What is a good signal strength in dBm for 4G and 5G?

For 4G and 5G, a good signal strength in dBm is roughly −90 dBm or better, and anything above −80 dBm is excellent. Between −90 and −100 dBm is usable, while below −110 dBm you are close to losing service. Quality numbers such as SINR matter as much as the strength figure.

Good signal strength dBm ranges for 4G

On 4G, phones report RSRP, the received power of a reference signal the cell broadcasts. These are typical ranges, not hard limits, and different sources draw the lines a few dB apart:

• −80 dBm or higher: excellent. Fast data, clear calls, low battery drain.
• −80 to −90 dBm: good. Most things work well.
• −90 to −100 dBm: fair. Browsing and calls are fine; big downloads may slow down.
• −100 to −110 dBm: poor. Expect buffering, slow uploads and some dropped calls.
• Below −110 dBm: very poor. Service may come and go.

If you have not found the number on your phone yet, start with how to check your real signal strength on Android.

What about 5G?

5G phones report SS-RSRP, a similar measurement based on the 5G synchronisation signal. The same rough bands apply: −80 dBm or better is excellent, −90 or better is good, and −100 or below is weak.

There is one twist. Many 5G networks still lean on 4G in the background, a setup called non-standalone 5G. Your phone may show a weak 5G reading alongside a strong 4G one, and use both. If 5G falls too low, the phone quietly moves back to 4G, which is often why 5G keeps dropping to 4G.

5G on very high frequencies, known as millimetre wave, behaves differently again. It can be very fast but loses strength quickly through walls, bodies and even leaves.

Strength is only half the picture

A good signal strength dBm reading tells you the cell is loud. It does not tell you whether the signal is clean. Two quality figures fill the gap.

RSRQ (reference signal received quality) compares the useful signal with everything else your phone hears. Typical ranges:

• −10 dB or higher: good
• −10 to −15 dB: fair
• Below −15 dB: poor

SINR (signal to interference plus noise ratio) compares the useful signal with interference and background noise. Typical ranges:

• Above 20 dB: excellent
• 13 to 20 dB: good
• 0 to 13 dB: fair to poor
• Below 0 dB: the noise is louder than the signal

You can see a strong −75 dBm with a SINR near zero, for example when you are high up in a flat and can hear several masts at once. Data will feel slow even though the strength looks great.

What each range is good enough for

It helps to think about the tasks you care about rather than the numbers alone. As a general guide on 4G or 5G:

1. Messaging and email usually work even at −105 dBm, because they need very little data.
2. Voice calls are generally reliable down to about −100 dBm. Below that, words may break up.
3. Music streaming and web browsing feel smooth at −95 dBm or better.
4. Video streaming prefers −90 dBm or better with decent SINR.
5. Video calls and online gaming want a strong, stable signal, ideally −85 dBm or better, because they need good upload and steady delay.

Weak signal also costs battery. When the signal is poor, your phone transmits harder to be heard, so it drains faster in places with bad coverage.

Why your phone and your friend's phone disagree

Two phones on the same network in the same room can show readings several dB apart. Antenna design, case material, how you hold the phone and which band each phone is using all play a part. One may be on a low band that travels far but carries less data; the other may be on a higher band that is weaker but faster.

So when you judge whether you have a good signal strength in dBm, compare readings on the same phone, in the same position, over time. That tells you far more than a one-off comparison between two devices.

If your reading is poor

A low number has three kinds of fix: move, switch, or ask.

• Move to a window, a higher floor or the side of the house facing the nearest mast. Finding the best signal spot walks through this.
• Switch to Wi-Fi calling indoors, or try a different network mode in your phone's mobile network settings.
• Ask your carrier, with evidence, if the signal used to be good and has dropped.

How CellRadar helps

CellRadar shows your live signal in dBm with the network type, band and cell ID, and says in plain words whether the reading is good, fair or poor. The signal history keeps your readings over time and can be saved as a PDF or CSV report if you need to show your carrier. It measures and explains; it cannot raise the number itself.

Frequently asked questions

Is −95 dBm good for 4G?

It is fair. Browsing, music and calls should work, but video and large downloads may slow down, especially if the signal quality is also low.

What is a good SINR?

Above 13 dB is good and above 20 dB is excellent. Near or below 0 dB, interference is drowning out the signal.

Why is my 5G reading lower than my 4G reading?

5G often runs on higher frequencies that lose strength faster through walls and over distance. A lower 5G number in the same spot is normal.

Does a better dBm number always mean faster data?

No. A strong signal on a busy or noisy cell can still be slow. Check the quality numbers and run a speed test too.