How Poor Cellular Connectivity Costs Businesses Deals

In today’s mobile-first world, a dropped call or dead zone doesn’t just frustrate—it costs money. A growing number of businesses report that poor cellular coverage directly impacts their ability to close deals, provide timely customer service, and maintain operational efficiency.

📉 What Percent of Businesses Lose Deals Due to Bad Cell Reception?

According to industry surveys, up to 80% of businesses report experiencing cellular connectivity issues that impact operations. Specifically, a 2023 study by Zinwave found that 74% of businesses said they had lost at least one deal due to poor mobile connectivity in the past year.

In a separate survey by Verizon Business, nearly two-thirds (64%) of business owners and decision-makers said poor reception negatively affected their client communications and responsiveness.

🎥 How to Improve Your Signal: Video Guide

Watch this quick video that shows how to manually switch carriers on your phone when you're stuck in a dead zone:

📶 How to Manually Choose a Carrier

Disabling automatic network selection can help you switch to a stronger signal in weak zones, especially when roaming or near coverage boundaries.

📱 For iPhone (iOS):

1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Network Selection
2. Toggle Automaticoff
3. Wait for the phone to scan available networks
4. Select the carrier with the strongest signal

📱 For Android:

1. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks
2. Tap Network Operators
3. Disable Select automatically
4. Choose a different network manually

This technique is especially useful in fringe coverage areas where your default carrier is weak but another network may have a stronger signal.

⚖️ Automatic vs. Manual Network Selection – Which Is Best for Businesses?

Automatic network selection is convenient and preferred for most users because your phone will always connect to the default carrier. However, this isn't always ideal for businesses that operate near state lines, remote zones, or inside steel/concrete buildings where one provider underperforms.

Manual network selection gives you the power to choose the strongest available carrier at any given time. This method is especially helpful for:

• Sales reps driving through rural or cross-border areas
• Teams in disaster zones with downed towers
• Indoor offices with poor primary carrier performance

Recommendation: Businesses with mobile operations should educate staff on how to manually select networks when signal loss affects operations. This flexibility can mean the difference between a closed deal and a missed opportunity.

🔍 Where the Problem Happens Most

• Office buildings with energy-efficient materials that block signals
• Rural areas lacking cell towers or coverage by major carriers
• Hospitals, stadiums, and hotels with poor indoor reception
• Parking structures and known dead zones

📲 Why It Matters

Businesses rely on mobile connectivity for:

• Sales calls and real-time communication
• CRM apps and cloud-based workflows
• Customer support and video conferencing
• On-the-go operations and logistics

When calls drop or mobile apps fail due to a bad signal, sales cycles break down, meetings are missed, and leads go cold. This can be especially damaging for small and mid-sized businesses that don’t have redundant systems.

📍 Mapping the Problem

To help identify where cellular issues are most common, DeadCellZones.com has compiled a crowdsourced map of weak cell coverage. Business owners and employees can report trouble spots or check coverage issues before moving offices or deploying teams.

✅ Solutions to Consider

• Installing a cell signal booster or DAS system
• Switching to a carrier with better local coverage
• Using Wi-Fi calling features for indoor communication
• Mapping and avoiding dead zones on key routes

🚀 Final Thoughts

As remote work and mobile communication continue to dominate business operations, companies cannot afford to ignore poor cellular coverage. If your team or sales reps are dropping calls, it may be more than a technical hiccup—it could be lost revenue.

Track and fix your business’s weak signal areas using the tools at DeadCellZones.com.

What Causes Dead Zones Exactly

Dead Cell Zones are defined as areas where the signal is very weak and coverage is poor to non-existent.

Dead zones are areas where your cell phone can’t get a signal. It might be no coverage or very poor coverage. The signal is too weak to make a call or connect to the internet, and it’s intermittent—sometimes you have service, and sometimes you don’t.

The signal from mobile phones will only reach the tower if the line of sight between them is unobstructed by buildings, trees, and other obstacles.

Line of sight is the straight line between two points on level ground. It can be blocked by trees, buildings, mountains, etc.

If there is an obstruction between your phone and the tower then you will have a dead spot where the signal from the mobile network cannot reach you.

Cell phone signals are very sensitive to blockages such as hills, valleys, tunnels, and walls.

Cell phone signals are very sensitive to blockages such as hills, valleys, tunnels and walls. In order for your cell phone to work correctly, it needs as much power and information from the nearest cell tower as possible. Even if you have a strong signal on one side of an obstruction, it can be blocked completely by another barrier in front of where you're standing.

The strength of cell phone signals is measured in decibels (dB).

The strength of a cell phone signal is measured in decibels (dB). The higher the number, the stronger the signal. A strong signal is important for getting good reception and having a fast data speed.

