Is there an Android expert in the house …

… if so, could you please help with what seems to be a very simple requirement, but it has me defeated ?

My cheap & cheerful Alcatel 1S runs Android 11

Where I live is a ‘not-spot’ for 4G signals because the tower is shadowed by a cliff, but some nearby locations have nearly line-of-sight, and it would be convenient to identify them.

Signal Level can be accessed on the ‘phone but is buried under several layers of menu !

Is there any way that I can put a shortcut on the home-screen that takes me directly to the relevant page:

|Settings| |System| |About phone| |Status| 

… it would make life a little easier.

Thanks

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/09/2023 14:13:31

I'm no expert, but I couldn't find a way to easily display it, so I use Netmonitor app, which works well enough
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.parizene.netmonitor&hl=en&gl=US

Handy for WiFi strength too.

Bill

I can't help you with a shortcut Michael, but what would you do if you had one? The phone will select the "best" serving cell on your registered network and I don't think there's any way to change that and make it use a different one, unless you changed network. Something like Netmonitor could help, or you could install the Opensignal app.

https://www.opensignal.com/apps

**LINK**

At my property, the signal level is -100dB or worse

I know where the local tower is, and I know that there are dead-spots in the coverage

What I want to do is a quick check of signal level at any convenient point that I happen to find on my travels.

The ‘phone is difficult to use with my arthritic hands, and difficult to read without glasses … so I was just hoping for a slightly easier life.

MichaelG.

Right now I understand a bit more;
The other app I use is Network Cell Info; I use the free lite version and put up with the adverts which aren't too intrusive.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wilysis.cellinfolite&hl=en_GB&gl=US

It gives a nice clear easy to read display which might suit your needs without resorting to reading glasses.
The previous app I mentioned does have a rather small text.

I've never tried, but I think it allows you to build up a local signal strength map as well, though you might need the paid for version..

Bill

Bill, that's a cool app!

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Thanks, Bill … that looks very promising … I will download it forthwith !

The problem with the glasses is quite infuriating : For most of my life I was short-sighted, and needed to take my glasses off to do close work. But since I had the cataract surgery I am a little long-sighted [and fixed-focus], so I need to put glasses on to do anything closer than arm’s length away.

Very, very, pleased with the cataract job, but the performance with glasses and various magnifiers still doesn’t come instinctively.

MichaelG.

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Edit: __ having just read the recent reviews, I may ditch it after completing my local survey 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/09/2023 18:55:16

For me the app does what I need and seems to work OK, though I've not tried the local mapping; a number of the poor reviews seem to come from outside the UK.
Slight cellphone hitch round our way as the local conspiracy theorists set fire to the nearby mast on the 22nd.
Fortunately for me, not on Tesco/O2 network but still a pain for other users, as well as the guy who lost his HGV parked underneath.
Apparently, according to the bitchute videos, 23rd Sept was the trial date for 5G broadcast 18GHz pulses to enable the hidden viruses, and activate the graphine oxide, in the Covid vax jabs, with the full rollout on the 4th Oct, so I've no idea what they'll try and torch before then.

Re cataract surgery, I only had my right eye done as the left is largely still OK, so wouldn't have fallen within the grounds for a formal NHS referral. After discussing with the optician, our intention was to end up with balanced eyesight, as I'd still need glasses anyway for the left eye.
I'm used to just taking off the varifocals for closer bench work.
The eye hospital wanted to optimise for long sight in both eyes, and have my left eye done privately, but I did say I'd prefer what the optician and I had discussed.
The end result is, that the new right lens has left me long sighted, whereas the left eye is still short sighted, so daren't risk using machine tools as I can't judge close up distance.
I'm awaiting my 3rd prescription now, so hopefully I'll soon be back in the workshop again; as it stand at the moment I can see to drive on my left eye, as I can read distant and mid range number-plates etc fine, but struggle with any close work, and can't read newspapers etc.
I picked up two pairs of reading glasses from Aldi +1 & +3 and swapped one of the lenses over, so I can almost see to mend things on the bench; lining up the screwdriver with the screw is amusing, and I'm prone to soldering the wrong joints.

Bill

(I responded to this by starting a new thread to avoid a hijack here).

The App seems to be doing its job nicely … indicating a good wi-fi signal and ‘no connection’ on the cell : the needle hasn’t moved off the -141dB stop yet.

The proof of the pudding will come when I take it out for a walk tomorrow.

Good luck with the conspiracy nutters.

MichaelG.