Increase Your Cellular Reception

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When we choose to purchase a used cell phone, we know that they can be our best friend but also our worst adversary. The quality of the phone’s reception is often the deciding factor on whether or not we choose to purchase another phone like it. For example, if you’re located in a dead zone, your family members and friends will be unable to get hold of you. Or you are on all the call, talking with someone and realize that the call dropped. No doubt getting into the dead zone spots is never fun but it’s even worse when you realize that the dead zone is your own home. If you don’t have the means for another used or refurbished cell phone or you find that you’re stuck in a contract with a very expensive early-termination fee, you can do some less costly steps that will boost your phone’s connection power between your home and the cell phone provider you are with.

Ensure that Roaming Capabilities are Up to Date

The quickest way to increase reception on your used Verizon cell phone is to update the roaming capabilities of your phone. When you update roaming capabilities, you request that information about the local towers, new and old, be sent to your phone. It is extremely important to update this information regularly because new towers are acquired regularly. Most cell phone providers allow you to easily update towers using your phone. For example: Verizon phones can be updated by dialing *228 and following the prompts. The methods vary according to provider, so you will need to check with your provider to see how you can update your phone?s capabilities. You should always update a used cell phone because there have likely been many tower changes since it was last in service.

Wireless Extenders

I should preface this by stating that wireless extenders will cost quite a bit of money, but are guaranteed to extend the reception of your used cell phone. Whether or not this would be a wise investment is entirely dependent on your specific situation. For example, if you’re restricted to just one cell phone service provider in your area, or if the penalty to be released from your phone contract is more than the price of the wireless extender, than it would be a smart move to purchase one of these.

Many people tend to use the “repeater” style wireless extender, as it will absorb the signal from your refurbished phone and boost it so that you get a stronger connection from the tower. You can buy a wireless extender that is made for a home, vehicle, RVs and more. Make sure not to confuse the models because home wireless extenders work best when you’re just a short distance away from the antenna. When there is a large distance between the two, the boosting power deteriorates. For that reason, you’ll also need one for your car as well as your home. Believe it or not, it’s not a marketing ploy by cell phone companies; it’s a safety issue because the two repeater designs are different.

Sticker Antenna Boosters: Do They Work?

You may have seen stickers with intricate wire designs that claim to increase cell phone reception. Do not be fooled by these flashy, useless stickers. Numerous studies have been conducted using these stickers, and the findings show that the stickers actually decrease cell phone reception. The tin-foil nature of the sticker interferes with the signal coming from your phone and distorts the signal before it can reach the tower. People who buy and use these stickers are actually paying to decrease their cell phone?s reception. Unfortunately, savvy marketing techniques aimed at the unsuspecting public have kept these manufacturers in business.

If you feel trapped in a contract with a weak-signaled cell phone service provider, or simply need to boost your phone reception strength, these ideas will aim you down the right path. At the very least, it will help you decide what direction to move in, and what steps to avoid in order to achieve increased signal strength for your refurbished cell phone.

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Scott Bradshaw writes articles that focus on cell phones, cellular apps, and mobile services. He encourages people to save money with used cell phones and avoid signing contract extensions by purchasing refurbished cell phones.