Indoor Cellular Coverage

In an experience that is probably familiar to everybody, in the last few months I’ve found myself unable to get a cell signal in places I routinely visit. At the pharmacy, the only cell coverage I could find was directly next to the front windows. I went to my doctor and found I couldn’t get any reception while biding my time in a waiting room. There was no signal in the back half of the grocery store. I know my experience is not unique, and I regularly see other people grumbling in these locations about the lack of cell signal. It seems extraordinary in today’s world, where people want nearly ubiquitous cellular coverage, to find so many places with poor or no cell coverage indoors. There are several reasons why indoor cell coverage is getting worse. One big reason is that cell carriers have been migrating to higher frequencies. Years ago, cellular networks widely used frequencies like 700 MHz and 900 MHz, which were able to easily penetrate buildings. The higher frequencies used today do a much worse job of penetrating buildings. A second reason is that the building materials used in newer or upgraded buildings deflect a lot of the cell signal.