How low is my signal strength? -104dBm

[dpaine88]

Well my signal strength is pretty crappy in my apartment.

Wasn't sure how bad this number is

also, how bad will having this low signal effect my battery life?

Thanks

 

[Benton]

Around my home I run anywhere from 80dBm to 95dBm depending on the room I am in and other external issues such as weather, etc. I don't drop calls at these levels and the bar meter on the phone normally shows 2 to 4 bars service. At 104dBm I imagine you are at the fringe of coverage, do you lose calls? At this level signal you may also be seeing the data symbol dropping from 3G to 1x. From my experience of traveling, low signal can cause higher batter consumption in use and even stand-by modes.

 

[ebe3692]

I run about -94 to -97 at my house, quality is not the greatest but I dont drop calls. Does drop to 1x sometimes though,
I do feel like battery life is worse since moving to this area with worse reception

I have heard that the phone will send more power to the radio depending on signal strength , so it makes sense that battery life would be worse in areas with poor reception.

 

[SwiftLegend]

I run -65 in my apartment. I live in Manhattan though, don't know if that's good or bad..

 

[aaf709]

My signal strength varies depending on where I am in the house. Right now it's -94.

I ended up getting a Network Extender, which the Verizon store sold me at their cost. Very clean calls with that.

 

[xliderider]

-104 dBm is pretty bad signal. As suggested, look into getting a network extender. They have a promotion for a $100 mail in rebate through sometime in August, so your net cost will only be $100 after the rebate.

The dBm scale is not linear. A change in 3 dBm is a doubling, or halving of the signal strength. A change in 10 dBm is 10x stronger/weaker.

 

[Bear in NM]

I had a tech at Wilson Electronics, the maker of the home and car booster that I use tell me -60 was standing beside the tower, and -105 was a dropped call. I have pretty much been able to confirm this through use and driving around. And the bars on the phone really do not correspond well to the db signal strength as registered in other menus/apps on the phone.

Without derailing this thread into the hand signal block apple thread, I have found that when in coverage that is getting to the wrong end of the spectrum, it helps to set the phone down, and use the speaker. Even with -103, I have never dropped a call while on speaker.

Craig

 

[SwiftLegend]

I had a tech at Wilson Electronics, the maker of the home and car booster that I use tell me -60 was standing beside the tower, and -105 was a dropped call. I have pretty much been able to confirm this through use and driving around. And the bars on the phone really do not correspond well to the db signal strength as registered in other menus/apps on the phone.

Without derailing this thread into the hand signal block apple thread, I have found that when in coverage that is getting to the wrong end of the spectrum, it helps to set the phone down, and use the speaker. Even with -103, I have never dropped a call while on speaker.

Craig

Must be true, the Verizon hub for my area is not even a block away from me, and I got -65 dBm

 

[kodiak799]

I normally get -77 to -82 in my apartment, bars usually range anywhere from 1 to 4. I rarely drop calls - could count on 1 hand and most of those were probably temporary tower issues.

My download speeds are usually 700-900kbps range, sometimes as high as 1-1.2mbps. I have hit 2.1/2.2mbps around town with better signal, which is a pretty nice speed if I could get it all the time.

I frequently update the towers (*22899) and roaming (*228, option #2, maybe redundant with updating towers). Also a good idea if you are traveling, I think.

 

[silvere2]

I get -104 at home too, and I'm constantly dropping (or not receiving) calls. I drive down the street and I get 3 bars though. Absolutely frustrating >_<.

 

[dpaine88]

I normally get -77 to -82 in my apartment, bars usually range anywhere from 1 to 4. I rarely drop calls - could count on 1 hand and most of those were probably temporary tower issues.

My download speeds are usually 700-900kbps range, sometimes as high as 1-1.2mbps. I have hit 2.1/2.2mbps around town with better signal, which is a pretty nice speed if I could get it all the time.

I frequently update the towers (*22899) and roaming (*228, option #2, maybe redundant with updating towers). Also a good idea if you are traveling, I think.

Thanks for the tips.

To the rest of you, thanks for helping me put my number comparatively.

 

[dpaine88]

I normally get -77 to -82 in my apartment, bars usually range anywhere from 1 to 4. I rarely drop calls - could count on 1 hand and most of those were probably temporary tower issues.

My download speeds are usually 700-900kbps range, sometimes as high as 1-1.2mbps. I have hit 2.1/2.2mbps around town with better signal, which is a pretty nice speed if I could get it all the time.

I frequently update the towers (*22899) and roaming (*228, option #2, maybe redundant with updating towers). Also a good idea if you are traveling, I think.

Thanks for the tips.

To the rest of you, thanks for helping me put my number comparatively.

 

[beavervalley]

I can have 4 bars (-92) and then 2 mins later no connection at all at my desk, dropping calls... calls won't connect... This phone has terrible reception. extremely frustrating... VZ is sending me a third replacement.

 

[jtallen123]

I can have 4 bars (-92) and then 2 mins later no connection at all at my desk, dropping calls... calls won't connect... This phone has terrible reception. extremely frustrating... VZ is sending me a third replacement.

What type of building are you in? Does the phone work fine outside the building?

I ask because I work in a building and have similar issues. We have a big metal building that works as a Faraday Cage sometimes and all the cell phones get spotty reception. If the building is indeed interfering with your signal then there's not much that can be done other then a signal booster inside the building.

If you've been thru 3 phones and they all do the same thing odds are it's not the phones.

 

[TheOldFart]

I can have 4 bars (-92) and then 2 mins later no connection at all at my desk, dropping calls... calls won't connect... This phone has terrible reception. extremely frustrating... VZ is sending me a third replacement.

It doesn't sound like a phone problem to me either. It sounds like the building. I can see the same thing at many malls. I can have 3 bars and then walk 20 feet and have no signal. At the local Lowes, it depends in which aisle I am in and what types of products are in those aisles. If 3 phones did the same thing then it is not likely the phones.