Is there an app for measuring other networks' signal strength?

jsp_1983 · Dec 7, 2011

I know there are apps to measure your own mobile network's signal strength, but are there apps that can measure the strength/ quality of other network signals, too?

sohguanh · Dec 8, 2011

I am curious why would you want to know the strength/quality of other mobile network besides the one you are on ?

chanchan05 · Dec 8, 2011

Not sure on CDMA phones with no SIM cards, but I'm not sure how are you supposed to know the signal of other networks when your SIM card is tuning your phone's antennae to that of your own network. I dont think that's possible.

jsp_1983 · Dec 8, 2011

sohguanh said:
I am curious why would you want to know the strength/quality of other mobile network besides the one you are on ?

Because I would like to know the quality of other networks' signals. As I seem to get unusually poor signal, I want to discount the phone or the network. As I'm also at the point of contract renewal, I would like to know more about the signal strength of networks I potentially sign up to - I don't want to find out once I'm in to a 24-month contract.

chanchan05 said:
Not sure on CDMA phones with no SIM cards, but I'm not sure how are you supposed to know the signal of other networks when your SIM card is tuning your phone's antennae to that of your own network. I dont think that's possible.

As my device can detect the presence of other networks (ie, when you manually select the network in Android's settings), I'd have thought it reasonable to then be able to measure the quality of the signals, too. I haven't yet found an app that can do this, though.

Harry2 · Dec 8, 2011

jsp_1983 said:
Because I would like to know the quality of other networks' signals. As I seem to get unusually poor signal, I want to discount the phone or the network. As I'm also at the point of contract renewal, I would like to know more about the signal strength of networks I potentially sign up to - I don't want to find out once I'm in to a 24-month contract.

As my device can detect the presence of other networks (ie, when you manually select the network in Android's settings), I'd have thought it reasonable to then be able to measure the quality of the signals, too. I haven't yet found an app that can do this, though.

Did you try 'OpenSignal'?

Harry

jsp_1983 · Dec 8, 2011

Harry2 said:
Did you try 'OpenSignal'?

Harry

I don't think I've tried it yet - I'll have a look and report back, thanks.

Rovers · Dec 8, 2011

The free app Wi-Fi Finder has a radarscopelike scanner that displays, a.o. things, all found WiFi hotspots and indicates the strongest.

Lenagainster · Dec 8, 2011

WiFi Analyzer (free)

jsp_1983 · Dec 8, 2011

Harry2 said:
Did you try 'OpenSignal'?

Harry

Is it 'OpenSignal' or 'OpenSignalMaps'? I found the latter, but no mention of 'OpenSignal'. In any case, it only shows data for my own network and not others.

Harry2 · Dec 8, 2011

jsp_1983 said:
Is it 'OpenSignal' or 'OpenSignalMaps'? I found the latter, but no mention of 'OpenSignal'. In any case, it only shows data for my own network and not others.

It's 'OpenSignalMaps'. Sorry, but the icon on my screen has shown it shorted

I didn't tried this with the app but I thought it would show other networks when I switch on it manually.

Harry

smankins · Dec 9, 2011

Rovers said:
The free app Wi-Fi Finder has a radarscopelike scanner that displays, a.o. things, all found WiFi hotspots and indicates the strongest.

I don't think he wants to see other wifi networks - he wants to see cell networks.

jsp_1983 · Dec 9, 2011

Harry2 said:
It's 'OpenSignalMaps'. Sorry, but the icon on my screen has shown it shorted

I didn't tried this with the app but I thought it would show other networks when I switch on it manually.

Harry

Never mind. Thanks for the suggestion - otherwise, it looks quite an informative app!

smankins said:
I don't think he wants to see other wifi networks - he wants to see cell networks.

Yup - other cell networks, not WiFi.

chanchan05 · Dec 9, 2011

It can detect the presence, but I dont think it can detect the strength of the signal since you aren't connected to those networks. Its not like a WiFi antenna which can check which one is the strongest. They use different types of hardware to detect signals.

jumpjack · Jun 1, 2016

Any news after so many years?
I know by sure that my phone with just one SIM can see ALL operators available around: I can see the full operators list by accessing "manual operator selection" menu!
Is this information available to apps? Does it need to root the phone?

Slug · Jun 1, 2016

jumpjack said:
I know by sure that my phone with just one SIM can see ALL operators available around: I can see the full operators list by accessing "manual operator selection" menu!

As explained above, the hardware will detect all available networks using supported frequency bands, but can only establish a connection with whatever one the SIM card allows.

jumpjack · Jun 2, 2016

Is there need for network registration of the sim to read signal strength of a base tower and its neighbours?
I tested a dozen of different "base stations mapper/scanner/tracker" apps, all of them show the number of the network operator, but I can't yet figure out if they can also read their strength if they're not from my operator, and if any of them is capable of drawing on a map MY position (not Base Stations positions, which they can't know/find, only download) and signal strength I can "see" when in that position.

James Freeman · Nov 5, 2016

Okay, so years ago Bosch developed a phone that was finally released by Siemens as the "S40". Now this phone may be prehistoric now, but it had a unique feature that I've never seen on any other mobile phone. It measured the strength of the signals of all the networks around you and showed you which network worked best where you were. It was wondeful and I really wish someone would develop a simple modern app like this today. The signal strengths arw measures in db and as far as I am aware there is absolutely no need to log onto a cell signal to measure this signal strength.

zuben el genub · Nov 6, 2016

I'm not sure about the other carriers, but I have seen a TMO map that does tell what service you get - LTE. HSPA+ Edge or whatever by city block area. If the others do have good maps, then those should be more or less common knowledge if they want customers.

If there are maps for the others, the easiest way to find that, and signal would be to look in a forum for all phones. Howard forums, while contentious, does have all the carriers. All the TMO nuts post all kinds of speed tests, etc. If the other groups for other carriers do the same, and the other carriers have the same type of map, maybe you could find a hint of what you are looking for. You might be able to follow the hint.

You can read the forum for free.

Someone here also might know where other carrier customers post that you can also read free.

Just checked - here's ATT expansion:
http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php/366-AT-amp-T-Network-Expansion-and-Upgrades

I'm assuming Verizon has one also.

Sprint is still CDMA and locked and using its own form of LTE

Slug · Nov 7, 2016

My go-to site for network coverage is Rootmetrics. No carrier/network assumptions, only real-world results.

CenturionB · Nov 9, 2016

Try the "wi-fi 360" - good software. I use it even in the (I are network engineer).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.android.wifiscanner&hl=eu

Is there an app for measuring other networks' signal strength?

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