CEL vs WAVE PTX
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CEL
Easily set up and manage your smart signal booster. Monitor performance, troubleshoot coverage issues, and update software. Configure advanced settings like network selection and antenna aiming for improved indoor mobile service.
- Booster registration
- Performance monitoring and optimization
- Coverage issue troubleshooting
- Software updates
- External antenna aiming
- Network operator selection
- Advanced settings configuration
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The CEL-FI WAVE app allows you to easily set up and manage your CEL-FI Smart Signal Booster (sold separately). The app does not work with any other manufacturer’s equipment. CEL-FI products supported by the app are CEL-FI CONNECT, CEL-FI GO, CEL-FI PRO, CEL-FI PRIME, CEL-FI ROAM, and CEL-FI SOLO. WAVE features: - Register your booster (required by some network operators) - Monitor and optimize the booster’s performance - Troubleshoot any coverage issues - Update the booster software - External antenna aiming The app can also be used to configure advanced settings (check the specific product), these include: - Select a network operator to boost - Antenna settings - Bands to relay - Switch between Mobile and Stationary mode (GO G31 & GO G32) CEL-FI is the safest, most advanced, smart signal booster available, designed to eliminate in-building dead zones and improve indoor mobile 3G, 4G and 5G service. For more information and troubleshooting help, go to https://nextivityinc.com/support/
WAVE PTX
This app enables secure, reliable push-to-talk communication across various networks and devices. It extends existing two-way radio services to broadband users, enhancing team productivity with instant messaging and multimedia sharing.
- Secure broadband PTT communication
- Carrier-independent network use
- Emergency calling
- Real-time streaming video
- Voice and text messaging
- User location tracking
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Take Push-To-Talk Further: Based on 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Mission Critical Push-To-Talk (MCPTT) standards, WAVE PTT provides fast, secure, reliable broadband PTT communication across any network, any device. Expand existing land mobile radio (LMR) service to include broadband users on the devices and networks they already have. Extend two-way radio push-to-talk communication to phones, tablets and PCs and increase team productivity with instant communication anywhere you have a network or Wi-Fi connection. • Carrier-independent, use any 3G/4G LTE, public Wi-Fi, or private data network connection • Emergency calling and other critical communications features • Real time streaming video • Voice messaging, pre-recorded or record-and-send • Group and private 1-1 PTT calls • Group and private 1-1 text messaging • Persistent threaded history of messages, texts, multimedia • Interoperability to LMR networks • Multimedia - share images, videos, or files • Locate and track users on a map WAVE PTT is not available for use by individual consumers. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: CEL at every 3 weeks against WAVE PTX's every 4 months. CEL also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15). WAVE PTX's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (36% vs 17%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WAVE PTX holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44 and 38 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of CEL's written reviews are positive against 36% of WAVE PTX's.
CEL ships an update every 3 weeks, WAVE PTX every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CEL | WAVE PTX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (44 ratings) | 3.7 (38 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 17.1% of reviews | 35.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | 38 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 77 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Nextivity, Inc | Motorola Solutions, Inc |
Customer experience
CEL
WAVE PTX
Bugs and requests
CEL
Reported bugs
143 issues- App does not work
- Multiple units displayed with same name
- Will not connect to units without hours of closing & reopening
- Cannot flash LED on displayed device before connecting
- App is cumbersome to navigate
Show 138 moreShow fewer
- Legacy Bluetooth 4.2 hardware stack causes delays
- App could work much better when offline
- Latest 'Update' rendered the product useless
- Support webform errors
- App implies system is configured but no signal strength increase
- Rarely connects after last update
- Hard to connect without jumping through hoops
- Tech help suggests basic troubleshooting
- Never connects to the app
- Unit fails to boost signal
- Refuses to connect to Bluetooth after app update
- App becomes extremely laggy with low signal
- App takes an eternity to make a connection
- Regularly fails to achieve a connection
- Humorous messages during connection attempts
- App crashing
- App screen goes white
- Hangs during 'downloading settings'
- Cutesy messages when app doesn't work
- Blank settings screen after update
- Antenna aiming function doesn't work
- Cannot register the cell booster
- Features that worked well now don't work
- Slow and frustrating system for antenna separation and signal quality
- Taken away ability to swap between roaming and stationary
