Good cell phone signal strength is critical to our modern way of life. Not only is it annoying to have a call dropped because of poor signal strength, but it can cost you money as well. More and more businesses are using cell phones to conduct business, either via voice calls, emails or texting. Dropping calls or not being able to access your emails can cost a business to lose sales. In addition, poor signal strength can actually suck the battery charge while it is searching for a signal. So what’s the solution? Is there a solution? An article written by PacificWaters, GizmoWatch, gives 6 suggestions for boosting your cell phone signal.
* Use a cellular repeater ‘” A cell phone repeater picks up low cell signals and boosts the signal. The repeater then broadcasts this improved signal over the coverage area where the repeater is installed. The downside to this device is that it typically needs at least 2 signal bars to work.
* Upgrade your antenna ‘” Some cell phone manufacturers make “hi-gain” antennas which can be tweaked by the user. It doesn’t really boost signal strength, but they are relatively inexpensive and go with the phone, unlike the signal repeater which is installed in one location.
* Use Wi-Fi for better signal strength ‘” If your phone has UMA support, you can use Wi-Fi when the GSM signals are weak. Most of the Smartphones have this capability.
* Use an amplifier ‘” Amplifiers increase cell reception to about 50 miles, but they must be plugged into an electrical outlet, therefore you are limited again to the location where it is installed. There are wireless amplifiers which don’t necessarily need a direct connection but do need a combo of internal and external cell phone antennas.
* Use an external antenna ‘” External antennas are inexpensive, but an adapter kit for syncing the phone to the antennae is needed. According to the article, the external antennas have the highest probability of actually boosting the cell reception.
* Change service providers ‘” If all else fails, switch your service provider. For example, in my area AT&T; and Sprint have horrible signals. Verizon has the best, although in some rural areas it still drops my calls. Ask your friends which service they use and how they signal strength is. Chances are your friends have had the same problems if they live in your area.
Rural areas generally have the worst cell phone reception. Calls are dropped frequently, or the calls are full of static or have echoes. As I said earlier, in addition to the inconvenience of having your calls dropped, poor signal strength actually causes your phone to use up your battery charge faster. I bought a Droid X extended battery to help prevent the vampire-like battery drain. It does tend to make your phone heavier and thicker, and many of the cases and holsters won’t fit over the extended battery. Another solution is to buy a spare battery and keep both charged, switching them out as needed. And of course the obvious solution is to move to a better area where coverage is strong — LOL.
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