Find Your Nearest 4G & 5G Cell Towers in Five Minutes or Less

Where are My 4G and 5G Cell Phone Towers Located?

At Wilson Amplifiers, we’re asked about AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and other carrier cell tower maps daily by people trying to improve their
poor cell signal or set up a cell phone signal booster.

Cellular providers don’t make this task easy. They only provide coverage maps, not cell tower maps, so it can be frustrating.

While it helps to understand the difference between 4G, LTE, and 5G, this article will show you the top 7 tools that’ll help you find a 4G or 5G cell tower near you. We’ve tested a bunch of methods, and these are the ones we believe work best. They can all be used to find Verizon cell towers, AT&T cell towers, T-Mobile cell towers, and more.

Top 7 Ways to Find Your Nearest 4G or 5G Cell Phone Tower

1) Try a Cell Tower Map Website

Cell tower maps make finding your closest 4G and 5G cell towers easy. By entering your zip code or address, the interactive map will generate cell tower locations near you. While easy and transparent, there’s no way to verify if it’s
100% accurate.

Cellular providers don’t publish official cell tower maps. They’re also constantly adding and removing services on cell sites. Thus, the information may be dated. Not to mention, cellular providers don’t like to share towers, so even if
you see one, there’s no guarantee it broadcasts your carrier’s bandwidths.

Nevertheless, cell tower map sites are a great place to start. When paired with other techniques (mentioned later), you can get as accurate a picture as possible.

#1 Cell Tower Map Website Recommendation

CellMapper:

CellMapper is a crowd-sourced cellular tower and coverage mapping service. They take the uploaded information and get details on individual antennas on each cell phone tower.

We’ve found CellMapper to provide the best and most up-to-date cell tower information. It displays 4G, LTE, and 5G cell tower locations from any major cell carrier. AT&T cell towers, Verizon cell towers, T-Mobile cell towers, and more will be displayed.

You can locate your closest cellular towers by either zooming in or entering your location. Clicking on the towers reveals estimated broadcasting patterns, max signal strength, frequency band info, address, and more. Unfortunately, CellMapper isn’t very user-friendly.

How to Use CellMapper:

Step 1: Select your Provider
Click the “Menu” widget on the top right corner and then click the “Provider” category. There, click on the “Provider” drop-down box to search for your carrier. You will see lots of provider options from all over the world. To make things easier, type in “310410” for AT&T, “310260” for T-Mobile, or “311480” for Verizon and select your carrier.

Step 2: Select Your Network

Still on the “Provider” category, click on the “Network” drop-down box. Choose either 4G or 5G to view cellular towers from each network. Within seconds, CellMapper will show you 4G or 5G cell tower locations.

Step 3: Find Your Location

You can pinpoint your desired area by zooming in, which is self-explanatory, or using the “Search” category. You have the option to click “Move to current location” or enter your street name, city name, or zip code.

Step 4: Identify Nearby Cell Phone Towers

You will see green and red cell towers. Green cell towers are verified, while red towers are unverified. Click on your closest cell towers to identify which towers broadcast in your direction. These will be your best friend. To learn more about the tower, reference the “Tower Info Menu” on the left.

Disclaimer: Cell Mapper does not show signal against geography, nor is it 100% accurate. It provides an approximate ray of signal per frequency. While we still recommend it as a resource, we cannot completely vouch for the information it provides.

The CellReception, Antenna Search, SCADACore, and
FCC sites are also good options for finding the locations of your
closer Version tower, T-Mobile tower, or AT&T tower. Though, the information provided is very thin and outdated. In some cases, however, they may provide cell tower location data that CellMapper doesn’t offer.

CellReception:

CellReception
CellReception shows cell tower maps and current user reviews in your area. They display towers registered with the FCC on Google Maps for convenient navigation. Search by zip code or city to find cell towers near you. After clicking search, you’ll have to scroll to the bottom to view cell towers in the specified area. Exact cell tower location is provided. Click on the ones closest to you for additional information.

AntennaSearch:

After entering your address, AntennaSearch will display all towers and antennas in its database within a 3-mile radius of your location. The tower and antenna info is listed by carrier or owner. You’ll need some patience to comb through and click around. The site provides insight on cell tower location, cell tower images, and more for the technically inclined. Network information is not available on this site.

