Signal Measure Android iphone
Recommended Cell Phone Apps to Find Signal Strength for Android
Recommended Cell Phone Apps to Find Signal Strength for iphone

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Android
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Android phones have a wealth of options, the best of which are listed below.



Best:
LTE Discovery
Ease: 9/10
Accuracy: 9/10
The LTE Discovery app provides all the information you need. It points to your nearest cell tower, shows you what network youre using, what band youre using, your dB level...and dozens of other pieces of information you shouldnt need for our purposes (such as SNR). Its easy to understand, and breaks bars down into their dB level in a logical manner.



Also Best:
Network Cell Info Lite
Ease: 7/10
Accuracy: 10/10
Network Cell Info Lite is a favorite of installers, and its more or less interchangeable with LTE Discovery. These two are the best options. The Network Cell Info Lite doesnt mess with bars, but it shows neighboring towers, and is extremely user-friendly.

Also Good: OpenSignal
Ease: 7/10
Accuracy: 5/10
OpenSignal used to be the best app for finding your cell tower, but the rise of LTE Discovery and Network Cell Info Lite have rendered it less relevant. Its certainly good at finding the tower, as it uses a very obvious pointer mechanism, but the amount of information this app provides pales in comparison to the other options makes it not as strong an option.

Another Option: RootMetrics Cell Phone Coverage Map
Ease: 6/10
Accuracy: 6/10
An interesting app that utilizes a hex-grid to determine cell performance on a map. Can show you strong and weak cell areas in your vicinity, as well as giving you your dB readings. Not the best at finding your nearest tower, but that can still be done. Also good for measuring WiFi and Network Testing.

Good, But Best With a Price Tag: Network Signal Pro
Ease: 7/10
Accuracy: 4/10 (free), 8/10 (paid)
An app with a paid option, the free version has ads and doesnt keep an updated cell tower database. However, if youre willing to pay, youll get the most user-friendly app for finding your cell tower out there. Signal is shown in both dB and bars, but the bars are subdivided even further.

Good for Aiming Directional Antenna, but Barebones: Antenna Pointer
Ease: 4/10
Accuracy: 8/10
This is best used for installing a directional antenna, as it gives you the proper direction in which to tilt the antenna by making use of the gyroscopic features of newer phones. Also will point at a tower, giving you its location - but thats all it will do. Requires latitude and longitude, and is quite technical to boot.

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iphone
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ios
dBm
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Recommended Cell Phone Apps to Find Signal Strength for iPhone:

Unfortunately, recent models of iPhone have removed the ability to read dB levels. There is no perfectly accurate way to read your dB level on newer iPhones.

How to Find an Accurate dB Reading on your iPhone:

Starting with iOS 11 and 12, Apple has hidden dBm readings in iPhone field test mode. However, depending on your iPhone chipset (Intel or Qualcomm) and your carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or Sprint), theres a slim chance to find your dBm readings through this workaround.

AT&T or T-Mobile iPhone with Intel chipset (iOS 11 & 12)

  1. Dial *3001#12345#*
  2. Tap LTE.
  3. Tap Serving Cell Meas.
  4. Your dBm is read as rsrp0.

Verizon or Sprint iPhone with Qualcomm chipset (iOS 11 & 12)

  1. Dial *3001#12345#*
  2. Tap 1xEV-DO.
  3. Your dBm is read as RX AGC0.

For any iPhone pre-iOS 11

  1. Dial *3001#12345#*
  2. Swipe down notifications bar.
  3. Your dBm is in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.

If youre unable to find any of these options during your field test mode process, you most likely have an incompatible carrier and chipset. The next best method is performing a speed test around areas inside and outside your home. But once we crack the code on dBm readings on your iPhone, well update as soon as possible.