The relationship between dBm and dB is as follows:

For 1 milliwatt: 0 dBm = 10 µV/m ≈ -103 dBi to -110 dBi at 1 kHz

For 1 watt: +30 dBm = 0.001 W/m2 ≈ -10~1 dBi to +5~7 dBi at 1 kHz

If your mobile phone's signal moves from one tower to another while you are using it, a dropped call may occur.

It's important to understand that the call may be disconnected due to changes in connection quality during the call. When this happens, you may not be able to reconnect.

A dropped call means that the call may be disconnected due to changes in connection quality during the call.

The decibel (dB) is a unit of measurement used to express the difference in intensity between two levels of sound. For example, if you measure the loudness of a lawnmower and then the loudness of a train horn 3 feet away, the difference in intensity would be expressed as 90dB. dB is often used to measure signal strength and connection quality during calls.

A call can be dropped because there are changes in connection quality during a call or changes in signal strength during a call. When you're on an active phone call with someone else, both your voice signals get sent through cellular towers that carry them across long distances (sometimes thousands of miles). The signals are transmitted from tower to tower until they reach their destination—your friend's cell phone—and vice versa for when she speaks back at you over her own cellular network.

Cell phones have an internal antenna that boosts the signal strength to get a stronger connection with the tower.

The antenna is the piece of the cell phone that sends and receives signals from the tower. The strength of this signal is measured in decibels (dB). A stronger signal means faster connectivity and fewer dropped calls, so it's important to have a strong enough antenna for your phone. Cell phones can have internal or external antennas—internal are typically more powerful than external, but they're also harder to use because you need to open up your phone and place it near a window or other source of good reception.

Internal antennas are better for cell phones because they're less conspicuous and easier to conceal, which makes them more convenient for people who don't want others to know about their device usage habits (like workaholics).

Your cell phone needs as much power and information from the nearest cell tower as possible in order for it to work correctly.

You may be familiar with the term "dead zone," which is a region of your cell phone's coverage area where the signal is so poor that it cannot be used. Dead zones are typically found in places that are difficult to reach by radio waves, such as between tall buildings or inside large buildings. However, these dead zones can appear anywhere there are obstacles or obstructions that block signals from reaching your wireless network.

When buying a cell phone, make sure that you check its antenna strength and look for models with high-quality antennas.

When buying a cell phone, make sure that you check its antenna strength and look for models with high-quality antennas.

An important thing to do when purchasing a cell phone is to ensure that your chosen model has an adequate antenna. High-quality antennas are necessary because they help boost the signal strength of your device's reception.

When making your purchase decision, keep in mind that some carriers have different technologies than others (for example, Verizon uses CDMA technology while T-Mobile uses GSM). Make sure that the type of technology used by your carrier is compatible with both the phone itself and its antenna before making any purchases!

5G in areas can increase connectivity speeds but sometimes when carriers upgrade cell towers in areas they can often remove coverage in other areas.  Have you ever noticed sometimes when you have a cell phone signal and suddenly you don't?   This is because the carriers are managing traffic on the cell tower network. 

Check for coverage using our map here. 

The further away you are from a cell tower or base station, the weaker your signal gets because there is less energy left over after traveling through thick vegetation or heavy building materials near where you live or work.

The further away you are from a cell tower or base station, the weaker your signal gets because there is less energy left over after traveling through thick vegetation or heavy building materials near where you live or work.

If you are in an area where there are no cell towers, your phone will not work. 

How To Find 5G Cell Towers Near You

5G wireless networks are pretty much in every major city throughout the United States and World.  More cell towers are being upgraded from 3G and 4G every day to 5G. If you want to get specific 5G coverage, you'll need to find particular towers that are 5G. These towers aren't available everywhere, so you might be wondering if one has been built near your home. If a 5G tower is nearby and your devices are 5G-capable, you can expect quicker data downloads and other performance benefits.  On newer iPhone and Android 5G models, the signal bars will indicate 5G. 

Consult your carrier's 5G coverage map to find out where its 5G networks and towers are located. Simply use the links above to access carrier coverage maps and search for 5G coverage.

When it comes to cell reception, location matters regardless of which smartphone you choose or which carrier you use.  It can be difficult to receive a strong enough signal to handle voice and data capabilities on your phone when you're too far away from your carrier's tower. Whether you're not getting the signal you're looking for, check to see if there's a cell phone tower nearby.

It doesn't have to be difficult to locate the nearest cell phone tower in your neighborhood, in your rural house, or even on the go. It all starts with familiarizing yourself with several websites for locating cell towers that are both beneficial and simple to use.

