What is good signal on RSRP?
Let me help you understand this in a way that connects directly with how you use your mobile network. When we talk about LTE performance, one of the key indicators we often refer to is RSRP — that stands for Reference Signal Received Power. It plays a major role in evaluating the quality of signal your device is receiving from the LTE network.
To put it simply, RSRP measures the power level of the reference signals transmitted by the cell tower. It’s like a way for the network to whisper, and your device listens carefully to determine how clearly that whisper is heard.
So, what value indicates a “good” RSRP? Here’s a quick breakdown to guide you:
| RSRP Value (in dBm) | Signal Quality | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| -80 dBm or better | Excellent | You’re getting very strong signal reception. Data speeds and voice quality should be optimal. |
| -80 to -90 dBm | Good | Still a strong signal. You should experience stable connectivity and decent throughput. |
| -90 to -100 dBm | Fair | Signal is acceptable, but performance may fluctuate in high load or during handovers. |
| -100 to -110 dBm | Weak | Connectivity issues might begin here. You may notice slower data or minor call issues. |
| Below -110 dBm | Poor | Signal is too weak. Expect call drops, low speeds, or failure to connect. |
As we’ve discussed in earlier topics like RSRQ and SINR, RSRP doesn’t act alone. You need to consider other metrics too. Even with strong RSRP, if SINR (Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio) is poor, your experience might still be subpar. That’s because RSRP tells you how much power you’re getting, but SINR reveals how clean that signal is from interference and noise.
Now, you might wonder — if I have low RSRP, does it always mean bad performance? Not necessarily. If interference is minimal and you’re close to the cell tower, your phone can still perform well even with slightly lower RSRP values. But ideally, you want to be in the -80 to -90 dBm range for consistent performance.
From a practical viewpoint, when you’re indoors or in a dense urban area, signal strength often drops due to walls, materials, or surrounding buildings. That’s where operators use techniques like carrier aggregation and small cells to improve signal reception, which we’ve covered in articles about LTE carrier aggregation.
If you’re troubleshooting connectivity or optimizing your network, understanding RSRP helps you evaluate where signal enhancements are needed — maybe using external antennas or repeaters in low-signal zones.
So, next time you check your LTE diagnostics or field test info, look at RSRP and use this guide to interpret your signal quality. It’s one of the first steps in analyzing network performance from the user equipment perspective — something we’ll explore deeper when we talk about RRC measurements and mobility.