I specifically chose my 'blue tick' phone (ZTE -'Telstra Dave') because it has an external antenna socket but to date haven't needed to use it in rural Vic. When we were travelling around the country we had a small whip antenna (only about 8" high) on a magnetic base. Connecting this to the phone & putting it onto the roof of the vehicle (through a hatch) often made the difference between having a useable signal or not. I would expect that the antennae ET has linked to would be better. Stuck on a broomstick or similar to get it up higher would also improve range. I recall being camped at Yardie Creek Gorge (Cape Range NP/Ningaloo) where no one could get a signal except for one chap who had his antenna up above his truck on an extendable painters pole.