Techniques are provided herein for providing power efficiency for re-bander units. In particular, embodiments may provide for powering up of a power amplifier in the transmit path of the re-bander on demand, when a transmit signal is to be transmitted. Circuitry controlling the powering up of the power amplifier may do so based on a transmit indicator signal, indicating the presence of a transmit signal received by the re-bander unit. The transmit indicator signal may be a strobe signal received by a user equipment (UE) to which the re-bander unit is coupled, or may be derived from detection of the transmit signal by a directional coupler and power detector.