6
b. Signal Quality (SINR)
Signal quality is probably
the most important measure of your cell signal
. In 4G LTE networks,
signal quality is called “SINR,” which stands for “Signal to Interference Plus Noise Ratio.”
In general, the better the signal quality, the faster your download speeds will be. Improving
this measure can have a big impact on your system’s performance.
Why does signal quality drop? It's actually because
cell towers interfere with each other
.
Every cell tower transmits signal
on the same set of bands.
If you’re located between multiple
cell towers, your phone has a
hard time clearly “hearing” the
cell signal from the tower you’re
connected to. This is called
“
intracell interference
.”
A signal booster like the GO G41
won’t increase your signal quality
directly. However, by shielding and aiming the directional outdoor antenna that’s included
in your kit you can find higher quality signal, and the GO G41 will amplify that signal and
rebroadcast it indoors.
We’ll explain exactly how to position and aim your outdoor antenna later in this manual.
c. Signal Strength (RSRP)
The main measure of signal strength for LTE networks is called
“RSRP.” Signal strength is measured in dBm and is always a
negative number.
Signal boosters like the GO G41 amplify your signal so you
have higher signal strength. The GO G41 has 100 decibels of
gain (a measure of amplification). That means that it’ll cover
a
larger area with stronger signal than most boosters
.
Stronger signal can help you get better data rates and a more
reliable connection. But signal quality is critical as well.