9 Tips for Boosting Your Cell Signal at Home

Enhance Your Cell Signal at Home with These Tips

How reliable is your cell signal at home? Whether you’re making a call, sending a text, or posting an image to Instagram, you depend on cellular coverage to stay connected with co-workers, friends, and family.

Research shows that 97% of Americans have a cell phone, and over 60% of global internet users turn to cellular devices to access the internet. As we all know from dropped calls and slow data speeds, cellular coverage can be unreliable depending on where you live and where you are using your device in your home.

Not everyone has a great cell signal at home. This issue is especially prevalent in rural areas, but even urban areas can face problems due to physical obstacles blocking cell signals.

Wondering how you can boost your cell phone signal at home? Here are 9 tips to help you improve your signal, including our top recommendation for a stronger, more reliable cell signal.

1. Go Outside

In an ideal scenario, the cellular signal from the nearest tower reaches your phone without interruption, providing crystal-clear reception. However, man-made structures often block cell signals. This includes materials like:

1 Concrete
2 Masonry
3 Drywall
4 Insulation
5 Electrical wiring
6 Coated glass
7 Vinyl siding
8 Stucco

If your signal improves when you step outside, the building’s materials may be interfering with your coverage.

Pro: Stepping outside is a free and simple way to boost your cell signal.

Con: It’s not always convenient to go outside to call or text, especially for privacy or in bad weather.

2. Move to a Different Location in Your House

Cellular coverage can vary within your home. Some rooms may have a better signal due to the direction of the carrier tower or obstructions like large trees. You may notice better connectivity in certain areas, such as near large windows or on higher floors.

Here are a few ways to find the best cellular signal inside your home:

• Locate the nearest cell tower using a tower locator map or the weBoost Drive app. Move to the side of the house closest to the tower to see if your signal improves.
• Use your phone’s field test mode to map signal strength throughout your house and determine where the signal is strongest.

Pro: Moving to the part of the house with the stronger cell signal is cost-free.

Con: You may not have strong cellular coverage wherever you are in your home.

3. Check Your Phone’s Performance

Sometimes, the issue might be with your mobile device. Ensure your phone is performing at its best by keeping the battery charged and software up to date. Older phone models may lack the hardware to access faster, stronger networks, so upgrading could help.

Pro: A new phone can offer faster processing, new features, and better connectivity.

Con: Upgrading your phone can be costly and unnecessary if you’re satisfied with your current phone’s features.

4. Remove or Replace Your Phone Case

Research indicates that some phone cases can significantly weaken cell signal strength. Depending on its design, a phone case can partially or fully block your phone’s antenna. Consider using a case with a built-in antenna that syncs with your phone’s antenna.

Pro: Removing or replacing your phone case may improve connectivity and reduce radiation exposure.

Con: Finding a suitable phone case that works for your situation can be expensive.

5. Try WiFi Calling

WiFi calling is a feature built into most smartphones that allows you to make calls and send text messages using a broadband connection instead of your cellular network. If your device supports WiFi calling, enable this feature in your phone’s settings.

Pro: WiFi calling can improve call quality if cellular coverage is weak.

Con: If you move out of WiFi range during a call, it may drop if your device doesn’t automatically switch to a cell connection.

6. Switch to a 3G Network

If your 4G LTE network is congested, data speeds may slow significantly. You can temporarily switch to a less busy 3G network by turning off LTE service in your device’s settings.

Pro: Switching to 3G may improve coverage, though data speeds will be slower.

Con: As carriers transition to 5G, 3G networks are being phased out.

7. Try a Microcell or Femtocell

A microcell or femtocell is a low-power base station that works with your high-speed internet connection. Cellular calls and data are carried through the internet to the microcell, creating a localized cell for your use.

Pro: A femtocell can provide connectivity inside even without an external cell signal.

Con: These devices are carrier-specific, so others using different providers won’t benefit.

8. Switch Carriers

Sometimes, one carrier may offer better coverage than another. If someone in your household has excellent cell signal with a different carrier, switching might help. However, weak signals can often be due to other factors discussed above.

Pro: Switching carriers might improve your coverage.

Con: You might face the same issues even after changing carriers.

9. Invest in a Cell Signal Booster

A cell phone booster is a device that amplifies weak external signals to improve your cell signal inside your home. It consists of three components:

• Outdoor antenna: Mounted on your roof or side of your home, it pulls in weak cell signals.
• Booster unit: Amplifies the signal received from the outdoor antenna.
• Indoor antenna: Distributes the boosted signal throughout your home.

Pro: A cell phone booster, such as those from Wilson, provides reliable signal throughout your home. weBoost Drive signal boosters work with all U.S. carriers including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and more, benefiting all household members and guests regardless of their carrier.

Con: Cell phone boosters are not free, but they are a one-time purchase with no subscription fees, and they’re 5G compatible for future-proofing.

Do Cell Phone Signal Boosters Really Work?

weBoost Drive and Wilson cell phone boosters can amplify your cellular signal up to 32 times. They are FCC certified, ensuring they work as claimed without interfering with carrier networks. Plus, weBoost cell signal boosters come with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty, 30-day money-back guarantee, and domestic customer support.

Choose the Best Cell Phone Booster for Your Home

You deserve strong cell signal at home. Explore weBoost Drive and Wilson cell phone boosters to find the right solution for your needs, whether for a single room, an apartment, multiple rooms, or an entire home. Enjoy the benefits of reliable cell signal with weBoost.