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Good cell service isn't just "optional" today. Without our phones, we would be cut off from most of the things that define our lives. Yet, even though cell phones have been available to the masses for over 20 years, most buildings are still designed to block those critical signals. In a quest to make buildings energy-efficient, we've designed them to block infrared and solar radiation. Unfortunately these same steps often block cell signals.

Luckily there's a solution

Even decades after the first models came out, most folks don't know about cell phone signal boosters. They're easy to use, easy to install, and incredibly powerful. Their mission is simple: bring signal into your home, massively amplify it, and pump it out to your phone. And here's the best part: they do that mission very well. You can shop for a booster now at Solid Signal and improve your cell service with a simple DIY install. But how do you know if you really have bad cell service?

You'll want to measure the signal before you start. But how?

If you're a professional installer, you'll have pro-quality equipment. But, if you're interested in figuring out whether or not you need a cell booster, an expensive cell meter is probably a little bit of overkill. It would be great if you could use your phone for this sort of thing, right?

Until recently, all iPhones and most Androids had this capability. In fact you'll still find a lot of tutorials that say you can still do this. The fact is, it's not that clear. It seems like Apple breaks its "field test mode" about once every other update. Sometimes it will give you good info, and sometimes it won't. On the Android side, you'll find that some of the most popular phones have been locked down so tightly that you can't get this information easily either. It's hidden somewhere in the settings panes, usually, but it's a pain to get to.

The solution for folks who want a cheap signal meter

For a low price I got a prepaid cell phone. I didn't even have to activate it in order to use it, meaning there's nothing more to pay, ever. I use it to test a lot of apps and anything that I don't really trust. It's also an inexpensive way to get access to apps that you can't get on Apple devices. For whatever reason, Apple doesn't allow apps to show things like cell signal strength, although they do let those apps show Wi-Fi signal strengths. I don't understand the thinking there, but I just live with it.

When I'm testing cell signals without a meter, I personally use the Signal Strength app which does a good job of showing cellular and Wi-Fi signal strengths on an attractive graph. It's fast, it responds to different cellular situations, and it was free which is pretty awesome too. There are plenty of other apps out there if you don't like that one.

Using this app I could easily find dead spots inside an office so I knew where to place cellular antennas for best results. I'm keeping the phone around but if you don't need another phone you could always pass it along to someone else or keep it in the glove compartment just in case.

What you need to know about cell signal apps

Some of them can be positively loaded with ads. That's not a big deal if you're going to use them once, but if you want to depend on them, it can be a little annoying. You can find apps that will let you get rid of ads for just a few dollars, and it may be worth it to you.

You also need to know that these apps can only measure cell signal for the kind of phone that you have. It's best to get a prepaid phone that specifically works with your cell carrier to be sure you're measuring the right thing. If everyone in your home has AT&T, then measuring signal strength on Verizon isn't going to help you.

On the other hand, that also means that if you have friends who come over and they have different cell carriers from you, they may not have the same success. Luckily cell phone signal boosters work with all US carriers and boost both LTE and nationwide 5G signals. So, chances are that if your new cell booster makes things better for you it will also make things better for them.

Get a cell booster from Solid Signal, with a side of good advice

Solid Signal has the best selection of cell boosters, including all the major brands. In fact, your biggest problem will probably be picking the right one! That's where our experts come in. Call us at 888-233-7563 and we'll help you choose just the right booster for home, vehicle, business, or even on your boat! We're here for you during East Coast business hours. If it's after hours, fill out the form below. We'll get right back to you!


The post PRO TIP: Use a prepaid phone as a cellular signal meter appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.

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