Building Materials That Kill Your Cell Signal

Consistent and robust cell signal isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for business survival. As business reliance on wireless connectivity continues to increase, any disruption to cell signal could mean significant losses for a business. Unfortunately, both modern architectural standards and existing building infrastructure often present a notorious roadblock to connectivity –  building materials that sabotage cell signal.

The consequences of poor cell signal within commercial buildings of any size are far-reaching. Communication inside them becomes unreliable, hindering productivity. Employees may struggle to make calls, experience dropped connections, and have trouble accessing mobile data services. And in emergency situations such as natural disasters or accidents, having consistent cell signal can be a matter of life and death.

This article will shed light on the common business building materials that impede your cell signal causing missed calls, slow data speeds, and overall communication breakdowns. We’ll also discuss strategic tools, such as weBoost signal boosters, that can enhance cell signal strength to give your business the best chance of success.

What materials block your cell signal?

Concrete

Concrete is the backbone of modern construction and is known for resilience, fire-resistance, and durability. This makes it a top choice for business premises. However, these same properties make concrete a formidable adversary of cell signals. Concrete structures tend to block the radio frequencies(RF), keeping cell signal from penetrating walls and reaching your devices. 

Research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) revealed that 203mm-thick concrete resulted in an attenuated signal loss of 55,1581 decibels at the frequency of 5 GHz. The study also identified reinforced concrete, brick-faced concrete, and brick-faced masonry blocks as some of the most challenging materials for Wi-Fi signal penetration.

Metal

Metal, a crucial component for constructing sturdy and long-lasting structures, is another major offender when it comes to blocking cell signal. Whether it’s metal siding, roofing, internal structures, or even HVAC systems in metal buildings, they all have the potential to interfere with cell signal by deflecting or disrupting it. 

In an era where energy-efficient buildings are increasingly in demand, the incorporation of metallic insulating materials can worsen the issue, creating barriers that drastically affect cell signal. The interference can be so profound that it can create dead zones where cell signal is virtually nonexistent.

Energy-efficient glass windows

The worthy pursuit of sustainability and energy efficiency has led many businesses to adopt Low-E (low emissivity) glass for their building windows. This type of glass uses a thin metallic coating to minimize the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that passes through. Unfortunately, this coating also minimizes a cell signal’s ability to pass through, substantially reducing your indoor cell coverage.

Drywall and wood

Although drywall and wood do not block cell signals as severely as concrete or metal, they can still contribute to signal degradation. When used excessively or in layered structures, these materials can absorb a portion of the cell signals, causing a drop in cell signal strength and reducing communication quality.

Brick and stone

Traditional brick and stone buildings look charming. However, beneath this charm lies a significant challenge for cell signal. Similar to concrete, the density of these materials can obstruct radio frequencies, impeding the smooth transmission of cell signal.

The solution: use weBoost’s technology for enhanced connectivity

So, how can your business overcome these architectural challenges to ensure seamless cell signal? The answer lies in weBoost’s cell signal boosting technology. weBoost provides an innovative solution to these problems through cell phone signal booster systems. 

Cell signal boosters are designed to overcome the interference caused by various building materials (as well as distance from cell towers). Using an outside antenna, these systems capture the outside signal from cell towers. The signal travels along a cable to a booster, which amplifies the signal to make it stronger. The inside antenna then broadcasts the enhanced signal inside the building. 

This process results in a significantly improved signal strength inside your business, even if your building is made of materials known to obstruct cell coverage. This means fewer dropped calls, faster data speeds, and a reliable connection for staff communication, customer satisfaction, app performance, file transfers, and more.

The benefits of a cell signal booster for businesses

Now that you know the basics, let’s take a deeper dive into the key benefits of cell signal boosters when building materials are hampering your business cell signal.

Enhanced coverage for everyone

Yes, a cell signal booster will get you significantly improved cell signal strength inside your building, even if it’s made with materials known to obstruct signal. Since business runs on connectivity, this means virtually everything you do will be faster, easier, and more reliable.

But cell signal boosters from weBoost aren’t limited to a single room or a small area. Depending on the model you choose, they can cover anything from a small professional office to a larger warehouse or distribution center. They’re capable of enhancing cell signals in multiple rooms or areas simultaneously, making them a practical solution for businesses of all sizes.

Perhaps best of all, they work for all users in the building simultaneously. Once your booster is installed, everyone on the premises will immediately benefit from the better signal.

Carrier agnostic

One of the greatest advantages of weBoost cell signal boosters is the fact that they’re carrier agnostic. Whether you, your staff, and customers use AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or any other carrier, a cell signal booster amplifies the signals from all major networks at the same time. So everyone has access to a stronger, more reliable signal 24/7.

Increased productivity

In our digital age, businesses rely on stable and strong cell signals for myriad daily operations, from conference calls and business apps to rewards programs and mobile checkouts. A cell signal booster ensures that you won’t lose a crucial business call or experience sluggish connectivity at critical times. The result is an overall boost in business productivity.

Better customer satisfaction

Whether it’s about keeping your customers informed or attending promptly to questions or feedback, a robust cell signal is indispensable. A cell signal booster ensures that you and your customers can communicate seamlessly back and forth. This leads to improved customer satisfaction, better reviews, and ultimately a healthier bottom line.

The takeaway

While it’s clear that certain building materials can detrimentally affect cell signal, thanks to cell signal boosting technology, architectural decisions don’t need to cripple your business communications. 

By taking advantage of technology signal boosters from weBoost, you can overcome the frustration of blocked cell signal and maintain strong, reliable cellular connectivity in your building. This way, you ensure that your operations, employees, and customers can support mission-critical operations to keep your business at the top of its game.

Don’t let building materials hinder your business growth – choose weBoost for seamless connectivity. Check our suite of products designed just for businesses – Installed | Office 200, Office 200, or Office 100.