4G LTE Signal Strength Reference Guide
The following indicators are used to determine the quality of a 4G LTE signal. The charts indicate rough guidelines as to what constitutes a particular level of quality, ranging from excellent to unusable.
To avoid performance issues none of these values should be in, or dip into the red. Optimal performance is achieved when all values are in the green.
Diagnosing Signal Issues
There are many reasons why signal performance can vary significantly, which is why it is important to accurately diagnose your signal issues so that the correct solution can be implemented. For more information on how to diagnose signal issues see our Guide to Understanding Poor Mobile Coverage, which contains advice that applies to mobile phones and mobile data devices.
RSRP - Reference Signal Received Power
| RSRP | Quality | Description |
| ≥ -80 dBm | Excellent | Strong signal enabling maximum data capacity |
| ≥ -90 dBm | Good | Good signal and speeds with no dropouts expected |
| ≥ -110 dBm | Fair to Poor | Fair/usable signal with possibility of dropouts and slowdowns |
| ≤ -120 dBm | Unusable | No usable signal - expect frequent disconnections and sluggish performance |
RSRQ - Reference Signal Received Quality
| RSRP | Quality | Description |
| ≥ -5 dBm | Excellent | Strong signal enabling maximum data capacity |
| ≥ -8 dBm | Good | Good signal and speeds with no dropouts expected |
| ≥ -10 dBm | Fair to Poor | Fair/usable signal with possibility of dropouts and slowdowns |
| ≤ -20 dBm | Unusable | No usable signal - expect frequent disconnections and sluggish performance |
SNR - Signal to Noise Ratio
This is the ratio of interfering noise to the actual signal you are using. The higher the ratio, the louder and clearer your signal can be "heard" over all the background noise, leading to better performance. While it is possible for our modems to transmit some data in a negative signal to noise ratio you will certainly not find it to be the best experience, which is why recommend keeping it above 0 dB, which represents the signal and noise levels being equal to one another.
| RSRP | Quality | Description |
| ≥ 15 dB | Excellent | Strong signal enabling maximum data capacity |
| ≥ 10 dB | Good | Good signal and speeds with no dropouts expected |
| ≥ 3 dB | Fair to Poor | Fair/usable signal with possibility of dropouts and slowdowns |
| ≤ 0 dB | Unusable | No usable signal - expect frequent disconnections and sluggish performance |
