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If you watch TV, you’ve probably seen the series of commercials that feature the cell phone signal strength indicator and customers’ muted yelling about their cellular network dropping calls or a loss of service causing social awkwardness. As good as cellular phone service has become, there are still times when we just want to hurl our phones through a window. We either can’t connect a call or the signal strength keeps dropping off and cutting us off midconversation. Though the majority of these problems are beyond our control, there are a couple of things we can do to at least increase our chances of making or keeping a call, and we’ll discuss them below.
Problem:
Sometimes my cell phone drops a call.
Solution:
There could be any number of problems causing dropped calls. If you can’t connect, the network might be busy. Try hanging up and making the call a few moments later. You should also make sure that your cell phone battery is fully charged. A low battery can affect the transmitter or receiver in your cell phone handset. You can also try cycling the power of your handset. As with all other technology, sometimes turning it off and then on again can fix the problem. If none of these things work, you might just be falling victim to the nature of the system.
Cellular antennas broadcast and receive radio waves over relatively short distances (about 10 square miles) and are dispersed to create a “quilt” of coverage with as little overlap as possible. Since the cellular providers don’t want to cover the same area twice, there are naturally some spots where coverage can’t be guaranteed. These areas are called “dead zones.” As you near the edge of a tower’s coverage area, the signal strength will drop off significantly to avoid overlap, as well. If you’re located in a dead or weak-signaled zone, no matter how briefly, you will have problems with reception.
Problem:
The signal to my cell phone in my car is poor.
Solution:
If you’re passing through a dead zone, there’s nothing you can do but wait until you’re in an area where cellular coverage is better. Having said that, there are some things to do to increase your signal strength when you’re on the fringes of a cellular tower’s coverage area. First off, manufacturers recommend that you keep your finger away from the phone’s antenna while making a call. Your body can draw signal strength away from your phone, resulting in a poor connection. Some manufacturers also recommend using a wired hands-free kit to effectively increase the antenna length of your cell phone. Anything you can do to bring extra cellular radio waves into your cellular handset might help.
If you drive a lot and are willing to spend a little money, you can also purchase an antenna to help boost the signal to your phone. These antennas can be mounted on the outside of your car and will draw in as much cellular radio signal as possible. Companies such as Wilson Electronics manufacture antennas that can be mounted on your roof or trunk and require no external power source to provide a possible increase in cellular reception while you’re driving.
Problem:
Cell phone reception is bad in my home or office.
Solution:
If you happen to be in a cellular dead zone, you can't just move your residence to an area with better coverage. You should discuss your location with your cellular service provider to determine whether or not you’re actually in a location without that provider’s coverage. If that’s the case, you will either have to make and receive calls outside your home or switch to a service provider with coverage in your area.
Fortunately, with the rise in popularity of mobile phones over the past few years, cellular service providers have spent millions to increase their coverage across the United States, so this is becoming less of a problem. Of course, just because you get service doesn’t mean that the quality will be good. If you have determined that your residence is in an area with cellular coverage, you might be losing signal due to your surroundings. Metal, concrete, and glass all diminish the signal strength from the outside of a building to the inside. If your apartment is in the middle of a building or your home contains a lot of AC ducting, metal superstructure, or concrete, the signal just might not be reaching your cell phone. Wilson Electronics also offers antennas that mount on your roof or an exterior wall and will draw in as much signal as possible and might increase the cellular signal strength within your home or office.
Problem:
The cellular signal is so weak that an antenna won’t help.
Solution:
If you drive in areas with little cellular signal or your home is located in a fringe area, a passive antenna (one that doesn’t require any power to operate) just might not be enough. If you determine that to be the problem, you can opt for a signal repeater or amplifier. These active devices require a power source such as a wall outlet or cigarette lighter to operate but will actually draw in, amplify, and rebroadcast weak cellular signals. The amplification can provide a boost to cellular signal strength. If it’s a wired connection, you will need to connect the amplifier directly to your phone through your phone’s accessory port, while a wireless connection is more universal since it doesn’t require a direct connection to your phone. |
