Looking at our cell phones for connectivity has become an instinctive reflex be it for browsing the internet, streaming, checking our Instagram feed, texting, or phone calls. What’s the first thing we instinctively do when the latest episode of our favorite show continuously buffers or we drop calls? We look at the signal bars on our phone.
Before I begin, it is important to note that if the bars on your phone are full the signal strength will be strongest but if there is only one bar the signal strength is very weak is one of the biggest misconceptions in the network tower industry.
Monitor Cell Phone Signal based on Performance, not Bars
The bars on your phone are not an accurate representation of the cell signal strength. The bar does not measure your 4G or 3G voice performance. The number of bars on your cell phone can vary based on many factors like your phone manufacturer, your carrier, the activity of your phone, or a simple thing like how you hold your phone.
Busting Myths About Cellular Performance
If you have decided to install a cell phone signal booster based on dropped calls and dead zones in your home or office or home you may first want to recalibrate how you measure and judge signal strength. Monitor your cell phone performance rather than looking at how many bars are displayed on your phone. Your main objective is that you need your phone to work. You will still receive strong signals with three or five bars displayed on your phone.
So, how can you accurately monitor your cell signal quality? Fewer or no dropper calls and increased call clarity are easy indications to judge how your phone performs. Increased download speeds and less buffering when streaming video or music are indications to check your data speeds.
Alternative Cellular Performance Measurement
Here are some efficient alternatives that you can do if you want to continue monitoring cellular signal strength.
There is a “Field Test Mode” available on Android and Apple iOS phones. You will find the option in the “Settings” of your phone.
To test the signal strength on “Field Test Mode” you will see the signal strength in decibels rather than bars (The closer the number is to 0, the stronger the signal strength).
If you see the signal strength as -85 decibels then it is a usable signal. If you wish to increase it look for a cell phone signal booster that regularly provides signal strength of -70 decibels or more.
For data speeds regarding the performance of mobile cellular connections like LTE, 4G, and 3G opt for any speed test apps that are available for free on the internet.
What is the Professional way to monitor my cell phone signal quality?
The most accurate way to determining your cell phone quality is by getting a professional to conduct a site survey with a signal meter. The signal meter detects and displays the most accurate representation of strength, signal frequency, bandwidth, and also updates in real-time.
The final performance result unfortunately directly relies on your carrier and the capacity of the nearest tower. On rare instances, You could still end up receiving slower data speeds or dropped calls or the tower has exceeded its capacity.
One of the best ways to ensure optimal performance is by installing a cell phone signal booster also referred to as a passive distributed antenna system (DAS). I have compiled a list of the best cell phone signal boosters with the help of our experts. You can choose which one best suits your requirements to help improve mobile network access in your office and large homes.
Feel free to comment below to learn more ways to monitor your cell signal, we hope you found this guide helpful to improve your cell phone signal.