Does your smartphone keep dropping calls for no discernible reason? It can be incredibly frustrating but don’t worry—we can help!
We’ll review some of the leading causes of dropped connections with cell phones and what you can do to fix them.
Cell tower distance or congestion
The most common reason that calls drop with smartphones is due to the cell tower. If your call is dropping out, it usually means that you’re too far from the nearest cell tower or the one handling your call is overloaded.
If you’re at an event with tens of thousands of people, the nearest cell tower is probably congested. The simple solution is moving closer to the nearest cell tower or leaving the area and connecting to a different one.
Pro Tip: There are many available apps and websites that will show you the nearest cell tower so you can get closer and strengthen your signal.
Natural barriers
Mother nature is a common antagonist to cell phone connections. If you’re trying to immerse yourself in nature by going on a hike or participating in another outdoor activity surrounded by trees, hills, or valleys, you’ll probably have difficulty getting a stable cell connection.
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do other than move to a different area. Look for a clearing without trees or try to climb a nearby hill to give yourself a better chance of connection.
Electromagnetic interference
Another culprit for calls dropping is an increase in electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI is caused by the magnetic field generated from the flow of electricity through circuits within electronic devices.
Since we’re surrounded by electronic devices all day, EMI has the potential to thwart a lot of calls. However, cell phones use EMI shielding as protection, so we don’t even notice it most of the time. If your phone’s EMI shielding is damaged, it will lead to more dropped calls. If you think this may be the case for your phone, have it looked at by a professional.
Sim card issues
Your smartphone could have a technical problem if it’s constantly dropping calls. The sim card gives your smartphone access to the cellular network, which is essential for making a proper call connection.
Power down your phone and use a sim card tool to remove the sim card from your smartphone and inspect it for cracks or damage. If it looks fine, try reinserting it and making calls again—sometimes, just taking it out and putting it back in helps!
Hopefully, our explainer will assist you in figuring out why your smartphone is dropping calls. The next time your phone call drops, remember these causes; with any luck, you’ll find a quick and easy solution!