Using a cell phone booster at the cottage

A follow question:  I know Koodo picks up it’s singal from Telus towers.  Will it also gt its cell signal from Bell towers? 

This is what a map of the area around the cottage, in Quebec:

https://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/cancellsites.html?lat=46.240193&lng=-75.058250&zoom=11&type=Roadmap&layers=bt&pid=0

I guess I have 5 choice of directions to aim my exterior booster antennae.

Some experience. You have to aim it steadily is all I can say. You want unobstructed line of sight and to point it as best you can. You can adjust to see what gets you the best signal. I guess make sure the stand or pole is securely attached so it doesn’t move over time. 

Thank you - BobTheElectrician!

This is by far the most useful resource for finding towers in Canada.  I’ve been using 3 others, and this site is the easiest to use and has the line of sight tool between tower and cottage/mobile phone.   Currently mapping out a few directions towards towers.

Do you have any suggestions for a useful app for Android phones?  

I found 2:  LTE Discovery and Network Cell Info Lite.   Just not sure they’re so useful….

Thanks again Bob.

Michael

I manage to locate a cell signal with the cell mapper website. 

Thanks a million - Bob!!

Michael

The android apps mostly suffer from the same problem: a strong competitor’s tower you can’t connect with will show many bars while the one you need may be drowned out.

For a vlid result, you actually have to minimally connect with your provider and then go to the About phone panel to read the actual dB strength of that connection.

Bob -

Is there a certain “minimal dbm” value that will give a good, solid connection?

As a quick preliminary test of whether the booster will be useful  - I was able to dial a call with about -107dbm.  

I will vary the position and direction of aim of the antennae to try to find the strongest signal, before permanently installing.  To do this - I’m thinking of moving the antennae slightly and then taking a reading of the actual signal strength on my phone.    I’ll repeat this trial-and-error process until I find something a position better than -107 dbm. 

Is this what you would suggest?

Michael

-107 is not a good start. You want a number like -95 to -97 (lower absolute value is better). My rural location gives me slightly better values than yours (-103 on Koodo, -107 on Rogers [identical second phone, different tower]), and the signal drifts in and out, probably due to trees between both towers and here. Spending $$$ on a booster will not solve that problem.