Finding a good network signal can be tricky. Depending on conditions, you may struggle to connect to your network even in built-up areas. The CellMapper app collects data on cell tower locations and coverage from users, helping you identify areas of strong and weak coverage from your carrier and decide whether you should upgrade to one of the best 5G phones.
CellMapper is a valuable tool, but its user interface can overwhelm first-time users. This guide shows you how to use CellMapper to check carrier coverage. It's not the definitive tool for finding the best coverage, but it can help you get started.
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How does CellMapper work?
CellMapper collects data from users, so tower locations are calculated using users' phones, not actual location data of the towers. This method of collecting data means that tower locations may not be precise, but they are accurate for determining network strength.
As all data is user-uploaded, you may not see data on towers in your area until you add it yourself. This is easy to do and doesn't require any prior technical knowledge of network bands.
The data on these towers includes the available bands, the number of successful connections, and network frequency. You can compare network strength for different carriers to discover which carriers provide the best coverage in your area.
CellMapper can also be a valuable tool for choosing your next Android phone. For example, if you're considering buying a phone that supports the fastest 5G bands (such as mmWave), use CellMapper to check if towers nearby support those bands.
How to use CellMapper
First, download the CellMapper app from the Play Store. It is not available for iOS devices.
After starting it up, you must allow several permissions. While we recommend allowing the app to run permanently in the background, this can drain your battery faster than usual.
Opening the CellMapper app presents you with a list of information. Ignore this for now unless you're looking for something specific. Most importantly, the app presents you with a series of dialog boxes. We recommend contributing data, as this lets others see your collected data (no personal data is shared through CellMapper).
After running through the dialog boxes, make sure the GPS, Upload, and Record symbols at the top of your screen are green. Don't worry about Account. This is only relevant if you pay for the Premium version to remove ads.
CellMapper doesn't automatically upload collected results over your data connection by default. Instead, it automatically uploads over Wi-Fi. You can change this to upload over your data connection automatically.
Now that you've set up CellMapper, you're ready to check your carrier's coverage in your area.
How to find the best coverage in your area on CellMapper
On the CellMapper app, you can check coverage by carrier(for example, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T) and network type (such as 5G or 4G LTE). We show you how to compare these in a moment, but first, use the map to get an idea of the towers available in your area.
How to understand the CellMapper map
Tap the three-line button in the upper-left corner of your screen, then tap Map from the menu. This button opens the CellMapper app. It may seem like a lot of information, but we show you how to interpret it.
First, look for the blue circle. This circle is your current location. Connected to this circle is a blue line. Follow this line to find the tower your phone is currently connected to. You may need to zoom in to see individual towers. As you travel, you see your currently connected cell tower change in real time. Stay in the same place as you familiarize yourself with the map and check the cell coverage in your area. Moving a couple hundred meters can change the cell tower you're connected to.
Tap any tower to see its coverage. Its coverage is divided into a series of shaded shapes (cells). Tap these to bring up the details on that cell. Here, you can check bandwidth, maximum signal, and other information. However, it's also important to note the bands available through that tower. Different carriers use different bands, so you can use this information to see if that tower supports a carrier's primary band.
Coverage strength is shown by color. Light green denotes that the cell has the best signal quality. As data is user-generated, you may see inconsistent values here depending on who is connected to the tower at any time. Check back multiple days in a row to get a good idea of a carrier's coverage.
After checking the details for your provider, tap the Search button at the top of your screen. Scroll down and select another provider. Repeat the steps to check the coverage.
Note the details for each carrier in a separate app. CellMapper does not allow you to compare carrier coverage.
The carrier that provides the best coverage in the area has at least one of its significant bands supported, provides consistent signal quality, and covers the biggest area. Use these to determine which of the best phone carriers you should switch to.
Don't settle for substandard coverage
Finding the best carrier for your area isn't an exact science, but apps like CellMapper can help. If you're confused by the differences between the latest 5G terminology, our handy explainer helps you understand the various 5G networks.
