How to Get Better Cell Phone Coverage

Good phone coverage is necessary in today’s world. It enables instant communication across vast distances, allowing you to call or message other people for business or personal matters. Bad reception can lead to choppy or dropped calls, which can ruin a deal or wreck relationships.

If you always need connectivity, getting good cell phone service should be a priority. Knowing how to do that can seem intimidating at first. However, it’s relatively easy, and there are many ways you can get good service.

Try any of these tips on getting better phone coverage.

The obvious way to get good reception is to go near a cell tower. There are multiple ways you can find one.

You can refer to FCC-approved online maps, check your phone carrier’s maps, use app versions of those maps, or turn on your phone’s decibel meter and manually find a tower.

You can check your dB meter through these steps:

iPhone*

1. Activate Phone Mode.

2. Dial *3001#12345#*.

3. Enter Field Test Mode.

4. Check the notifications bar to see the dB reading.

*Note: This method won’t work on an iOS 11 phone and models that use Intel modems.

Android

1. Access Settings.

2. Go to General.

3. Select About Phone.

If you have weak or no service but have access to Wi-Fi, your phone can switch to that network. Wi-Fi calling uses your internet to patch your calls through.

Major carriers support Wi-Fi calling on most smartphones. You can enable Wi-Fi calling through your phone’s settings.

However, do note that you will need decent internet for this. Wi-Fi calling will burden your bandwidth. If your internet is already slow, Wi-Fi calling may make it worse.

A cell phone signal booster is a good investment if your phone service constantly fluctuates between weak and medium strength. That usually means you’re on the edge of a cell tower’s range, and there are many disruptions affecting your reception.

A signal booster grabs any signal from the nearest cell tower, amplifies that signal, then rebroadcasts it within the booster’s own area of transmission.

In other words, you effectively have your own cell tower in your home or office. If you’re getting one, install it at the center of your building to maximize its effectiveness.

Most signal boosters, like the WeBoost connect 4g kit, comes with all the components you need to start boosting signal immediately.

Some telecom companies also sell specialized phone boosters for vehicles, boats, and RVs.

Environmental obstructions and structures—especially those with thick concrete walls—can interfere with the diffusion of cell signals. Signals travel in every direction from their origin, but they get weaker each time they go through an object.

If you’re living in a dense urban area where multiple buildings obstruct your line of sight with a cell tower, you may not receive the optimal service. On top of that, appliances and electronic devices inside those buildings may further weaken the signal strength.

As a last resort, you may want to switch to a different phone provider if you regularly have bad reception despite trying the recommended solutions.

A few carriers may have limited coverage in an area. They may not have built an extensive tower network near you yet. In that case, change your carrier to one that has got you covered.

Some providers may charge more; however, good phone coverage justifies paying extra on your phone bills. If you can’t get decent service, there’s no point in paying your phone bill.