Two little-known reasons you’re getting spotty phone signal — and how you can fix them to enjoy full bars

TECHNOLOGY and smartphones have come a long way, and yet no one is completely immune to dodgy phone signals.

Here are two reasons why your connection might be spotty—and how you can fix them if the well-known trick of turning Airplane Mode on and off fails.

Check your SIM card

If your SIM card is physically damaged or not seated correctly, your iPhone or Android may have trouble connecting to your network.

It’s possible that you bumped the phone and dislodged the SIM.

If there’s a little dust or lint, or it’s simply not placed correctly, fixing this may solve the problem.

Try removing the SIM card and cleaning it with a soft, dry towel, then inserting it again.

You may need to find the ejector pin that came with your phone to access the SIM.

If you can’t find this, you can use a paperclip or the back of an earring to eject the SIM.

Interfering objects

For the same reasons that Wi-Fi can be blocked by certain household objects, your phone’s signal can also be interfered with.

Signal waves simply cannot penetrate – or, in some cases, bounce off – certain materials, such as metal.

Objects and materials that can block your Wi-Fi include:

• Trees
• Mountains
• thick walls
• Steel beams

There is also the possibility of other electronic devices interfering with the phone’s signal – although this is rare.

Mobile phone signals are essentially radio waves transmitted in a certain range of frequencies.

Sometimes, electromagnetic waves emitted by household appliances can occur at frequencies that interfere with your connection.

This confuses your phone, leaving it struggling to decide which signal to use to transmit data.

The same can happen to your Wi-Fi, which can cause snail-paced speeds.

If your home is full of other Internet-connected devices, moving them to one or two rooms in your home can free up radio waves in other areas of the house.