mobile communications lifehacks

From time to time people ask me, a specialist in mobile communications, to share some tricks of mobile communications, which only the "initiated" know about.

However, despite all the experience and all the knowledge, I rarely can say anything at all - there is too little benefit to ordinary subscribers from my in-depth knowledge. Of course, there are some pearls, but they are hidden too deeply.

Therefore, I've decided to make this post to gradually put together everything useful to ordinary users.

I will write about European mobile communications standards (known as GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, LTE, VoLTE, 5G, VoNR), but most of the tricks are applicable to the other systems too (technologies sometimes differ in little things).

So,

- if you are in the crowded place, and you need to make a phone call, but it doesn't go through (busy tones or network busy signals), try to switch the phone to use only the 2G (GSM) network - this ancient technology is very resistant to overloads and not too busy nowadays

- if the phone shows more than 2 bars, chances for high-quality communications are better in the back of the room, not near the window; the higher you are (the more rooftops you see from your window), the more often this rule works

- in concrete buildings with windows looking in opposite directions, it is better not to walk between rooms during a conversation - chances are high that the conversation will drop

- mobile communication in lifts (elevators) should only be expected in large office or shopping centres; If you have never been to this lift before, be prepared that you won't be heard, or the connection will be dropped; it's better to finish your call or even use the stairs instead

- if the battery is running out and you cannot recharge it, try to use the phone in places with excellent coverage (5 bars), in particular, not in the lifts (see above); this will make the phone emit less power and so consume less energy from the battery; Wi-Fi in such a situation is preferable to mobile Internet

- if you are abroad, and Internet tariffs in roaming risk breaking you down, first, turn off the mobile Internet (mobile / cellular data) in the phone (many people know this), and, second, prohibit the use of 4G (LTE) - voice calls in 4G can use data transmission channels, which can be charged as mobile Internet

- if mobile coverage disappeared in your place - or it worsen significantly - and is not restored in a reasonable time, don't be lazy to call the support service of your mobile operator; first, not all problems are visible in mobile network management systems, and second, subscribers' complaints significantly raise the priority of the problem and it'll be fixed faster

(to be continued)