Cell Coverage Woes

When I call people I call them on my cell phone. The rates for long distance are cheaper than wired phones, and I don't have to worry about being at my desk to make the call. The convenience is wonderful. The only thing is, sometimes things don't work out in the boondocks, like where I grew up and where my grandparents live.
So I'm trawling the news lines looking for something interesting this morning and guess what I find? EWeek has posted a story about Spotwave's new modular cell repeater system. Basically it's a directional antenna to put high up in your attic or on a pole, and then you put the repeaters throughout your home, or in the case of the enterprise based system, around your building. Now that's pretty damn nifty if you ask me.
Take this idea for instance... You could set up a cell extension network to put cell service into areas without such service by putting a beefed up version of the directional antenna into an area without coverage. Then drop the extensions around town, and blammo!!! Yah got yerself a gol' dang newfangled 3G thingie! And the best part is the wireless provider doesn't have to go drop an assload of cash into backhaul to put a cell tower in the area. This is actually sort of the idea behind some of what WiMax is supposed to offer... Things are gonna be pretty latent at the end of the line, but don't you think people might not notice it all that much if they're able to make a cell phone call from the middle of Nevada County, up in the mountains where no one would figure you'd have a signal? Cool stuff, friends!