SCADACore:

The cell tower information found on SCADACore is also sourced from the FCC website. It has over 25,000 locations with corresponding tower and radio information. You can pinpoint your location by entering your coordinates and zooming in. Click on the cell towers closest to you for additional location info. Tower data seems to be much thinner than that available on the websites listed above. It does not provide carrier or network information, so we only recommend this site as a last resort.

Cell Tower Map Websites at a Glance:

Website
CellMapper
CellReception
AntennaSearch
SCADACore
Carrier Info
Yes
Some
Some
No

4G Tower Locations
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

5G Tower Locations
Yes
No
No
No

Data Source
Crowd-Sourced
FCC Database
FCC Database
FCC Database

2) Download an App to Find Your Cell Tower Location

Cell tower locator apps are the most convenient way to find your closest T-Mobile cell phone tower as well as other carrier towers. Again, it’s hard to verify if the information is 100% accurate, but it’s a nice tool to have because it
gives you a general idea of where your towers are located.

Recommended Cell Tower Location and Coverage Quality Apps:

Network Cell Info Lite

Highly Recommended
For Android

Network Cell Info Lite is our top recommendation. However, it’s only available for Android.

This app not only shows your nearest cell tower, but will show its ID number as well as give you accurate signal strength readings in dB and dBm. dBm can be used as a direct measurement of signal strength, which is far more
reliable than the bars on your phone.

Our professional installers use this app more than any other.

weBoost

Recommended
For Android | For iPhone

Wilson Electronics, a leading signal booster manufacturer, understands the importance of finding your nearest cell tower. They’ve developed a user-friendly app for both Apple and Android devices. It uses your carrier’s
network and your location to provide accurate results.

To find your nearest tower, tap find on the bottom menu. The cell tower indicator will show you where to point your outside antenna for best results. It doesn’t get easier than that.

The weBoost app can also help you install your weBoost booster and measure your signal strength. A weBoost device is not
required to use the cell tower finder or signal measurement features.

OpenSignal

For Android |
For iPhone

OpenSignal uses crowdsourced and FCC tower location data to provide the best results. It’s our third-best cell tower locator app recommendation for Android users. It features an arrow widget that points in the direction of
the tower you are connected to and a cell tower map.

During testing, those features did not work on most iPhones. However, it does have up-to-date coverage heatmaps that work on both operating systems. This will help give you a better idea of weak and good coverage areas near
you (more so than your carrier’s coverage map). You also have the option to test your data speed, which can help iPhone users find the general
direction of their closest cell tower.

LTE Discovery

For Android

LTE Discovery is powerful, in-depth, and user-friendly enough. While it doesn’t show you exact cell tower locations, it has an arrow feature that points in the direction of the AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon cell tower you’re
connected to. It also displays dBm readings, frequency band info, and much more.

Cellular Network Signal Finder

For iPhone

Cellular Network Signal Finder pinpoints and identifies all carrier towers around you. The app developer strives to provide up-to-date tower location data and encourages users to report missing towers. You can tap on cell
sites near you for additional information, but free data is limited.

Cell Antennas

For iPhone

The Cell Antennas app doesn’t have the best ratings, but it’s one of the few iPhone cell tower locator apps that works. It also doesn’t have excessive in-app purchase pop-ups. Cell tower location data is sourced from the
FCC, so it may not be up to date. However, something is better than nothing. When you open the app, it automatically uses your location to display nearby cell towers.

While these apps don’t exactly show you how to boost network signal on Android or iPhone, they help determine the general location of your tower and provide information about the
quality of signal strength in your area.

Cell Tower Locator Apps at a Glance:

App
Network Cell Info Lite
weBoost
OpenSignal
LTE Discovery
Cellular Network Signal Finder
Cell Antennas
Best For
Android
Android & iPhone
Android
Android
iPhone
iPhone

Locator Method
Cell Tower Map
Cell Tower Pointer
Cell Tower Map & Pointer
Cell Tower Pointer
Cell Tower Map
Cell Tower Map

Carrier Filters Availability
None
None
None
None
Yes
Yes

Star Rating
4.3 Stars
3.4 Stars
4.3 Stars
4.2 Stars
2.5 Stars
2.3 Stars

3) Use Your Smartphone’s Antenna to Find Your Cell Tower Location

Of course, your phone needs a signal to work, so why not reverse engineer the process to see where the closest cell tower is at?

But first, a short and informative explanation about cell phone signal strength.

Cell phone signals are measured in dBm (decibel-milliwatts). They’re basically radio waves, the AM/FM kind. All cellular devices operate within -50 dBm to -120
dBm.

