Poor Signal/Service on Cell Phone

Note: If your phone has no signal at all, please visit our no signal support page.

If you are experiencing poor or low service on your phone, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Check coverage map

Please visit our coverage map to check the wireless coverage in your area. Even if you did have a full signal before, make sure to double check.

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Step 2: Verify if the issue is occurring in a single location or multiple locations

If you’re experiencing a poor signal in only one location, please skip this step.

If you’re experiencing a poor signal on your phone in multiple locations, it may be a phone related issue. Please follow the steps below.

Restart your Phone

  • Try turning your phone off and waiting for 30 seconds before turning it back on. Sometimes this can help.
  • For steps on how to restart an iPhone or Android phone, visit Restart your wireless phone.

Reset Network Settings:

Note: A Network Settings Reset will delete your saved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings, so don’t forget to connect back to Wi-Fi after this is done.

  • Apple iPhone:
    1. Select Settings.
    2. Select General.
    3. Select Reset.
    4. Select Reset Network Settings.
    5. The phone will turn off and back on. When it is back on, check to see if you have service.
  • Android:

Note: Every Android is slightly different, however most will follow this basic formula. There are also some Android phones that don’t have this step. If so, please continue to the next step.)

    1. Select Settings.
    2. Select General Management.
      (Sometimes called System on different software versions.)
    3. Select Reset.
    4. Select Reset Network Settings.

Test SIM card in another phone

Since your issue is happening in multiple locations it could mean your phone is having issues with getting signal. To test this, put your SIM card in another phone and see if the problem still happens. If you confirm it is the phone itself, please continue to the factory reset of your phone.

Factory reset your phone

Note: this step will wipe everything on your phone. You can back up your phone, but it is important to test the phone first before doing this.

Note: every Android is slightly different, however most will follow this basic formula.

    1. Select Settings.
    2. Select General Management.
      (Sometimes called System on different software versions.)
    3. Select Reset.
    4. Select Factory Data Reset.
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Step 3: Verify if the issue is happening both indoors and outdoors

If the issue is happening indoors only, your cellular service could be obstructed by concrete, metal, or multiple walls. If you go outside and your service is much better, then this may be the case.

If so, your best option is to use Wi-Fi calling if you have a phone that supports it. Learn more about how to set up Wi-Fi calling.

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Step 4: Try a different network option on your smartphone

  • Apple iPhone:
    1. Select Settings.
    2. Select Cellular.
    3. Select Cellular Data Options.
    4. Under Enable LTE or Voice and Data, select Off or 2G/3G.
    5. If your device has service, please contact us.
  • Android:

Note: every Android is slightly different, however most will follow this basic formula.

    1. Select Settings.
    2. Select Connections. (Sometimes called Network and Internet on different software versions.)
    3. Select Mobile Networks.
      (Sometimes you will need to click on More first.)
    4. Select Network Mode.
    5. Select GSM Only.
    6. If your device gets a better signal, please make note of this.
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Step 5: Gather Examples

If after following the above steps and confirming you are in a coverage area with no change, please take note of 2-3 recent examples (within the last 5 days). These could be dropped calls, a text that didn’t go through, or if your data isn’t working.

Please make note of the phone number, the date and the time this happened, and any error messages you may have received. Once you have 2 recent examples, please continue to the next step.

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Step 6: Visit our Network Help & Outages page

If the steps above have not fixed your poor signal issues, please visit our Network Help & Outages page, where you can ask our virtual assistant Anna about outages or other network issues.

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