ATT MIFI

jcpainter wrote:
"Bars" don't tell the story anymore, especially with data. Do your research and you will understand why.

Umm, you are definitely wrong.

The amount of signal strength (cell and WiFi) has a profound effect on just how much "data" whether it is voice or it is Internet data that will get sent and received.

HERE is one simplified explanation..

"Does signal strength affect 4G speed?

Signal strength, which is called RSRP in 4G LTE and 5G networks, definitely matters. If your RSRP signal is stronger than around -100 dBm, then a stronger signal won’t help increase your data rates."

How does that relate to "bars" of signal?

Simple, the bars are a simplified signal meter..

The more bars you have the stronger the signal, less bars than full bars the less signal you have to work with.

OK, so how does the signal strength affect data?

Simple, cellphones and even WiFi dependent devices actually autonegotiate the connection speed which depends on how strong the signal is and how much noise is present in that signal.

Why?

Data loss/corruption gets much higher when there is very low signal strength which results in the devices to have to re transmit the data packets over and over until the packets are received in tact and decodable without corruption. Because of this, cell phone and Wifi devices are designed to negotiate the connection speeds until there is consistent data transmission with minimal loss.

One or two bars of signal basically means you will not have sufficient signal to get the full data speed that you subscribed to and possibly due to noise sources around you it is entirely possible that no data will be passed until you reduce the RF noise or increase the strength of the signal..

For a less simplified signal strength reading most Android phone you can go to SIM card status and you will find the actual signal strength reading..

My cellphone currently has one bar of signal and that is translating to -120 dbm per the SIM status page (-120 dbm is LESS signal strength than -100 dbm).. And yes, data barely works to no works and is painfully slow when it does work. Voice and text generally works OK at that level but trying to use the Internet on my cellphone is darn near the same as a dial up phone modem at times.

If I move around at my home I can get 2 bars in some places which translates to -114 dbm on the SIM status page and the Internet starts working better..