- Cannot connect to unit even though it is functioning
- No interface with the unit
- App hangs at looking for a booster with no option
- App does not agree with tech/customer support
- App continues to tell you to register device
- App only scans for one device
- Need to restart phone to pick up a different device
- Majority of the time app cannot connect to stationary booster unit via Bluetooth
- App cannot maintain a connection
- Bluetooth connection error
- Out of range apparently
- Always disconnects from Bluetooth
- Sometimes cannot find a connection to the signal booster
- Only connects about 1 out of 10 tries
- No information on what screens mean
- App stops working
- Still says 'gathering information'
- App won't connect by Bluetooth even when next to unit
- Slow, inaccurate rubbish app
- App shows nothing once connected
- Clunky
- Fails to connect to the Celfi Go
- States it's 'gathering data' forever
- Connection lost
- Phone shows 3G when app shows 4G
- Phone does not find booster after update
- Web site is useless
- Cannot contact support
- Waste of money
- Constantly disconnects from the cellfi
- Slow to connect and gather data
- Sometimes cannot find the booster
- Wants to update booster software frequently with no improvement
- Slow and outdated app
- Most of the time app can't find the booster
- App shows zeros for incoming signal strength until restarted
- App freezes and requires phone restart
- Lost blue tooth connection
- App freezes and requires booster restart
- App needs UI update for iPhone 12 Pro Max
- UI looks small on iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Stationary to mobile setting removed
- App works in portrait mode only
- Major accuracy and performance doubts
- Forgets the Go and doesn't find it again
- Rebooting Go and going through registration process again
- Keeps showing need for firmware update but says up to date
- Interface doesn't support iPhone X/XS/XR
- App crashes a lot
- Uninstall and reinstall app to reconnect
- Continually says update available but will not update
- App keeps going into offline mode
- Only supports one device and locks to it
- Reset each device and reinstall app to change config
- Latest update makes app useless
- App sits at 'installing operator configurations' 0%
- App keeps crashing
- Update available but will not update
- Does not work if you live in Australia (US addresses only)
- App always searches, never connects
- Latest software doesn't help
- Never stops searching
- App says it is not boosting but phone has full signal
- App doesn't function properly
- Latest update breaks access to cel-fi device
- Cannot take readings
- Screen needs optimization for iPhone X
- Latest update made connection slower
- Drops out on Hands Free
- Boosters defaulting to band 2 over band 12 or 4 and not releasing it
- App shows basic networking statistics
- Little information on functionality features
- App still not working after July 2016 update
- Keeps saying booster update required
- App is garbage
- Cannot see any information from the device
- Constantly searching but never finds anything
- App always searches, never connects
- Never stops searching
- App says it is not boosting but phone has full signal
- App doesn't function properly
- Latest update breaks access to cel-fi device
- Cannot take readings
- Screen needs optimization for iPhone X
- Latest update made connection slower
- Drops out on Hands Free
- Boosters defaulting to band 2 over band 12 or 4 and not releasing it
- App shows basic networking statistics
- Little information on functionality features
- App still not working after July 2016 update
- Keeps saying booster update required
- App is garbage
- Cannot see any information from the device
- Constantly searching but never finds anything
- App always searches, never connects
- Never stops searching
- App says it is not boosting but phone has full signal
- App doesn't function properly
- Latest update breaks access to cel-fi device
- Cannot take readings
- Screen needs optimization for iPhone X
- Latest update made connection slower
- Drops out on Hands Free
- Boosters defaulting to band 2 over band 12 or 4 and not releasing it
- App shows basic networking statistics
- Little information on functionality features
- App still not working after July 2016 update
- Keeps saying booster update required
- App is garbage
- Cannot see any information from the device
- Constantly searching but never finds anything
- App always searches, never connects
- Never stops searching
Requested features
15 requests- Allow users to see phone's cell signal strength while app is running
- Auto-login feature
- More descriptive device state (booting up, scanning, service detected)
- Faster signal strength meters
- Instruction manual detailing settings/features
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- Ability to increase Maximum Uplink and Downlink dB's power per carrier
- Real-time Donor antenna optimal placement location
- Option to swap between roaming and stationary
- Password protection for settings
- Block certain traffic
- More flexibility with settings, e.g., specific WiFi band
- Landscape mode support
- UI update for newer iPhones
- Explanation of indicators and settings
- Ability to lock to specific LTE bands
WAVE PTX
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CEL
No in-app purchases
WAVE PTX
No in-app purchases
