Investigation of Global System for Mobile Communication Signal Coverage in Faculty of Engineering, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Communication has gained increasing role in human daily living than before. However, there is a need for more improved and efficient technology. GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) has proven to be a key player in providing these services. Hence, this work is aimed at investigating the signal coverage of various GSM network providers (MTN, GLO. AIRTEL and 9MOBILE) available in the Faculty of Engineering, Rivers State University. In this work, analysis of GSM signal quality was carried out by first identifying twenty (20) strategic points of measurements starting at a central point which was assumed to be the middle of the faculty and spreading out in four (4) cardinal points (North, East, West and South) using an interval of 35metres between two consecutive measuring points with the aid of Google Earth Map. The measurements were carried out weekly in each of the locations for three (3) consecutive months (August – October 2020). Network Cell Info App was used to measure the received signal strengths, the results obtained were interpreted graphically for the four networks (MTN. GLO, AIRTEL and 9MOBILE). The signal strengths ranged from -92dB to -56dB which showed that MTN and GLO are the networks with optimal coverage in the faculty. The AIRTEL and 9MOBILE network fluctuate in some locations within the faculty.