See our map of cell phone towers below.  If we are missing a location please add it to the map.  We also have another map where you can find 5G cell towers near you and dead zones. 

How Far Can You Be From A Cell Tower & Still Have A Signal?

Cell phones rely on tower signals to function. The closer you are to the tower, the stronger and less distorted your signal will be, resulting in a better voice and internet connection. To obtain a decent signal, you don't have to reside exactly near to a cell phone tower.

Some cell phones can receive a signal from a tower up to 45 miles away, you won't always obtain a usable signal from that distance. The environment, buildings, and other impediments might limit a signal's efficacy over distance, making it too weak to do any good once it reaches your phone. In some cases, the network's technology or other factors may limit how far the signal travels.

Simple Ways to Find Cell Towers Near You

Nothing is more useful or intuitive than a cell phone tower map for determining the position of the nearest mobile tower and the direction your signal is coming from.

You may enter some basic information and get a map of cell towers in your area on a variety of websites. To utilize the maps, you'll need to find known landmarks and main roads to figure out where you are in relation to various cell towers, but that's no different than using Google Maps to find the closest places. You won't obtain a street address, but you should be able to figure out whether there are any functioning cell phone towers nearby.

Because of its user-friendly layout and several filtering options, this cell tower locator is our favorite. Before looking for towers near your address or location, CellMapper allows you to filter by provider and service type. To use it, scroll through to pick your nation, select your mobile provider, network speed, then enter an address or zip code to view the nearest cell towers instantly.

Check Coverage Map By Address of Your Cell Phone Service Provider

Your provider might be able to tell you where cell phone towers are located, or at least where coverage is expected to be available. These maps can show you if your location isn't covered and you're not receiving a decent signal. As you might expect, each of the main telecom carriers has its own interactive coverage maps available online.

Instead of presenting cell phone tower sites, Verizon provides a color-coded coverage map to help you figure out if you're supposed to get service in a particular area. Based on the mapping address you typed into the search bar, it tells you what kind of coverage and signal quality you may expect (e.g. 4G LTE Quality: Excellent).

AT&T has a comparable map that shows approximate wireless voice availability, including third-party coverage, for your mapped address. You may get even more information by zooming in on specific spots. You can also look for information based on your present location. On the map, different forms of coverage are color-coded.

T-Mobile's map lets you compare your address's coverage and signal strength to what you'd get from the other major providers. They also feature a cell tower search tool that allows you to enter your address and find the closest cell tower. Despite the fact that Sprint is now a part of T-Mobile, it still has its own coverage map.

Use An iPhone or Android App to Locate a Tower

On smartphones, you may also download mobile phone tower location apps. This allows you to find a cell tower near you no matter where you are, which is useful for frequent travelers. Consider downloading a cell tower finder app if you need a quick resource for discovering cell phone towers near your home. Whatever you're looking for in a cell tower finder app, chances are you'll find it on the App Store or Google Play.    

Living Near Cell Towers Dangerous?

When it comes to cell phone towers, how near is too close? According to numerous stories, living too close to a cell tower can be dangerous, and many people are particularly scared about 5G towers.  The jury is still out and deliberating what the long-term effects might be living close to a tower. 

Many companies offer outdated maps of where cell phone towers are located.  However, wireless carriers are adding more DAS networks than cell phone towers these days.  Learn more about the difference between cell phone towers vs DAS. 

If you think it is dangerous to live near 5G cell phone towers use this map to find locations of 5G dead zones contributed by our users. 

Related Articles: 

Which Types Of Mobile Games Will 5G Coverage Benefit?

Top Tips to Improve Your Phone's Signal Strength

A lot of our daily routine depends on cell phones. Things such as dropped phone calls, weak signal strength, and slow data can have a massive impact on our everyday life. However, the good thing is that you can now better your cell signal for clear cells and fast data speed. Here, we will enlist some of the best ways to improve your phone's cell signal strength. Let us get started and address them one by one.  

Get a Verizon network extender.

 

People who have Verizon wireless will love this solution to boost their cell phone signal. It is because, at present, Verizon is the only network that still offers a network extender. Also known as a microcell or femtocell, a network extender is a device that Verizon sells to create a better signal strength at your home. It will route all the cellular calls and the data over the broadband internet. Please bear in mind; there are a few downsides to using network extenders, such as the call handoff problems, but if you do not have an existing cell signal outside, this can be quite a suitable option. 

 

'I have been a Verizon wireless user for long, and the extender has wholly resolved my call drop issues, shares Dave, a TrueBlueFishermen associate. 

 

Take your phone higher.

 

The reception of cell phones better when you travel higher. It is because if there are buildings around, they can block your signal. So, if you are in a valley or at the foot of the hill, start climbing. If you are indoors, you can travel upstairs and travel to the side that receives the best reception. 

