Top 7 Conditions & Materials That Block Cell Phone Signal

Posted by surecall on 10th May 2022

In today’s world, cell phones are everywhere. However, despite the huge demand for and wide adoption of cell phones, signal coverage still seems low. Some areas tend to have a much worse signal than others.

What can interfere with cell phone signals? Your signal can actually be affected by many things beyond proximity to a tower. Use our list of the top 10 conditions and materials blocking your cell phone signal to start diagnosing the cause of your bad cell reception—and begin dealing with it.

1. Strain On Bandwidth

The most common thing blocking your cell phone signal are the technical limitations of the phone itself. The more mobile apps you install on your device, the more bandwidth it will require. Apps often stay open in the background when you try to close them, eating up bandwidth needlessly. Games and free apps can be a particular drain on your bandwidth since they are typically filled with advertisements. Additionally, notifications from apps also take away from your signal. All of this put together means that having too many apps drains your signal quite a bit. So, before you try to locate cell towers, try to cut down on some unnecessary apps on your phone. Or, at the very least, try to make sure they are correctly shut down after using them. Most modern phones have the option to shut down background apps built into them.

FYI, your cell phone case is likely not blocking your cell signal. As long as the phone case doesn’t contain materials that conduct electricity or block the phone’s internal antenna, the signal should get through just fine.

Having a lot of apps might be useful, but you need to keep in mind that it can slow down your signal quite a bit.

Troubleshooting Tip: Regularly close unused apps and consider uninstalling those you rarely use to free up bandwidth and improve signal strength.

2. Geography, Vegetation & the Weather

Nature itself can be another source of cell phone signal interference.. Mountains, hills, bad weather, and heavy vegetation may negatively affect your cell phone signal.

How exactly does weather affect cell service? Which types of weather are most likely to disrupt a cell signal? Wet weather is the worst culprit—rain, snow, and even fog can act as a reflective surface that causes the cell signal to bounce rather than travel smoothly between the tower and your cell phone.

Because they contain a lot of water, leafy trees are another reason rural and suburban areas tend to have a lousy cell phone signal. And in extreme situations, a combination of bad weather and heavy vegetation can even kill your signal completely.

Unfortunately, most other things on this list you can actually deal with, but there's not much you can do about nature. You can’t make it stop raining or remove your neighbor’s trees. If you live in a wet and wooded area, a home cell phone signal booster is a smart investment.

Troubleshooting Tip: Position yourself in higher locations or near windows to improve signal reception when outdoors.

3. Glass And Windows

When your signal gets spotty inside a building, you might be tempted to walk up to a window. This isn't an ideal solution, as most windows these days are made from a type of glass called Low-E glass. Low-E glass is made to reflect light more, thus keeping it out of the building. However, the disadvantage of this is that it also reflects cell phone signals. Unless you can open the window, standing next to one while trying to use your phone is a fairly bad idea if you are looking for a better signal. Of course, factors such as carrier coverage are still significant. Stronger signals are less likely to get blocked entirely by Low-E glass. Still, it is better to avoid being near a window when using a cell phone. If you manage or work in an office building with lots of windows, consider adding a cell signal booster to your workplace.

Most windows today are made out of a type of glass that repels cell phone signals.

Troubleshooting Tip: Open windows when possible to allow signals to pass through more easily, or use signal boosters designed for indoor use.

4. Concrete Walls and Floors

Concrete is one of the most common building materials that can block cell phone signals. Its density and thickness make it difficult for cellular signals to penetrate, especially in basements and high-rise buildings.

Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, sand, and gravel, creating a dense and solid material. Additionally, concrete structures often incorporate metal reinforcements like rebar, which further hinder signal penetration by reflecting and absorbing radio waves. This combination makes concrete a significant barrier to cell signals.

Troubleshooting Tip: Install a cell signal booster. A signal booster can capture the weak signal outside your building and amplify it inside, overcoming the barriers posed by concrete walls and floors.

5. Wood and Steel Frames

Wood and steel used in building frames can interfere with signal strength. While wood isn't as dense as concrete or brick, it can still absorb and weaken cell signals, especially when combined with insulation and drywall. Steel frames and beams are even more obstructive due to their ability to reflect and absorb radio waves.

In modern construction, steel is favored for its strength and durability. However, the metallic nature of steel makes it a significant barrier to cell signals. Steel structures can reflect incoming signals, preventing them from reaching the interior spaces of a building. This is particularly noticeable in skyscrapers and industrial buildings where steel is heavily used.

Wooden frames, common in residential buildings, can also contribute to signal degradation. Wood absorbs some of the signal energy, and when layered with other materials like insulation, siding, and roofing, the cumulative effect can be substantial signal loss.

Troubleshooting Tips: Keep interior doors open to allow signals to travel more freely. Avoid placing large metal objects or electronic devices between you and the indoor antenna, as they can cause additional interference.

6. Network Traffic

Another common issue blocking your cell phone signal is a technical limitation of the cell tower infrastructure. In today’s world, we might assume that there is plenty of cell phone coverage. However, in densely populated areas,this often isn’t the case. When too many people use their devices to call, upload and download, and send text messages, the network gets much slower.

And you might wonder, do some smartphones get better reception in these scenarios? Unfortunately, having the latest device likely won’t matter if the network is overloaded with requests. If there are too many people competing for network bandwidth in a small area, the only way to deal with it is to take a stroll to somewhere less populated. Unfortunately, bad cell reception is a pervasive problem in large cities and at big events. And while there is no magic way to boost your priority in the network, people do report some success with making their signal better when using signal boosters like the Fusion Professional, for example.

Troubleshooting Tip: Avoid using your phone during peak hours or in crowded areas when possible. A cell signal booster can help amplify your signal even during high network traffic.

7. Fiberglass Insulation

Most construction materials affect your cell phone signal. Concrete, brick, wood, and steel are all dense and will block some of your cell phone signal. However, you might find it strange that the most effective signal killer is fiberglass insulation. While fiberglass is nowhere near as dense as other building materials , fiberglass fibers are particularly effective at repelling signals. Much like it keeps out heat and cold, fiberglass can keep some cell phone signals out of your home. While fiberglass alone is usually not strong enough to completely kill your cell phone signal, you might experience poor or disrupted service in bad weather or other poor conditions. You may want to consider another insulation material at home if you rely on your phone a lot.

Fiberglass insulation is great, but it also negatively affects your cell phone signal.

How to Boost a Bad Cell Signal

While you can sometimes attribute a bad cell signal to one of the materials or conditions on this list, other times it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what has interfered with your cell signal. If the problems persist, it’s probably time for a signal booster. A cell phone signal booster works by amplifying weak signals from outside and rebroadcasting them inside your home, office, or vehicle. It's an effective solution when other troubleshooting steps haven't resolved the issue.

Additional Tips:

Switch to Wi-Fi Calling: If your carrier supports it, use Wi-Fi calling to make and receive calls when your cellular signal is weak.
Keep Your Phone's Software Updated: Regular updates can improve your phone's ability to connect to available networks.
Check for Carrier Upgrades: Sometimes, your carrier might offer network enhancements or newer SIM cards that improve connectivity.

Understanding 5G vs. 4G Signal Blockage

5G signals, especially those using millimeter waves, are more likely to be blocked than 4G signals. This is because higher-frequency 5G signals have shorter wavelengths and can't penetrate obstacles like walls and buildings as effectively as 4G signals can.

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