Here are some possible reasons why you may notice slowdowns in web browsing from your phone even if all the connection bars are “full”: different algorithms, cell phone crowding or an indicator that is not updated in real time.
The bars of Wi-Fi or data connection they are all full, yet the page Web it charges a lot slowlya video suddenly stops or a WhatsApp message remains waiting to be sent. It may seem strange and in some ways even counterintuitive, but not always having full notches is synonymous with a perfect connection. These simply indicate the strength of the radio signal according to criteria established by the phone manufacturer, but do not guarantee that the network is able to transmit data efficiently. Let’s see what this means in detail by analyzing more closely because sometimes the cell phone has a full signal, but the Internet is not working.
Different algorithms, different signals: the notches of the smartphone
Steve van Skikesenior manager of testing and regulation at Nextivitya company that develops processors and devices to improve cell phone reception, he told the tech news site Digital Trends that there is no universal standard that establishes what signal level each notch should correspond to. Each manufacturer can adopt a custom algorithm with which to transform the information collected by the phone’s radio into an indicator that is graphically understandable to the user.
In general, a greater number of bars indicates a better signal but, as the expert just quoted explains «there are cases in which interference or problems of capacity and you can have many signal bars, but this does not mean that the service is at all reliable».
The crowding of cell phones
This is because power is not the only factor that determines the quality of your Internet signal. Let’s think about one for a moment crowded stadiumfor example during a football match or a concert: even if your phone receives the signal well, thousands of people they may try to use the network simultaneously. As a result, the connection can become slow or unreliable, even if the phone’s display shows all or almost all signal bars.
The reason is that the mobile network not only needs to reach the device, but also handle the traffic generated by users. When you connect, your phone communicates detected radio conditions to the network. The network, in turn, tries to assign the most suitable resources, choosing elements such as the technology used, the frequency band and the communication channel. This means that if thecrowding of telephone cells present in the area is high, the connection quality will be affected.
The Internet connection indicator not updating in real time
Then there is another detail: the indicator may not update in real time. In some tests carried out by van Skike, phones left for were observed over 15 minutes without changing the number of bars displayed. In such cases, what is shown on the screen may not reflect the actual signal conditions at a given time. This is why moving the phone a few centimeters, lifting it above your head or moving away from/closer to a window may not necessarily produce immediate and visible changes in the indicator.
