The end of poor mobile reception is here!

A British invented device known as Femtocells could make poor mobile reception at home a thing of the past if it takes off in 2010.

Femtocells, according to The Telegraph, are simple black boxes that plug into the back of broadband hubs and act like mini-mobile phone masts, which is good news for mobile users in rural areas of the UK that suffer from poor mobile reception.

Femtocells act like mini-mobile phone masts within users’ homes and amplify the reception within a 50 yard radius meaning that users’ in the deepest, darkest areas of the UK can enjoy city-strength signals.

The only requirement for the invention is a broadband connection, so there’s no need to upgrade to a better mobile device - the technology is universal, which makes it an even more attractive proposition.

The technology was developed by Picochip, a Bath-based tech company. Picochip has tested the technology with just a handful of Vodafone users so far, according to The Telegraph.

Nevertheless, additional reports have confirmed that the technology could really cause a shake-up in the market.

One of the additional benefits of the technology for smartphone users is that it will allow them to download far more data to their devices than before as well.

According to Ofcom, many areas of the UK, notably Scotland and Wales, have very poor mobile phone reception. In addition to this, 61% of these areas are also unable to receive proper 3G coverage.

‘Dead-Zones’ are endemic in the UK. The Telegraph states that up to 91 per cent of small businesses have experienced some issues with mobile phone receptions.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Rupert Baines, head of marketing at Picochip, said: "The key is to get the devices under £100 then it will take off with consumers. We need to make it cheaper. Each year the price of the semiconductors falls, so it is only a matter of time, possibly just months.

He added: "This is game-changing technology for the telecoms industry. It opens up whole new services and applications that were just not possible before because the mobile phone operators didn't have the capacity."

So far only Vodafone users can buy the Femtocells technology. However, Picochip hopes to open the technology up to more carriers throughout 2010.

Lets just hope the price comes down to a more reasonable level, as the technology is currently £160 to buy, which will not do it any favours in the UK market.