-50 dBm is considered full strength (full bars). -120 dBm is considered a dead zone (no service).

However, it’s up to each carrier to define which dBm range correlates to the number of bars.

There’s no industry standard for dBm signal strength and the number of bars. What’s 1 bar on T-Mobile could be 3 bars on AT&T or 2 bars on Verizon, DESPITE receiving the exact same signal and performing at the exact same speeds.

Your number of bars is subjective across all carriers and devices.

But dBm readings are not subjective. They’re pure science and math. The closer you are to -50 dBm, the better your signal. The closer to -120 dBm, the worse your signal. Most smartphones have the native ability to display dBm readings.

How to Access Your dBm Signal (Field Test Mode):

For iPhone Users

Starting with iOS 11 and 12, Apple has hidden dBm readings in the iPhone field test mode. However, depending on your iPhone chipset (Intel or Qualcomm) and your carrier (Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile), you may be able to find
your dBm readings through this workaround.

For iOS 16:

• Dial *3001#12345#*
• Tap RsrpRsrqSinr
• Your dBm is read as rsrp.

For iOS 15:

• Dial *3001#12345#*
• Your dBm may be visible on the dashboard’s RSRP section. If not…
• Tap the Menu Tab on the top right corner.
• Tap Cell Info.
• Your dBm is read as rsrp.

Visit How to Read Cell Phone Signal Strength for Field Test Mode instructions on older iPhone generations.

If you’re unable to find any of these options during your field test mode process, you most likely have an incompatible carrier and chipset. The next best method is performing a speed test around areas inside and outside your home. You can use the OpenSignal app for this.

Once we crack the code on iPhone dBm readings, we’ll update you as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can ask Apple to make dBm info easily available for all iPhones. Maybe if enough people reach out, their next software update will include an improved field test mode.

For Android Users:

Field test mode on Android varies by phone model and Android OS version. However, it’s generally found under the Settings menu.

Typical sequence:

• Tap Settings
• Tap About Phone
• Tap Status or Network
• Tap SIM Status
• Your dBm is under Signal Strength

If this did not work for you, visit How to Read Cell Phone Signal Strength for alternative sequences.

Once you have field test mode or your speed tester ready, walk around inside and outside the perimeter of your home. Make note of which areas get the best dBm reading or the fastest speeds. This shows you the general direction of your
cell tower and which rooms inside your home have the best reception.

4) Check Cell Tower Company Websites

Cell tower companies keep records of the cell towers they own and manage. You can find these maps on their website. SBA Communications, Crown Castle, and American Tower are the top three cell tower companies in the US.

SBA Communications and Crown Castle cell tower maps are pretty easy to navigate. Both allow you to zoom in or search by address. SBA offers additional search options. You can also search by site ID/name or coordinates. American Tower requires you to have an account to view their cellular tower map.

While a helpful resource, they do not disclose which cellular providers operate on said cell towers.

5) Try Wardriving

Wardriving is the act of searching for wireless networks while moving in a motorized vehicle. In this case, you’d be searching for the physical location of your closest Verizon cell tower, AT&T cell tower, T-Mobile cell tower, or US
Cellular cell tower.

You’ll need a signal strength reader and a tower identifier (PCI or eNodeB ID). The tower identifier is typically available in certain
signal strength apps like Network Cell Info Lite and on some iPhones via Field Test Mode.

Using the signal strength app, walk around your home to identify the cell tower that delivers the strongest signal. If the tower identifier consonantly changes, that means there are multiple towers nearby. Once you have the PCI or
eNodeB ID you want to hunt for, start wardriving towards the tower. Eventually, you’ll see it.

Wardriving allows you to see exactly how far the cell site is from your home as well as all the obstacles in the way. If you’re lucky enough to have multiple towers close by, you’ll be able to easily identify which one is best to point
your signal booster antenna towards.

6) Update Your Phone to New Cell Towers

Usually, your phone is connected to the nearest cell tower. However, it’s possible your carrier has installed a new tower in your area, added an antenna to a nearby tower, or recently configured their towers. Performing a tower update
is simple, but it varies for each carrier and device.

AT&T Cell Tower Update

For iPhone

There are three basic methods to update the latest AT&T cell tower on your iPhone:

Turn Network Off and Back On

Tap the “Airplane” icon to turn it on and then tap it again to turn it off to reconnect to the network. This is far and away the simplest method.

