Finding Cell Tower Locations: The Complete Guide
on April 28, 2016 James N
Where is my cell phone tower location?
At Wilson Amplifiers, we’re often asked about coverage maps from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and other carriers on a daily basis.
While all the major carriers like to show fancy colored maps showing their general coverage area across the US, when it comes to your specific cell tower location, you’re on your own.
Well, not really. We’re here to help.
Today’s article will show you all the websites, apps, native tools, and signal meters that will help you find your nearest cell tower.
1. Make Sure Your Carrier Serves Your Area
It’s happened before. Many of our customers either buy a second home, usually a cabin in a remote, rural area, or an RV and find their new place not covered by AT&T, Verizon, or their specific carrier. So before hunting for cell tower maps and locations, make sure your area is part of your carrier’s coverage map.
Simply put in your address or zip code for your carrier:
Once you can confirm your area is being covered, now it’s time to find your cell tower.
2. Websites to Find Your Cell Tower Location
With these websites simply put in your zip code or address and it will tell you cell tower locations. While easy and fairly transparent, there’s no way to verify if it’s 100% accurate. However, it is a good start and when paired with the other techniques we’ll mention later, it’ll give you everything you need to know.
OpenSignal.com (best of the bunch)
CellReception.com (good but a bit convoluted)
3. Smartphone Apps to Find Your Cell Tower Location
These apps use your location and then map out the closest carrier cell tower. Again, it’s hard to verify if the information is 100% accurate, but it’s a nice tool to have, because it gives you a general idea of nearby cell towers.
OpenSignal: For iPhone | For Android (best of the bunch)
Akvelon’s Signal Finder: For iPhone | For Android
RootMetrics’ Cell Phone Coverage Map: For iPhone | For Android
4. Use Your Smartphone’s Antenna to Find Your Cell Tower Location (Highly Recommended Method)
Of course, your phone needs a signal to work, so why not reverse engineer the process to see where the closest cell tower is at?
But first a short and informative explanation about cell phone signal.
Cell phone signals are measured in dB (decibels). They’re basically radio waves, the AM/FM kind. All cellular devices operate within this standard:-50 dB to -120 dB frequency.
-50 dB is considered full strength (full bars). -120 dB is considered a dead zone (no service).
However, it’s up to each carrier to define which dB range correlates to the number of bars. Simply put, there’s no industry standard to dB signal strength and the number of bars. What’s 1 bar on Sprint could be 3 bars on T-Mobile could be 2 bars on Verizon, DESPITE, receiving the exact same signal and performing at the exact same speeds.
Your number of bars is subjective across all carriers!
But dB readings are not subjective. They’re pure science and math. The closer you are to -50 dB, the better your signal. And your smartphone has the ability to display dB readings.
Here’s How to Access Your dB Signal:
For iPhone Users
- Go into Phone Mode
- Dial and Call *3001#12345#*
- You’ll enter Field Test Mode
- Drag down your notifications bar and you will see your dB reading in the left-hand corner.
For Android Users
- Access Settings
- Then General
- Go to About Phone
- Network or Status
- You should see your dB Value
Once you access to your dB reading, walk outside the perimeter of your home. Depending on your carrier & phone model, it takes some time for the phone to refresh, so walk slowly and look for the number closest to -50 dB. After a couple of walk-throughs, you should have a very good idea which area of the house is receiving the best signal, therefore knowing the general direction of your cell tower.
5. Use a Signal Meter to Find Your Cell Tower Location (Best Results)
While using your phone in dB mode is generally a good way to find signal for most people, if you’re an installer, contractor, or pro who really wants to be accurate, then getting a signal meter is a no-brainer.
It’s a handheld device that pinpoints all 3G & 4G frequencies & bands, displays signal strength in dB, and accurately gives cell tower direction within a 45 to 90-degree spread. A bit costly but worthwhile investment for professional telecom users.
6. Poor Cell Phone Service? Then Think About Investing in a Signal Booster
If you’re suffering from dropped calls, unsent email, slow loading internet, and poor signal, you basically have two options: depend on a landline wifi connection or BOOST your cellular signal.
Cell phone signal boosters are powerful devices that reach far to the cell tower, pull in the signal, amplify it up to 32X, and then rebroadcast the boosted signal into your home.
Here’s a quick summary:
- Boosts 3G & 4G LTE signal (up to 32x!) for all phones & all carriers.
- Covers up to 7,500 sq ft for consumer models, 50,000 sq ft for enterprise models.
- Better talk, text, and faster internet. Reliable connection & service.
- Complete kit, easy install, no monthly fees.
- More bars or YOUR MONEY BACK.
To learn more about signal boosters, click on the button below and check out our Cell Phone Signal Booster Guide. It’s everything you need to know about boosting signal in the city or in the country.
Originally published at www.wilsonamplifiers.com.
