Five things you can do to improve cell phone signal reception in your car
What’s the point of having a cellphone if you can’t have good cell reception? Find out five things you can do to improve cell phone signal reception in your car.
Most people have pretty decent reception on average, but there are those who live in more remote areas where their phone calls won’t go through. One response could be “move somewhere else,” but that isn’t the easiest choice for most people.
Another source of these reception issues could be your carrier, or that there are not enough cellphone towers in your area. But there can be poor reception even in areas that have a lot of cellphone towers. So why does this still happen? What could be responsible for the poor reception?
Instead of struggling to use your cellphone on a daily basis, here are five things you can do to boost your cellphone reception, especially when you’re using it in your car. Many of these tips are quite simple solutions, while others require more time investment.
What is a cellphone signal booster?
Buying a Cell Phone Booster for Car is a great way to improve your cellphone signal. There are a wide variety of signal boosters out there for your car that might work, but it pays to do some research to find the one that’s best for you.
Many signal boosters for cars come with an external antenna that you attach to the roof of your car. This is how it will receive cell signal.
Some boosters only work with on carrier, while others work across multiple carriers so that you don’t have to buy separate boosters if you ever decide to change your phone and carrier. They can come with other features as well, such as a cradle for your phone, and other cables to connect to your phone to boost its signal.
1) Get a cellphone signal booster for your car
The cellphone is basically a type of two-way radio using a more modern interface, and communicates with e cell tower through radio frequency signals. A booster pulls the signal from the nearest tower using an external antenna that is place on top of your car, it amplifies those signals, and then it rebroadcasts those signals to your device.
When looking into a cellphone signal booster, be sure to look at FCC-certified devices that come from a reputable manufacturer. This will ensure that you’re receiving the maximum coverage and range in your vehicle, as well as having a device that will operate reliably.
2) Stop your car
If you desperately need to make a phone call, you first need to find a safe place to pull your car off the road and stop. When you are stationary, your phone has to do less work because it’s no longer constantly adjusting to your moving location.
Remaining stationary gives your phone a chance to find the nearest cell tower and get a stronger signal than if you’re constantly on the move. If this doesn’t work, then you might have to keep driving and make another stop somewhere else to find a stronger signal.
3) Step out of your vehicle
If you can’t get a solid signal while you’re driving, then you can find a safe place to park. When you exit your car, you’re removing any obstructions that might be getting in the way of your cell signal. For example, the metal and coated glass on your car do form an effective barrier that typically blocks about fifty percent of cell signals from penetrating the vehicle.
It could also be the area you’re driving in. If there are a lot of trees along the road, then they’re also going to block some of the cell signal. Getting out of your car isn’t going help against these trees, but you could boost it enough that the trees are no longer a problem.
4) Increase your elevation
One of the best ways to get a stronger signal is to seek high elevation. This is because most of the obstacles mentioned earlier will no longer be a problem, so your reception should be much stronger. By getting above these obstacles, you’ll no longer have anything blocking the signal between your phone and a cell tower, allowing you to make and receive calls more efficiently.
If the chances of finding a higher elevation is slim, then look for somewhere that has as few obstructions as possible. It may take some time before you find one, but it might be worth it to get a strong cell signal.
5) Ensure your software and carrier settings are up to date
Updating your phone on a regular basis can be a pain, especially with how long the updates take. However, if you keep skipping the required updates that your phone needs to do, then you’re going to have a weaker connection over time. This is because these updates are designed to fix bugs and improve your connectivity, making your phone more efficient over time. But if you don’t run the updates, then you’re not getting the benefits.
Updating your phone, whether it’s an iPhone or an Android, is going to look a little different from each other. But generally, you want to check for any software updates, and then run the current ones to improve your phone.
Having your carrier settings up to date is also important, since cell carriers are upgrading their systems all the time. Depending on what kind of phone you have, this may also be under your Settings.
If you’re annoyed by dropped calls or worried about being out on the road when an emergency occurs, then you can put those feelings to rest by investing in a signal booster for your car. Most of them are easy to install on your own, while others require a bit more know-how.
If you’re in the market for a cellphone signal booster, then visit your local retailer to see what they have available. Raise any concerns you might have with the retailer and express exactly what you’re looking for so all of your boxes are ticked. You’ll wonder what you did before you had a signal booster to help all of your calls go through.
