Re: 4G or 5G?

On Thu, 6 Mar 2025 09:05:21 +0000, Andy Burns wrote :

then any cellular debugger will tell
you the signal strength of the 5G frequencies in any given area.

 You need a pinch of salt for those.

One thing you do need, besides the sodium chloride crystals, is that the
phone has to be Android (where there's an indication the OP is on iOS).
What else is definitely needed is you can only check the signal strength of
your own carrier. I'm not really sure WHY that's the case though.
By way of contrast, for Wi-Fi, you can check the signal strength of *any*
signal you can pick up with your antenna - but not for cellular debuggers.
Any idea why?

My network at my house claims it has outdoor 5G coverage, but no indoor coverage.

Hmm... I have the opposite problem, but I get your point that the signal
strength of 5G may or may not penetrate into the middle of a solid home.
For me, since I have a cellular repeater and a femtocell, the signal inside
the house is better than that of outside - but both of my indoor towers are
old so I think they only radiate T-Mobile's 4G frequencies in the house.
I've found, at least for my extensive 4G signal strength tests, that about
-105 Decibels (or so) is where a phone call no longer can reliably connect.

I've never seen a 5G connection here while outdoors, and I've literally only once seen a 5G connection while indoors on the first floor.

Hmm... that's too bad. Four years ago when I got this phone from T-Mobile, I ran a few tests, and the 5G signal has just been getting better'n better!
 <https://i.postimg.cc/4dDhFK5F/speedtest01.jpg> *125Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/vT68k3BW/speedtest02.jpg> *181Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/pdXF4Mtz/speedtest03.jpg> *125Mbps* to *181Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/gcsyc4Vn/speedtest04.jpg> *82Mbps* & -88dBM
 <https://i.postimg.cc/mggy315q/speedtest05.jpg> *254Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/43KvqkZQ/speedtest06.jpg> *255Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/zf9w1tGZ/speedtest07.jpg> *255Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/Bb3xjjFm/speedtest08.jpg> *255Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/GhZKX0vZ/speedtest09.jpg> *130Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/28yZdQJR/speedtest10.jpg> *81Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/ydnDcxy8/speedtest11.jpg> *79Mbps* to *81Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/5y063Jsq/speedtest12.jpg> *96Mbps* to *109Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/fbNyPmHb/speedtest13.jpg> *109Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/5tSyWyGS/speedtest14.jpg> *88Mbps* to *102Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/C5vgmtRd/speedtest15.jpg> *130Mbps* to *255Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/W3GgYJtZ/speedtest16.jpg> *125Mbps* to *181Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/nVs0Smw8/speedtest17.jpg> *54Mbps*
 <https://i.postimg.cc/N0fx62rz/speedtest18.jpg> *60Mbps* & -85dBm
 <https://i.postimg.cc/qR4BcjfM/speedtest19.jpg> Ookla test log results
 <https://i.postimg.cc/66L724vh/speedtest20.jpg> Meteor test log results
 <https://i.postimg.cc/vTfn0HB6/speedtest21.jpg> Speed tests over time
 <https://i.postimg.cc/SsXCzGbd/speedtest22.jpg> T-mo 377, 414, 443 Mbps
 <https://i.postimg.cc/tTLPdVXj/speedtest23.jpg> T-mo 419 & 390 Mbps 5G UC
 <https://i.postimg.cc/BvnxJ0hd/speedtest24.jpg> T-mo RSRP -91 to -96 dBm
 <https://i.postimg.cc/x17ChVzf/speedtest25.jpg> Verizon femtocell setup
 <https://i.postimg.cc/dtFnFCrX/speedtest26.jpg> WISP AC PRISM uses GPS
Since I've had such good experience with 5G signal, I haven't even bothered
to check the signal strength at home in a long time. I'm sorry for you
since I'm very happy with T-Mobile (who fleshed out 5G quite nicely here).

It's not a issue for me since it gets a good 4G signal, plus while at home it uses my wifi for data and voice.

I saw what you said about no signal but I'd run one of these debuggers 1st.
<https://i.postimg.cc/GhJg447S/celldebug.jpg>
These free apps graphically provide accurate signal strength and tower
antenna frequency measurements of your cellular connection (even down to
not only the exact cell tower but also to the sector antenna you're
connecting to - and all the neighboring antennae & cellular towers).
Below are the tools I often use, in the order you see them in that
screenshot (as I order my homescreen how I like them) for cellular signal.
NetMonster
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.mroczis.netmonster>
RF Mobile Trace
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tts.imnos_mobile>
Signal Spy
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.novvia.fispy>
LTE Discovery
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.simplyadvanced.ltediscovery>
Cellular-Z
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=make.more.r2d2.cellular_z">Cellular-Z>
Network Signal Guru
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qtrun.QuickTest>
Signal Check Lite
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blueline.signalchecklite>
Note: This is more for everyone than just for you, as it's imperative for
anyone to know what sector antennas are nearby.