Is there a standard way that cell phone manufacturers use to measure the signal strength?
Unfortunately, there is no standard way to measure signal strength. One of the steps Root Wireless performs to properly validate that its on-device metering software is working correctly, is to put each of the supported handsets in a lab which measures a known decibel rating against what the handset reads and displays in signal bars. Through its tests, Dicklin said, the company has seen rather large differences in how handset manufactures relate decibels to bars.
