Is your mobile data slow? Here’s how to speed up your mobile data connection.
Wondering why your cellular data is so slow? There’s nothing more frustrating than a slow data connection on your phone. Whether you’re trying to watch a video or check Facebook on your phone, you pay for and expect a certain level of speed. When service fails to meet that level, it’s easy to get upset.
1. Restart Your Phone
This seems like a cliché fix, but it often works. Restarting your phone should fix sluggish cellular data speeds, especially if you haven’t turned it off in a while. For most Android phones, you just need to hold the power button until the power options appear on the screen, then tap Restart.
2. Change Locations
Many factors can result in slow LTE service. These include weather, network congestion, and even solar activity. But chief among these are geography and buildings. If you’re in a remote area, or there are a lot of natural barriers around you (such as hills, mountains, and valleys), they can affect your signal. The same goes for buildings. You could be in the middle of a heavily populated urban area with full bars, then wonder why your data is so slow when you enter certain structures.
3. Update And Disable Apps
Sometimes a troublesome app can cause issues by hogging your data connection and slowing it down. In such a case, you’ll want to do a little investigating to see what, if anything, is eating into your speed. If it turns out there is something amiss, you can disable the app’s access to your cellular data connection or uninstall it.
4. Disable Data Saver/Low Data Mode
Both Android and iOS contain modes designed to reduce your data usage. These are handy if you have a limited amount of data, but can also make it seem like your service connection is slow. Try disabling these modes and see if everything feels faster.
5. Disconnect From Your VPN
VPNs provide anonymity and privacy, but they can also slow down your speeds when using remote servers. Thus, if your phone is connected to a VPN, try disconnecting and try again.
6. Check For Network Outages
Though mobile carriers love to tout their reliability, outages happen all the time. These outages often account for reduced speeds or even lost connections. If you’re still experiencing slow mobile data at this point, it’s a good idea to check for outages with your carrier before calling in.
