8 easy ways to boost a weak cell phone signal

You know that you can count on incredible nationwide coverage on America’s best network with CREDO Mobile.

However, there may be times that your cell signal isn’t perfect, data speeds feel slow, or you simply drop a call. 

We have you covered! In this week’s tip, we’ll show you 8 tried and true ways to troubleshoot that occasional weak signal to ensure you have the best coverage as often as possible.

Toggle Airplane Mode

Airplane Mode isn’t just for takeoffs and landings; it’s a great way to quickly refresh your network connection, too. It’s the first thing we always recommend, and it works almost every time. Here’s how:

• On an iPhone, the easiest way to toggle Airplane Mode on and off is from the Control Center. On newer devices, swipe down from the top right corner, then tap the Airplane Mode button. Wait one minute, then tap the button again to turn off Airplane Mode. Alternatively, you can access an Airplane Mode toggle switch through Settings > Airplane Mode.

• On Android, access the Quick Settings panel by swiping down from the top of your screen and tap the Airplane Mode button. Wait a minute, then tap the button again to restart your network connections.

Restart your device

Rebooting is the time-tested way to fix many problems with your computer. The same goes for that little computer in your pocket. 

• On an iPhone X or newer, press and hold a volume button along with the right-side button to bring up the power slider. Drag the slider and wait for the phone to turn off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
  • On an older iPhone, press and hold the side button to bring up the power slider. Drag the slider and wait for the phone to turn off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
  • If your phone is unresponsive, you may need to force restart.
• On Android, hold the power button or the power button and the volume button (depending on your device) until you see a menu with either an option to Restart or Power Off. You can turn your device back on with the power button.

Charge your phone

If your phone is running low on battery power, it may automatically enter a low power mode, which could reduce power priority for your cellular radio. Plug in your phone and fully charge it up.

Reset your network settings

If you find you’re having connection trouble repeatedly, you may want to reset your network. Resetting your networking settings won’t cause you to lose any files or information on your phone. However, you will need to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords that you may have previously saved.

• On an iPhone, Go to Settings > General > Reset > Press Reset network settings

• On an Android, Go to Settings > Backup & Reset > Tap Reset settings

Update your phone’s system software

An old operating system on your phone can cause a whole host of issues, so it’s always a great idea to manually update to the latest version, especially if you don’t have automatic updates turned on.

• On an iPhone, Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, you will see information about the new iOS version and a link to Install Now.

• On an Android, open your phone’s Settings app. Near the bottom, tap System > System update. You’ll see your update status. Follow any steps on the screen.

Switch to Wi-Fi Calling

If you’re trying to make a call in an area with weaker-than-normal service, but have access to a Wi-Fi network, you may be able to utilize Wi-Fi calling on your device, which will complete your voice call over your Wi-Fi connection.

If you haven’t yet set up Wi-Fi calling on your phone, check out our recent tip to learn how to enable this feature.

You may need to fix your phone or purchase a new one

If your phone is very old, it’s possible that the device is no longer compatible with current cellular networks. We recently alerted customers that 3G networks are shutting down this year, so devices that can not connect to 4G networks or higher will no longer have cellular capability. 

It’s also possible that your device is malfunctioning. If you purchased your device from CREDO, please call us at 1-866-306-2900 so we can try to help. If not, please contact the manufacturer of your device.

If you’d like to upgrade your device, we have amazing deals on the latest Apple and Android models. 

If all else fails, give us a call

Maybe your SIM card is damaged or a cell tower is down — and we can help troubleshoot some of these issues. So if you need additional help with your cellular connection, don’t hesitate to call one of our extraordinary customer service agents who can help with your problem at 1-866-306-2900.