Whether you’re working in a forest, an oil rig, or camping with your family, a weak cell phone signal can ruin your day. Nowadays, smartphones have been integrated into our lives that they’re almost a basic necessity. In fact, the number of mobile connections has surpassed the world’s population by over one billion.
When we’re in a remote area, we often think that there’s nothing we can do about a weak reception. We can’t just plant some magic seeds to grow a new cell phone tower. But this isn’t always the case.
If you want to know how to boost your cell phone signal, here are five things that you can try.
1. Switch Carriers
If you live or work in an area with constant poor coverage, this is an option that you should seriously consider. The most likely reason why you have a weak signal is that you’re too far from the cell phone tower of your current network. Different providers have their own infrastructure which accounts for the variation in coverage.
Switching providers can often give you the best result. The process is also easy and you can usually keep your current number.
But before you switch, you should make sure that you are, in fact, getting better coverage by switching. Most networks, such as Telus, have their own coverage map on their website. You can also visit independent websites such as opensignal.com or comparecellular.com.
2. Use a Cellphone Booster or Repeater
Cell phone boosters are like megaphones for mobile signals. They can pick up a weak cell signal, boost it, and broadcast it over the area where it’s needed.
There are many variations of these types of devices but the most common is the repeater. The repeater can pick up a stable signal with an antenna and repeat or amplify it to an area with weak reception. Other “smart” boosters can clean up a signal before it is broadcasted again.
Some networks will provide a booster for free or for rent if you ask them. You can also buy your own but they can be expensive or may not be compatible with your current network.
How to Boost Your Cell Phone Signal: Simple Fixes
The next methods are some basic troubleshooting that can help improve your cell signal. While they may not be as effective as the other two methods, they’re very easy to do and will not cost you a single cent.
3. Go to the High Ground
This isn’t about getting an advantage in a fight with Anakin Skywalker. But it will give you a terrain advantage so you can search for better reception.
Any type of obstruction, such as trees or tall buildings, can disrupt the signal between your phone and the cell tower. If you go to higher ground, the tower will have a better line of sight to your mobile phone. So start climbing!
4. Go Outside
Mobile signals struggle a lot to penetrate the steel and concrete that make up the walls of buildings and houses. This spells trouble if you’re indoors or underground.
If you’re getting poor reception, open a window. Better yet, go outside and have some fresh air while you’re at it.
5. Avoid Interference
Interference can come from many sources. Other electronic devices are common culprits. These can include laptops, tablets, and even your microwave. To get a better signal, move away from these devices or turn them off.
Another source of interference that we normally don’t suspect is our own hands. If you hold the phone in a way that covers the internal antenna, the reception will weaken. To avoid this, hold your phone upright or use a hands-free headset when making calls.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, these methods on how to boost your cell phone signal will help you wrap up your phone calls without it breaking up or dropping. Some solutions are a simple fix while others require a little effort. If you’re in the market for communication solutions, contact us.