Spotty Cell Service? Here are 4 Ways to Strengthen Your Phone Signal

Many of us can’t remember life without a cell phone. Cell phones have changed the world and now, some people can’t fully function without their trusty sidekick by their side.

Whether you’re balancing your finances, booking a trip or streaming live TV, phones have become so much more than just a device for receiving calls. That’s why dealing with a weak signal can be a nightmare come true.

What can you do when your cell phone signal gives you attitude? Here are a few simple tricks to strengthen your service.

1. Remove Obstructions

Since cell phone signals are pretty powerful, you might think your signal is strong enough to reach every nook and cranny of your home or office building. The reality is many things can obstruct a cell phone signal and weaken your service. Fortunately, this is often an easy fix and only requires changing your location. So the next time you see someone holding their cell phone in the air and wandering around in search of a better signal, rather than snicker, take a lesson from them and get your legs moving.

Sometimes, moving only a few feet in one direction is enough to improve your signal. It also helps to eliminate anything that can potentially block it. Dropped calls and sluggish internet can be caused by trees, high buildings, bad weather and even clutter. If you can’t get a signal, step outside or try reaching higher ground. If you have too much stuff in your house, decluttering could make a difference.

2. Know the Location of the Nearest Towers

Cell phone towers are everywhere in urban and suburban areas. But just because there are towers in your city doesn’t mean you’ll receive a strong signal. This depends on which major carriers have cell phone towers near your home and whether the signal can reach you.

There’s nothing worse than committing to a cell phone contract only to discover the carrier’s tower is too far from your home. As a rule of thumb, search nearby towers before signing a contract. Cell Reception and Open Signal are two options for finding carrier towers near you by zip code. A quick search might show Sprint as the strongest service provider in your area, which means you might have a better experience choosing this carrier over another one like Verizon or AT&T.

3. Charge Your Phone

If you suddenly experience spotty service, the problem could have everything to do with your battery. Few realize this, but getting a strong signal from a cell phone tower requires a substantial amount of power. And, if your battery is running on empty, your signal can become weak.

Connecting to a power source is one way to alleviate this problem. If you can’t charge up right away, increase your power by lowering your screen brightness, turning off notifications and closing background apps you aren’t using.

4. Use Wi-Fi

Connecting to Wi-Fi is another simple trick for dealing with a spotty cell phone signal. While at home, set up your phone to automatically connect to WiFi to ensure you always receive a strong enough signal to conduct your business. If you’re in public, ask to see if a retail store or restaurant offers free guest WiFi.

Another option is purchasing a cell phone signal booster. Keep in mind, however, these devices are only effective when there’s a weak signal—it doesn’t create a signal. Shop around before purchasing a booster to ensure the chosen brand works with your phone and carrier.

When you’re busy and on the move, you don’t have time for a weak cell phone signal. Fortunately, dropped calls, slow internet and bad reception can be a simple fix. But if you can’t resolve the issue on your own, it might be time to switch carriers.

If switching sounds like your only option, check out our Top 5 Cell Phone Carriers of 2017 and see which plan is right for you!