• Cellular towers are a common sight around much of the developed world.Cellular communications tower image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
  
  Even though the ubiquitous cellular telephone threatens to turn traditional hard-wired communication into an anachronism, the technology is not perfect. Spotty coverage, dropped signals, and busy networks are three frequent cell phone issues that users experience. To stay ahead of the market, most carriers continue to work on improving quality.
  
  

Service Area

• The geographical area in which you can make or receive calls is your service area. Cell carriers can differ dramatically when it comes to how much area their signals cover nationwide. Some blanket their local areas but get spotty everywhere else. Others have invested the time and expense necessary to install signal towers around most of the country. Before you sign a long-term contract, scrutinize the coverage map your prospective provider gives you and make sure that it will be adequate to fulfill your communication needs.
  
  

Capacity

• Capacity is another issue related to coverage. Insufficient capacity is when call demand overwhelms the capability of a particular cell tower to handle the number of calls coming in. In that event, you hear a busy signal. Normally you can successfully place the call if you try again a few minutes later. Another solution is to drive to a location where your call would be handled by a different tower. The possibility of insufficient capacity is mentioned in the coverage details of every cellular contract you sign. Though it is in the carrier's best interest to have the best coverage and capacity, a network's reliability often depends on factors over which no one has control, like weather and terrain.
  
  

Dropped Calls

• Unlike with land-based telephones, with cell phones you don't get a buzz or signal in your ear when the other party accidentally disconnects a call or there is a problem with the line. On a cell phone, you can be relating the high points of your day for a minute or two before you realize there's no one listening. That's what a dropped call is. It occurs for a variety of reasons. If you're traveling, it can happen as you leave the coverage zone of one cell tower and enter another. Network software is supposed to smoothly switch your call to the second tower but if it doesn't, you find yourself the victim of a dropped call. At present, since cell phone calls happen over radio waves, most issues happen due to the limits of the technology.