Finding cell towers either when directing your antenna on a cell signal booster or by just knowing where to get the best reception has always been a challenge especially for those who live in rural areas. Here is an all inclusive guide to aid in your tower hunting needs
Field Test Mode
Field Test Mode gives you deeper insights into your phone’s connection and may aid in fine tuning using strength and quality measurements
- iPhone: Dial: *3001#12345#* to access “Field Test Mode.” This hidden app will give you some information on the band your phone is connected to along with some basic strength measurements like RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR
- Android: The process may vary by manufacturer, but many Android phones have an engineering or service mode that reveals tower information. You may need to access it through settings or a specific dial code, depending on your phone model.
Using Phone Apps
There are several apps available that can help you identify nearby cell towers and measure signal quality. *Keep in mind many of these apps are open source meaning that the data on them is contributed by its users and can be skewed or inaccurate*
- Network Signal Info (Android) – This app shows you detailed information about the tower your phone is connected to, including signal strength.
- OpenSignal – OpenSignal maps nearby towers, providing insight into coverage and connection quality in your area. This app is mainly good to see general coverage area as we’ve seen VERY inaccurate tower locations
- CellMapper – A GREAT source of detailed map of tower locations, band info, tower broadcast pathways and, network coverage data. This is probably the best way to find towers. It has a bit of a learning curve but is well worth it
Check Online Resources
A number of websites provide databases of tower locations and coverage maps that can help you find nearby cell towers:
- Carrier’s Coverage Map: This is a very basic and sometimes misleading source to mainly see if a carrier generally covers your area on the carrier’s website
- FCC’s Tower Location Database: The Federal Communications Commission provides a map of tower locations in the U.S. thats extremely detailed and not for the faint of heart when navigating
Contact Your Carrier Directly
If other methods don’t yield results, you can always contact your carrier’s customer service. While they typically won’t share exact tower locations, they can often confirm the presence of towers in your area or inform you about service issues that might be affecting your signal.
What to Look For Once You’re Outside
If you want to spot a tower in person, keep an eye out for these visual cues:
- Tall structures with multiple antennas
- Rooftops of tall buildings may host antennas
- Towers disguised as trees, water towers, or even church steeples are increasingly common
Remember that the closest tower isn’t always the one your phone connects to. The phone will choose the tower based on factors like signal strength, network load, and even congestion, so your connection may sometimes come from a farther tower if it’s less crowded or has better coverage. If all else fails, CellTeks will help you out! We’ve built an extensive network of towers that we’ve located over the years and can help you with finding the tower thats the best for you!