Download iPhone Carrier Update

1. Connect your iPhone to your Wi-Fi network or the AT&T network. Swipe up on the iPhone screen to show the iPhone Control Center and then tap the “Wi-Fi” icon to turn it on.
2. Tap the “Settings” icon on your iPhone’s home screen and then tap the “General” option.
3. Tap “About” and then tap “Install” to install a carrier update for your iPhone if an AT&T carrier update is available.

Restart iPhone

Should these fail, try the standard off and on again strategy.

For Android

There are three basic methods to update the latest AT&T cell towers with your Android device:

Turn Network Off and Back On

Swipe down from the top of the screen to show your device’s Quick Settings menu. Tap the “Airplane” button to turn it on. Wait 10 seconds and then tap the “Airplane” button again to turn it off. Your Android phone will
reconnect to the AT&T network. This is the fastest, simplest method to find the latest AT&T towers if you think you can find anything new.

Update Android Device

You can update your Android’s carrier settings by updating to the newest version of the Android OS available for your device.

1. Tap the “Settings” icon on your Android phone and then tap “About device.”
2. Tap the “Software Update” option and then wait for your AT&T Android phone to search for an update.
3. Tap “Install Now” to install the update on your Android device. Wait for the update to download and install on your device. Once the update has installed your Android will be using the newest carrier settings and the
   newest AT&T towers.

Restart Android Device

Should these fail, try the standard off and on again strategy. It usually works.

Verizon Cell Tower Update

Updating to the latest Verizon cell towers is a snap and can be done in several ways.

Restarting your device usually causes the location memory of your phone to reset, causing it to reach out to the nearest towers. If there’s a tower that’s popped up recently, your phone will find it.

Alternatively, you can simply dial “*288” and select “2” when prompted. This will cause your phone to update to local Verizon towers, which can take up to two minutes.

A final method is to dial “*22899” and press “Send.” A musical ringtone will play, and a recorded voice will instruct you to hold while your phone is being programmed. A few seconds later, you should hear a
few beeps, and “Programming Successful” will appear on your display. Your Verizon cell towers are now updated.

T-Mobile Cell Tower Update

To update your T-Mobile towers, you can try the AT&T method above, or this alternative restart method:

1. Power off your device
2. Remove your SIM card
3. Wait a minute or so
4. Insert SIM card and power your phone back on
5. Your phone should automatically perform a T-Mobile tower update.

US Cellular Cell Tower Update

The best method for US Cellular customers to update their cell tower is the restart method. Either go into Airplane mode on your phone (described above), or power your device off, remove your SIM card, wait
a minute, replace it, and power the device back on.

7) Use a Signal Meter to Find Your Cell Tower Location (Best Result)

Using field test mode, apps, and websites is generally a good way to locate your closest T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon cell phone tower. However, if you’re an installer, contractor, or pro who really wants to be accurate, then getting a signal meter is a no-brainer.

It’s a handheld device that:

• Tracks 4G & 5G signals
• Identifies individual carriers and towers
• Displays signal strength in dBm
• Offers details on location, tower ID, distance to tower, and more

Signal meters are a worthwhile investment for professionals in telecom or those who want a bulletproof setup.

A 4G only signal meter is also available.

How to Find 5G Towers Near Me?

Most of our tips work best for finding 4G cell towers. Pinpointing 5G tower locations is a bit more complicated.

As of right now, the best resource available to find your closest 5G cell towers is cellmapper.com. Simply choose your carrier, select 5G, and enter your address. We found that T-Mobile’s 5G tower map has the most data. For AT&T and Verizon, 5G cell site info is very thin. You’ll mostly see different shades of green and red squares. They represent the strength of the signal devices in that area received from nearby towers.

While 5G cell towers may not be labeled on the map, there might still be 5G cell towers near you. And you can use your phone to find their general direction. Before you start, though, make sure you’re in a 5G area. If you have a 5G phone and 5G is enabled, the 5G icon on the status bar is usually a tell-tale sign that it is. Wherever the signal is strongest shows you the general direction of the tower. If the icon isn’t visible or you don’t have a 5G device, your carrier’s 5G coverage map, Ooklas 5G map, and OpenSignal’s coverage maps are great resources. Though, they won’t display the exact tower location.

Knowing where your closest 5G tower is located can help you get better 5G signal, but it’s not a crucial step for most signal booster installations. Most signal boosters only boost 4G/LTE and low-band 5G, which performs very similarly to 4G/LTE. You don’t have to stress about finding your closest 5G tower.

