just got lucky and got it for free. Mary

If you have wifi at your house, which I assume you do because you need some internet connection to set up the network extender, turn on wifi calling on your phone. Its free and if you don't have service at your house, as long as you have wifi, you will be able to make the call and send text messages.

Maybe the first time you checked the Verizon site it was out of stock but seems to be there now to order. Good suggestion about using Wi-Fi calling if your phone has that feature. Mary

Most smartphones have a "telephony over Wifi" setting. On my Android phone, it's at Settings, Advanced Calling, Wifi Calling, set it to On. iPhones have something similar.

That way, you have the same effect as with one of those network extender hardware things, without any extra hardware. When your phone connects to Wifi, all telephony (calls and SMS messages) will go to/from your phone using wifi and not the cellular signal. It does wonders in areas with less than robust signals.

Another problem I've heard about with the separate range extenders, is that with some systems, other subscribers to the same carrier (Verizon, in your case) can connect to the network extender signal and their usage is counted as your usage. If you have unlimited calls and data, then it doesn't matter. If not, it might.

Many people have to use the extenders depending on their location.. Thats the first I heard about them getting tangled with some one elses account, interesting. Mary

If there is wifi in the home that the residents' Android and iPhones will connect to, the network extender isn't needed at all. How could this be location dependent?

This is something I have personal experience with. How about you, mary?

kudzu, I think you've misunderstood the question and the comments.

The Verizon network extender is a device that connects to the internet and rebroadcasts a cell signal. In Verizon's case, a CDMA signal. Think of it as a personal, short range mini Verizon cell tower in the home. Used where the cell reception is poor. It has nothing to do with home wifi or LAN other than connecting to it (ethernet?) for the internet pathway back to Verizon. I think other carriers offer something similar too. What I said was for phones that have a setting to route telephony over wifi (as most do), this device isn't needed.

My comment about the setting for Wifi telephony, to get a better phone signal where the reception isn't strong, has nothing to do with using a phone as a hot spot. Of course all phones can use wifi for a data signal anyway so this isn't that either.

acraftylady seems to have not returned to this thread, having not answered my question. Perhaps she too misunderstood the topic, leading to the misinformation in her comment.

Elmer-

Thanks...you're absolutely correct. I know the difference between cell signal extenders and wi-fi extenders, but somehow misread the OP's post. Another reminder for me to not post so late at night. I deleted my comment to not cause further confusion.

I agree with you about using the phone's settings for wi-fi telephony if availabIe. I will also point out that the OP may wish to look at other carriers: for example, if T-Mobile service is available, I beleve they still offer free, in-home extenders for weak signal areas.

kudzu, no harm, no foul (as the great Chick Hearn used to say). I've done the same thing myself.

For me, using the Wifi connection is superior to having a cell signal mini site all the same. In my house, for example, I don't have a clue where I could locate one and have a consistent signal where needed. I too had a wifi repeater for many years but it was an imperfect solution. Among other problems, the range was inconsistent and having one cuts the bandwidth in half because every packet is broadcast twice. It wasn't until I got a Netgear Orbi (and there are others with the so-called mesh approach) that I was able to get uniform, fast Wifi signals throughout my house. No reason to solve the same problem twice with a second device when the Wifi signal is everywhere and strong. Everyone faces different issues but I just don't see the need for a more complicated solution to what's an easy problem.

Elmer., some people like my friend that lives way out don't have the luxury of high speed out there from spectrum or Verizon fios. She has to use something from Verizon wireless to get her internet. Like a mobile hotspot device or something plus i think she needs the extender for better signal. This means her internet is limited to so many gigs a month, what ever plan she picks. Her computer and tablets all connect into this device. On the upside she can take it with her when they camp in the RV. Might not be explaining it exactly right. It's amazing to me some places still don't have high speed. Mary

Crafty, what this sounds like isn't a range extender at all but rather a cellular home phone base station. A home phone base station has a socket to plug in an analog phone (thus, "landline" phone service wherever it is turned on, using the same number) plus a wifi signal just like a cell phone in hot spot mode that devices can connect to, using the data link of the base station's cell connection. Having it on won't affect in-use mobile phones in the home using the same carrier at all.

These are falling into disuse because you can get exactly the same capabilities except the analog "home phone" by putting a cell phone into hot spot mode. Most people have long since abandoned their "home phone" or landline numbers if not ported to a cell phone or switched to some kind of VOIP provider.

