My house has exactly one spot where I can take a phone call without the other person saying “you are breaking up” — the bathroom window, standing on my toes, leaning left. I have taken work calls in that bathroom more times than I care to admit.

A cell signal booster costs $200-500 and requires mounting an antenna outside. Before you spend that money, try the free things. Some of them work surprisingly well.

Enable WiFi Calling

If you have decent home internet, this solves the problem instantly. WiFi Calling routes calls and texts through your WiFi network instead of the cell tower. On iPhone: Settings > Cellular > WiFi Calling. On Android: Settings > Connections > WiFi Calling. Turn it on, and your phone uses whatever connection is stronger.

Most carriers support it, and it is free. The call quality is often better than cellular because it is not competing with every other phone in your neighborhood for tower space.

Find Where the Signal Lives

Building materials matter. Metal siding, concrete walls, low-E window coatings, and foil-backed insulation all block cell signals. Walk around your house while watching your phone’s signal bars (or dial *3001#12345#* on iPhone for the numeric dBm reading — lower negative numbers are better, -90 is decent, -110 is struggling).

Find the spot with the strongest signal. That is where you take important calls. Even moving from an interior room to a window can gain 10-15 dBm — the difference between a dropped call and a clear one.

Position Your Phone Strategically

Do not hold your phone with your hand covering the antenna bands — usually at the bottom of the phone. Use speakerphone or a headset so you can set the phone down in the best signal spot. Remove thick cases, especially metal-backed ones. A chunky OtterBox can knock off a few dBm just by existing between your phone and the tower.

I enabled WiFi Calling and now take calls from my actual desk instead of the bathroom. My coworkers have no idea they were on toilet speakerphone for six months.