More bars mean better network quality | Myth Buster Monday: Episode #11
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 5:20 pm
Hola Amigos,
I hope you all are doing great and Happy Raksha Bandhan to everyone
Welcome to yet another episode of Monday Myth Busters, our weekly series where we dive into the exciting world of myths and uncover the truth behind some of the most popular beliefs.
More bars mean better network quality.What's the Myth?
The Myth most likely started in the early days of mobile phones, when call quality could be more easily determined by signal strength. In the early days of mobile technology, particularly during the 1G and early 2G eras, signal strength was a crucial factor in determining the quality of a phone call. The technology was less advanced, and strong signal strength was often directly correlated with fewer dropped calls and clearer voice quality. This led people to associate more bars with better overall performance.The Origin of the Myth:
1. Signal Strength vs. Network QualityExamining the Facts:
- Signal Strength: The bars on your phone show the strength of the signal from the nearest mobile tower. A higher number of bars often indicates a stronger signal, which can result in improved call quality and faster internet speeds, but only under perfect conditions.
- Network Quality: Network quality depends on several factors beyond signal strength. These include network congestion like how many people are using the network at the same time, the quality of the cell tower's connection to the rest of the network, and the technology the tower is using, e.g., 4G, 5G.
- You must have noticed, even if you have full bars in your cell phones, you experience slower data speeds or dropped calls. This is because the bandwidth (the amount of data that can be transmitted) is shared among all users connected to that tower.
3. Interference
- Not all phones or carriers have the same amount of bars. The technologies and frequencies used by various carriers can have an impact on the way bars are shown. A phone on a 4G network, for instance, might display more bars than one on a 5G network, but the 5G network might nevertheless offer faster and more dependable service.
- For a smooth network experience, latency—the amount of time it takes for data to transit from your phone to the server and back—and data speed are essential. Low latency and high speed—both essential for activities like gaming and video streaming—are not always ensured by a robust signal.
Although more bars may signify a stronger signal, they may not provide a reliable indicator of the strength of the network. Network congestion, interference, latency, and the technology being used are all as, if not more, crucial for optimum network performance.Conclusion:
Join us next Monday as we tackle another intriguing tech myth and continue our journey to uncover the truth behind the digital world’s most pervasive misconceptions!
Adiós
Prateek Parashar
