Even while the signal bars can show a good or bad signal, they don’t always guarantee it. According to We Boost , the bars you see actually display the amount of power coming from a nearby mobile tower in decibels. More bars indicate a stronger signal, which increases the likelihood that a cell tower is nearby.

However, using this method to determine your signal strength is unreliable. One phone may display three bars while another (nearby) displays four. The cell signal indicator is intended to be very basic and all-encompassing.

You must switch your phone into field test mode if you want a more precise reading of your signal strength. Instead of merely seeing bars, you will be able to view signal strength in decibels as a result. There is a separate technique to enter field test mode for either Android or iPhone , and doing this could appear hard. However, this is the procedure to follow if you require an exact measurement of your cell phone signal.