Why there are problems with cellular signals in the countryside and how to solve them

It is a common situation when cellular communication is stable in the city. Conversations are not interrupted, the subscriber is heard well, and the Internet is almost always fast. Yet, when you move to the countryside, or leave the city for a picnic or a summer cottage, EE signal problems begin. So, let’s see how to deal with them step-by-step!

How cellular communication works

There is a base station of a telecom operator and devices that receive a signal from it. The further they are from such a center, the worse the signal is.

For good mobile connectivity, the base station must be high, as UCtel experts explain. For fast Internet, low. It’s better to have a direct line of sight between the base station and the smartphone.

Stations stand in the city and suburbs. If you drive far from one tower, you can usually find yourself in the field of work of another. It automatically connects to the device and provides it with a signal. If the cell signal is missing, it could mean the device is too far away from all possible stations.

What to do if you need mobile Internet immediately

 There are several different data transfer technologies. On a smartphone, many have seen 3G, H +, or 4G (LTE icons). 2G on the device is indicated by the letters G or E. They mean very slow Internet. It is enough to load social media conversations or send a message.

3G on the device is indicated as 3G, H, or H + This is the average speed of the Internet. This is enough to watch videos, chat in instant messengers, and send and receive files. 4G on devices is the high speed of the Internet.

The smartphone always chooses the network that has a good signal. For example, if LTE is bad, the smartphone will choose the next fastest one, i.e. H+. If the Internet is more important than conversations, you can change your smartphone. It must support the 3G standard, preferably 4G.

What you need for regular conversations and sending SMS

The 4G standard is also suitable for regular phone calls. The best way to get a signal is to use 2G. You should check whether your smartphone supports this standard.

Almost all modern smartphones work with the standard 2G. You can specify this in the settings of the device or the section “Data transmission”.

The quality of communication is affected by the distance from the base station and other factors. For example, the landscape, the size of the antenna in the mobile phone and its location, the level of charge, and weather conditions.  

If the site is in an open field, the connection will be better. In the rain, the connection is usually worse than in sunny weather. If you stand still or move around the site, the quality of the connection may also change.

Each standard has its operating range. If you are out of town, chances are your phone picks up a 2G connection and only shows one stick. The situation may improve when you go out into the open or climb higher.

Possible causes of a bad mobile signal:

1. Software failure
2. You are in an area with low base station signal strength
3. Antenna defect, antenna key, radio processor, power amplifier, etc.

    

How to amplify the signal

Often people tend to install GSM repeaters. They are devices that enhance cellular communications. However, it is better not to do this. Repeaters generate interference to surrounding devices. If they are installed, for example, at your cottage neighbors on the left and right, their signals will interfere with each other and there will be no connection at all.

You can even get a penalty for the fact that the repeater emits a very strong signal that interferes with the work of the base station. You can also get a fine if you use a repeater without a license. However, if there are no people, neighbors, and other houses around, then the device can help you.

To strengthen the Internet signal, it is better to buy a modem that has a port for connecting an external antenna. It can be taken out into the yard and sent to the base station. Then the connection will be much better. However, if there are small errors in the direction of the antenna, even by two degrees, this may interfere with obtaining the desired result.  

You can see where the nearest base station of the desired operator is located in a special mobile application. Sometimes the antenna is simply inserted into the modem port and the signal gets better.

The antenna port is hidden inside the modem itself. At first glance, it may be difficult to notice. The ports differ in diameter, so an adapter may be needed. You may also need to use an antenna with a built-in modem. You can make an antenna yourself, but according to its characteristics, it will always be worse than factory analogs.

3 Things to keep in mind 

1. For the mobile Internet to work well, the smartphone must be in 4G network mode.
2. For high-quality phone calls, 2G is needed. You should check if the smartphone works on this network. 
3. To amplify the signal, you can use a repeater, but it is better to buy a modem with a built-in antenna or a port for connecting it.

    

Conclusion

When we need to call immediately, we act mechanically and do not think about whether there is a cellular connection at that moment at a particular point. The habit of using a mobile phone was fixed quickly. We do not remember that in remote areas there are still not enough transmitters and there are many places around where mobile phones are practically useless.

There are many myths about the quality of mobile communications associated with analog standards. Some models are considered more sensitive than others, that is, they work well even far from stations, basements, and subways. Then the power of the transmitter in the phone played a decisive role, as well as weather factors.

In practice, the behavior of a particular phone in the network cannot be transferred to all models of the company. Most likely, the device simply works better or worse than its relatives for several objective reasons. Interaction with the network depends on the software, factory settings, and quality of parts. If you have any problems with an EE signal, UCtel can help you solve them.