I checked, Verizon isn't selling these gadgets anymore. ATT is. After paying for the hardware, it's billed as if it's another cellphone on your family plan and the usage (from connected devices) is added to the total. A way to think of it, it makes an analog home phone into a cell phone with a hotspot.

You'd get one of these, or use a smartphone in hot spot mode, if you can't get adequate internet service in a wired format (cable or DSL or fiber) but you can get a cell signal. Yes, without an unlimited cell plan, usage is limited and often to a low number. Range extenders for cell signals are the opposite, when you do have internet but NOT a strong cell signal. SAT internet is another option, also not cheap and also with limited monthly usage.

Living "way out", as you describe it, has many disadvantages in my mind. Getting adequate internet and cellular service are two big ones for most people these days but there are many others. It's a choice with consequences.

Edit for update - the device I was looking for on Verizon is no longer carried, but they do offer a product called SmartHub that works as described - powering a connected by wire analog phone and broadcasting an internet signal by wifi. For areas with cell service but not adequate internet service. Limited to 4G signal areas and 15 gigs per month.

Nope has nothing to do with a land line as they don't have home phone
service and is not what you describe. I think I am mistaken about her needing the extender, was thinking of someone else that has one. This person has Verizon mifi or some such maybe or jet pack. It's a device from Verizon wireless that is a mobile hot spot I guess so she pays for so many gigs a month and her devices connect off that plus she can take it with her when she travels. Her cell phones are through strait talk as she ditched Verizon for that. This means she does not have unlimited internet. I wouldn't like it but she had Hughes net before that and hated it. Has satellite for TV. I supposed when you build you could have the lines installed if you had the money. Mary

Fine, so it's just the internet service from the cell signal with a wifi broadcast. Identical to using a smartphone in hotspot mode.

I know from some friends in less populated but not far removed hillside locations that running wires for service, like cable wires, can be expensive. I don't remember the numbers. It's not always possible or feasible.

Yes and she gets way more gigs for less money than doing mobile Hotspot on the cell if she had Verizon cell service. I am in NY and there is a lot of fuss here in the media that spectrum claims they are bringing internet to so many rural places but media says spectrum is lying about that and the numbers are very low. Now the powers that be want spectrum out of here or want someone else to take over. Plus they are complaining about rate hikes but tell me of a service that has never raised their rates? I had no problems with Adelphia or time Warner and spectrum I had very few problems after the change over. Mary

Also what do I have to do so I get an email notice when someone replies to a thread I have posted too? It seems to have stopped doing this a week or so ago. Mary

I just looked at Verizon and it appears the data plan cost options for a single user (not a family plan) are the same whether it's a connected device like a mifi or a phone in hotspot mode. The monthly charge for a non-phone is a bit less but data usage is data usage.

I'm unsympathetic concerning those without wired internet service in rural or remote locations. It's not an inalienable right and where one lives is a choice with many consequences, as I said before. Companies run service to concentrations of customers to get their business. It's uneconomical to provide service to those in homes at some distance from others. People in such places don't usually have municipal water, don't usually have connections to a public sewage system, may not have natural gas service, etc, etc., for the same reason. Why should an internet connection be any different?

There are rural areas maybe an hour away from where I live. I don't want to pay more to subsidize service for them. If they want lines strung or pipes run, they should pay for them.

She is about 30min from me and it's not a real rural area. 10min down the road her Mom has high speed internet from spectrum but guess they won't run the lines any farther. Hughes net had a cap so she couldn't stream a lot with that either. Mary

Is your friend's home in what would be regarded as a conventional neighborhood of many homes or is it off and away from others? 10 minutes can be many miles and running an additional strech of wires is neither cheap nor cost effective for the system operator if it only connects a few homes.

We know some people whose house in a foothill location had no wired internet service. Too far up the road for DSL and no cable service.

The local cable system had been brought up the on the other side of the ridge from them, to an area where there were more houses than where they were located. But not up the little valley they were. They and their surrounding neighbors agreed to split the cost of bringing in the service over the ridge and down to them. I think it was about one mile of distance and I seem to recall it cost something over $15,000.

There are other houses just not super close like here in the burbs. I guess you would say she can walk to the neighbors and not be out of breath. Within yelling distance. Mary