 

 Check your phone for any possible damage.

 

At times, when you drop your phone, despite your phone being in a case, it can lead to damage to the internal antenna. This will have a severe impact on the cell signal quality. So, it won't hurt to remove the phone's case and inspect it for damage. Carefully examine both the corners and the back. Alternatively, you can even schedule a free appointment with your carrier, and they can perform a diagnostic on your phone. It will help them confirm whether the hardware is properly functioning or not. Justin, an employee with MyPlumberschoice, shares that 'In my Apple, there was a hardware issue, which was hampering my cell reception. Since my phone was under warranty, they replaced my phone for free, and now the problem is solved.' 

 

Do not let your phone battery reach to critically low.

 

At times, when the phone attempts to connect to the nearest cell phone tower, it tends to suck up all the battery from your phone. When the battery is already low, it gets hard for the phone to look for a signal. Why? By default, our phones are programmed to consume minimum battery when searching for a network, especially when the battery is already low. Hence, it is unable to perform the task adequately, and this results in poor reception. Thus, it would help if you did everything you possibly can to conserve your phone's battery power. For this, you can turn off the NFC and Bluetooth. Also, use these features only when required. Also, keep the screen brightness to a minimum, ensure that no software or applications are running in the background that consumes your phone battery. Also, while you are traveling, it is inevitable for the battery to go low. So, in this case, carry a portable charger along.  

 

Remove your phone's case.

If there is a case covering on your phone, only removing it might better your phone's signal strength. At times, a case may block the cell phone signal and curtail it from reaching the internal antenna. So, try removing the case to see any improvement in reception. 

 

Get a new SIM or clean your existing one.

 

If you have used your carrier for a long time, your SIM card may not have adequate data to connect to the latest network systems. At times, its contact may be wearing down or dirty. This may result in intermittent failures. So, pop your SIM card out, and clean the metal surface using a cotton swab rubbed in alcohol or a disinfectant wipe. 

 

'Since my cell signal used to be continually weak, I requested my carrier's support representatives to give me the latest SIM, which helped better my signal strength,' shares Alexa, an associate with RazorHood. 

 

Yes, we agree with Alexa on this. At times, changing to a newer SIM can also improve your signal strength. Usually, your network providers will grant you a new SIM for free. 

 

Shop for a cell phone signal booster

 

This is the only certified solution, which is majorly recommended by all the key carriers and the FCC. A cell phone signal booster will catch all the existing signals outside your phone, amplify its strength, and then transmit this stronger signal into your home, vehicle, or business. The good thing is they work with all networks. So, there is no need to shop for different cell phone signal boosters. More so, it is a one-time investment, and there is no recurring fee.  

 

Keep your phone's software updated.

 

At times, the phone may be experiencing signal issues because you are running your phone on old software. Consequently, the phone may not perform at an optimal level. It may not have the newest optimizations for calls, bug fixes, data, or even routine operations. So, before trying every other method here, this should be the first thing that you do. 

 

Disable LTE if a single bar shows

 

The bars you see on your phone are determined by things, such as – load and quality on the nearby tower and the signal strength. If you see a single LTE bar, it means that the tower from where you are getting your signal is over-congested. Consequently, it affects the signal quality, resulting in it being significantly low. In this case, you can consider switching off LTE and using 3G for a bit. Since most people will be using LTE, 3G will be less congested, thereby giving you better signal strength. 

 

Get yourself a new phone.

 

When you have an old phone, particularly one that supports just 3G and not LTE, you should consider shopping for the latest phone. If you cannot afford the latest phone, even a version or two older models that support LTE will suffice. This, in itself, can better your data speeds and voice calls. 

 

Make the most of the Wi-Fi Network.

 

'I have always had cell signal issues, but this Wi-Fi calling has completely metamorphosed the things for me,' shares Robin, who did a CDR review online.

 

Well, yes, this is one of the most excellent solutions that are hugely prevalent today. Almost every carrier in the USA and Canada, and even the other parts of the world, offer this new and updated feature of Wi-Fi calling. As part of this feature, you can now use your internet connection to surf the internet and simultaneously make phone calls through your phone network. Please know that Verizon and AT&T offer this feature currently for Samsung Galaxy, LG, and iPhone users only. However, if you have subscribed to Sprint and T-Mobile, Wi-Fi calling is available on almost every model. You can find this option in the settings menu of your phone. 

 

Toggle the Airplane Mode

 

Lastly, if you are not receiving a signal on your phone, you can toggle the Airplane mode once, wait for about five to ten seconds, and turn it off again. This can help you better your reception. 

 

So, these are some of the most effective ways to better weak cell reception.