Mobile RF signal quality is crucial for reliable and clear communication on your phone, tablet, or other device. But what can you do if you are in a weak area, where the signal is poor or intermittent? Here are some tips and tricks to improve your mobile RF signal quality and enjoy better connectivity.
The first thing you can do is to check your device settings and make sure you are using the best network mode for your location. Depending on your carrier and device, you may have options to switch between 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G networks, or to enable or disable LTE, VoLTE, or Wi-Fi calling. You can also try to turn on airplane mode and then turn it off to refresh your network connection. Sometimes, a simple reboot of your device can also help to improve your signal quality.
It depends where you are, and if you are the site/building owner or just a visitor. If you have control of the location's infrastructure, you may be able to obtain a variety of coverage enhancement systems. In some countries it's legal to get a repeater / booster, but you should check your local regulator's website first. If it's a large building like an office or factory, you may be able to get a dedicated indoor wireless system installed, but that may need carrier support to provide a "signal source" to a distributed antenna system. Check out "neutral host" options. Lastly, you may be able to use Wi-Fi, either with a manual log-in or with various forms of roaming and automated connection. Look up "OpenRoaming" for the future
Check Device Setting - If its Ok then find a best spot for maximum coverage and still not getting it then use a Booster / repeater to increase the strength
You can use some free mobile apps like netmonster or g-net tracker to see on what site(tower) and tech your mobile is attaching, it also shows signal strength. Switch between techs(2G,3G/LTE) to see if coverage improves. Signal quality is mostly improved by adjusting antenna azimuths or tilts, or installing signal repeaters.
Thinking of outside, trying to use an external antenna (if possible), turning on/off AP mode to re-establish a connection with the nearest tower, or using a Wi-Fi connection.
Try notifying your provider of the poor signal strength while in the area or as soon as possible. There could be outside forces that are impacting the signal strength that you’re currently receiving
Another factor that affects your mobile RF signal quality is your physical location and the surrounding environment. You may have noticed that your signal strength varies depending on where you are in a building, or whether you are indoors or outdoors. To find the best spot for your signal, you can use a signal strength app or your device's built-in indicator to measure the signal bars or dBm (decibel-milliwatts). Generally, the higher the bars or the lower the negative dBm, the better the signal. You can also try to avoid obstructions like walls, windows, metal objects, or other sources of interference that can block or weaken your signal.
It is good to know where is the location of the tower serving your home and put your home indoor CPE next to the window in the tower direction. Outdoor CPEs is one of the best options to get the best signal.
This is often difficult in modern buildings with steel, concrete and low-e glass blocking mobile signal propogation. Often the only usable spot is outside in the rain
Unless there's a DAS installed in the building, the best signal is usually by the windows or outdoors. Conversely, if a DAS is installed, the best signal is often in the center of the building.
Finding the best spot is counter intuitive as it negates the whole principle of having a "mobile" device; in fact it takes me back to the early days of 2G coverage when Orange was rolling out their network. The only time you could get connectivity was when you got to the top of a big hill in Mid Wales.
If your device settings and location are not enough to improve your mobile RF signal quality, you may want to consider using a signal booster. A signal booster is a device that amplifies the existing signal from a nearby cell tower and retransmits it to your device. There are different types of signal boosters, such as cradle boosters, wireless boosters, or femtocells, that vary in cost, coverage, and compatibility. You can check with your carrier or a reputable vendor to find the best option for your needs and budget.
If you are trying to improve WiFi, consider adding mesh capable nodes to increase the RF range without having to run ethernet. Look for multi-frequency systems so that the mesh traffic can avoid the WiFi traffic.
Signal boosters can be a solution for weak RF signal. But it need to be selected and installed by telecom professionals preferably through the operators. Becuse if it is not installed properly, it can give negative impact on the service for all the users connected on the tower.
There are only 3 approved signal boosters in the UK, they need AGC so that they don't generate noise on the macro network. Always worth using a creditable company to install the equipment, it will save you time and money in the long run. A lot of vendors will advertise their products as "plug and play" but this is rarely the case.
A signal booster is just one option for improving cell signal. In larger buildings, Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) are a more common solution, and other technologies such as small cells and MoCN private networking deployments. Talking to a systems integrator is the best way to identify the best options for a particular building.
Another way to improve your mobile RF signal quality is to keep your device's software and firmware up to date. Software updates can fix bugs, improve performance, and add new features that can enhance your device's compatibility with the network. Firmware updates can also improve the functionality and security of your device's hardware components, such as the modem, antenna, or chipset. You can check for software and firmware updates in your device's settings or by connecting it to a computer.
If none of the above tips work, you may have a problem with your carrier's network or your device's hardware. In that case, you should contact your carrier or manufacturer for assistance. They may be able to troubleshoot the issue, offer a replacement device or SIM card, or suggest a different plan or network. You can also check your carrier's coverage map or outage report to see if there are any known issues or planned maintenance in your area.
Try contacting your carrier, sometimes these issues can be resolved by. - Fine-tuning the neighboring cell sites. - changing power settings on the transmitters themselves - Changing electrical or mechanical tilts on the antennas. At times the carriers will also provide you with signal boosters or network extenders at their own cost.
If the issue is confirmed as a problem in a specific area as the question stated (multiple persons having the same issue) then the first thing to do is to contact your carrier and ask for a coverage optimization. If you are permanently in that problematic area, your carrier didn't respond to your request, and you know someone with a different carrier who is not having coverage or connectivity issues, switch to their carrier. If you know that you are in a rural zone at the edge of coverage and no carrier provides a good signal you can explore small signal boosters for home or office. If you are in a deep rural zone and no carrier is offering coverage you can opt for satellite broadband solutions.
Try you and your neighbors raise complaints on weak coverage and bad performance in the area. If found needed, the operator might deploy new tower to improve the coverage
The MNOs don't care; they are focused on their macro layer. I have experienced this while working for MNOs; they will not optimise the macro layer to work in with and in-building DAS. Get a repeater professionally installed and solve the problem.
Finally, if you are still not satisfied with your mobile RF signal quality, you may want to explore alternative solutions that can provide you with better communication options. For example, you can use a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) app or service that allows you to make and receive calls over the internet, rather than relying on the cellular network. You can also use a Wi-Fi network or hotspot to access the internet and use other apps or services that can support your communication needs. However, you should be aware of the potential drawbacks of these solutions, such as security risks, data usage, or quality issues.
The assumption that 5G NR waveforms all use higher frequencies is not really valid. In rural deployments where coverage is key, often sub-1GHz bands are used with narrower bandwidths. One of the great benefits of 5G is that it can be configured to trade off between bandwidth, power/range and latency.
Newer 5G signals utilize higher frequencies that are more readily blocked by building materials. As a result, getting great 5G signal indoors often means deploying wireless infrastructure within the building.