How to describe the current quality or strength of mobile phone signals is a relatively abstract problem, and many people cannot accurately describe this concept.
On your iPhone or Android—along with any other cellphone or cellular-connected device in between—the signal bars are mostly there to provide a visual representation of cell signal strength.
The truth is, the number of bars you see on your phone can vary greatly and often depend on the manufacturer and model. And isn’t entirely representative of signal strength.
cell phone signal strength test
Some phones assign different values to each bar graphic. This means the two signal bars showing on your model of iPhone may actually show that your phone is receiving more signals than your friend’s Android phone that’s currently displaying three signal bars.
Just like a car’s gas gauge, signal bars can only provide a general idea of signal strength—not an exact measure.
Checking your mobile phone’s actual signal strength is better than relying on bars alone. However, to make sense of this reading, let’s get an understanding of how signal strength is measured and how to do a cell phone signal strength test.
How is cell signal strength measured accurately?
Decibels offer a more accurate and useful measure of cell phone signal strength.
Signal strength for cellphones is calculated using dBm (or decibel milliwatts) as its standard unit of measure. On a signal strength meter, dBm is typically expressed as a negative number—such as -88.
What is a good signal strength for a cell phone?
The closer to zero the dBm reading is, the stronger the cell phone signal.
Close to no signal strength= -110 dBmPoor signal strength = -85 dBm to -100 dBmGood signal strength = -65 dBm to -84 dBmExcellent signal strength = -64 dBm to -50 dBmSee the cell signal strength chart below for a great comparison:
cell signal strength chart dbm
The typical range of measure for cell signal strength is between -110 dBm and -30 dBm. Being a logarithmic unit of measure, each 3-dB increase is actually doubling the power. So, a cell signal that measures -76 dBm is twice as powerful as a cell signal that comes in at -79 dBm.
In field test mode, some phones may show the dBm measure as a positive number. In situations like that, simply convert the number to a negative. For example, 60 dBm is actually -60 dBm.
How does cell signal work with my phone?
Different ways you may use your phone require different cell signal strengths. To make a call, -100 dBm is not ideal but will work. It becomes more difficult to maintain a wireless data transfer at the -100 dBm range—particularly at 4G or LTE speeds.
To enjoy optimal functionality on your smartphone or cellular-connected device, you’ll want a signal between -50 dBm and -80 dBm.
When your cell signal is weaker than -100 dBm, it’s likely that you won’t have service without relying on a cell signal booster. If you’re not familiar with cell phone signal boosters and how they work, this guide to cell signal boosters offers a helpful explanation on how they make stronger cell connectivity possible.
How to check signal strength on an iPhone
iPhone cell phone signal strength appsFor iPhones, there are some helpful apps that you can download to test existing cellular signal strength and network speeds.
OpenSignal is a free app that allows you to run a test of your iPhone’s true speed (i.e. what you are likely to experience when normally using your phone) and view maps of real coverage in your area—while showing you which network is best in your area. It also features compass points to show you which direction your cell signal is coming from.
Speedtest by Ookla is another free app, trusted by professionals for testing connection speeds. Quick, easy, one-tap connection speed tests can take place practically anywhere because of the app developer’s extensive global network.Users can access detailed reporting on past tests and simulate downloading a file to show how signal strength really affects iPhone performance. You can measure cell signal and internet signal strength with this test.iPhone Field Test ModeiPhone users can also view a signal strength reading by accessing their iPhone Field Test Mode. Below are instructions to enact the field test mode an iPhone models. *Instructions may not work for iPhone’s using iOS 11 and higher.
Turn off WifiKey in *3001#12345#*Press callTap: Serving Cell MeasurementsScroll down to: Measured rsrp0Add +20 dBm to the resulting number (example -102 shown would be -82 dBm)Helpful tip: When taking signal readings, move to the location where you want to take the reading, wait for 30 to 60 seconds for the signal readings to catch up, and then record the signal strength and network type (2G, 3G, 4G, LTE, etc.).
How to check signal strength for an Android
Android cell phone signal strength appFor Android users, there is a great go-to app to do a signal strength test and network speed test.
Network Cell Info Lite, available for free on the Google Play store, provides nearly real-time monitoring of cellular and WiFi signals. Raw network cellular information is provided, such as network speeds as shown in decibels. Route coloring is displayed in a map, in accordance to signal strength and relative location of towers form the Mozilla MLS database.Android Field Test ModeMost Android phone models allow the user to view signal strength readings by navigating the device’s menu tree. Accessing Field test mode on Android phones is also straightforward.
Go to “Settings” > “About Phone”Your numerical signal strength will be available under either Network or Status, depending on the model of the phone you own.Being able to find the right menu screen varies across phone manufacturers, models and versions of Android OS.A typical navigation sequence is Settings – About Phone – Status or Network – Signal Strength or Network Type and Strength.Alternate navigation sequence for some Android phones is Settings > More Options or More Settings > About Phone > Mobile Networks > Signal Strength. Some experimenting with the menus on your Android phone should get you a dBm reading that’s reliable.
Helpful tip: Android phones will read only one network at a time. If you have 4G network access, that’s the default dBm reading your phone will display. If there’s no 4G service at the moment, the reading will default to 3G.
After following the instructions above, if you’re unable to determine your device’s signal strength reading, check the operations guide that came with your device.
How to increase mobile signal strength
Hence why a signal booster would be able to overcome these challenges and bring you the strong, reliable cell coverage that you expect inside your home or vehicle.
With testing cell signal strength, it’s easier to see how subtle differences in signal strength can affect the performance of your smartphone, tablets, or other cellular-connected devices. It can also be a great way to troubleshoot why you may be experiencing dropped calls, delayed texts, slow data speeds, or problems with streaming video content.