Why Aren’t There Accurate Maps of Tower Locations?

Cellular providers are not required to publicly disclose their 4G and 5G cell tower locations. Most carriers prefer to keep that information on the down low due to safety and security reasons.

Most cell tower data is acquired through the FCC database and crowdsourcing. The FCC only requires AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and other carriers to register cell towers over 200 feet. There are tons of cell sites that aren’t that tall,
such as small cells, which are very important for 5G deployment. Also, crowdsourced data isn’t always correct.

Thus, cell tower locator maps aren’t 100% accurate.

Do Not Rely on Coverage Maps to Find Your 4G or 5G Towers

Coverage maps do not display T-Mobile cell towers, Verizon cell towers, AT&T cell towers, nor US Cellular cell towers. Their only purpose is to show their ESTIMATED 5G/4G coverage.

Many people assume having a nationwide carrier also means nationwide service. But, there are many pockets around the United States that aren’t served by certain service providers. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile’s
3G shut down and 5G rollouts have amplified this problem. While coverage maps do not help you find nearby cell towers, they can
help you figure out which carrier covers your area with 4G, LTE, or 5G.

If you’re subscribed to a carrier that’s not listed above, their coverage map should be available on their website.

These sites show an amorphous blob of various colors showing where coverage is supposed to be available. While you might find yourself covered, these maps are designed for marketing. They don’t display coverage strength. Hence spotty
cell signal, and why finding your cell tower can be important.

How Do Cell Towers Work?

Cell towers, also known as cell sites or base transceiver stations, are designed to send and receive radio frequency signals. They
typically consist of multiple antennas that broadcast 4G, LTE, and 5G frequencies in a specific direction. These frequencies vary across carriers.

Your cellular-enabled devices pick up your carrier’s frequencies allowing you to make calls, send texts, and browse the web. If the cell tower does not contain antennas that broadcast your carrier’s frequencies, or those antennas face
away from you, your connection will be wonky even if you live right next to an obvious cell tower.

To learn more about frequency bands, visit “Cellular Frequency Bands by Provider” or “5G Frequency Band Explained”.

How Far Can Cell Towers Reach?

Cell tower reach is a tricky thing. There are many variables that impact cell tower range, such as:

• Cellular frequency
• Antenna height
• Transmission power
• Weather conditions
• Obstructions

The number one contributor, though, is cellular frequency wavelengths. Lower frequencies have longer wavelengths, so they can travel farther distances. Higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths, allowing faster speeds and greater
capacity at the cost of a shorter range.

In general, though, 4G cellular towers have a range of about 10 miles. Of course, distance will vary from low to high 4G frequency bands. When it comes down to 5G cell towers, distance is significantly different across 5G bands.

5G Frequency Band
Deployment
Cell Tower Distance

5G Low-Band
600 MHz-1 GHz

Nationwide
Similar reach as 4G towers with slightly faster speeds

5G Mid-Band (Includes C-Band)
1-6 GHz

Metro Areas
Between .5 to 6 miles

5G High-Band (aka Millimeter-Wave)
24-47 GHz

Dense Urban
Up to 1,500 sq ft

Need to Get the Best Signal from Your Closest Cell Tower? A Signal Booster Can Help!

If you’re suffering from dropped calls, unsent emails, excruciatingly slow data, and poor signal, you basically have two options: depend on a landline WiFi connection or BOOST your cellular signal.

Cell phone boosters are powerful devices that communicate with your nearest cell tower, pull in the signal, amplify it, and then rebroadcast the boosted signal throughout your home or office. Now that you know how to find your closest
cell tower, installation is going to be much easier.

Here’s a quick signal booster rundown:

• Boosts 5G, 4G, and LTE signal for all phones, hotspots, and carriers.
• Legal and FCC-approved devices.
• Flexible solutions: 1-2 rooms up to 7,500 for homes, up to 100,000 sq ft for enterprise models.
• Better talk, text, and faster internet. Reliable connection & service.
• Complete kit, easy install, no monthly fees.
• More bars or YOUR MONEY BACK.

Interested in Learning More? Check Out Our Signal Boosting Info Center

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About The Author of This Article

Alex Baker

Senior Copywriter – Wilson Amplifiers

Alex has been studying all things signal boosters for the past 5 years. His technical knowledge is matched only by his writing prowess. In his spare time, he enjoys long walks, stimulating conversation, collecting video games, and trying unusual recipes.