SIGNAL dropouts are a nuisance that can hit at any moment – and fixing them is a bit of a mysterious dark art.
The obvious source of blame is a poorly connected area, which basically means your network doesn’t have enough masts.
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It could also be that there are too many people trying to access the network at once – this can be a common issue at festivals where there are lots of users packed into a certain area.
But some signal woes might be happening on your phone itself.
And there are some simple ways to instantly fix or boost it.
Give these three a try to see if your connection improves.
Turn Airplane mode on and off
Airplane mode is there to cut off your signal when you’re flying but it also comes in handy when your connection has hit a snag.
When you flip Airplane mode on and off, it forces your phone’s cellular network modems to find the best signal around you.
On iPhone or Android, swipe down from the top of your screen and look for the plane icon.
Tap it and wait a few seconds until the signal bar is blank – then tap it again to kick-start the connection again.
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Remove your phone’s case
Your phone’s case may be protecting it from damage but it may also be causing issues with the connection.
Any metal materials in the case can be a particular issue.
This is because it may be blocking the antenna inside your device.
So take it off and see if you notice a difference.
Charge your phone
If you’re running low on battery this too may cause signal problems.
That’s because searching for signal and hooking up to a stronger signal drains power, according to CNET.
So the more battery you have the better.
Don’t forget Wi-Fi Calling
If none of these tips help you might want to give Wi-Fi Calling a try.
It’s free to use as part of your existing mobile network plan.
When you have low or no signal, calls are routed via your Wi-Fi signal instead.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling.
On Android, go to the Phone app > More > Settings > Calls > Wi-Fi Calling.