People only just learning what the 'E' signal symbol means on your cell phone

There's nothing more annoying than trying to connect to the internet when you're in a low-signal area - especially when you need Google Maps. If you're not lucky enough to snag some WiFi from a nearby hotel, pub, or petrol station, you'll probably see that dreaded 'E' symbol pop up on your phone.

A puzzled Quora user queried: "What does an 'E' mean on my cellphone signal? " Some folks think it means 'emergency', but that's a myth. Enviofone clears up the confusion, explaining that the 'E' stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GMS Evolution, also known as Enhanced GPRS.

Their statement clarifies: "This is the second slowest mobile network, and it's usually the last network a modern smartphone will connect to. You'll typically see speeds around 400 Kbit/s, which is significantly faster than GPRS but still isn't fast enough to browse the internet.

"Texts will send slightly quicker and calls are more likely to connect though." As your signal gets stronger, your phone will level up to 3G, then 4G and 5G if it's up to date with the latest tech. But keep an eye out for the 'H' symbol too as it means you're on High-Speed Packet Access.

The statement added: "This is still a very common network and most smartphones connect to it regularly when newer networks aren't available. You should be able to browse the internet and stream audio/video on this network, without many issues, thanks to its 7 Mbit/s speed. Texts and calls will usually be fine, but you probably won't be able to download a film or any large file in a reasonable amount of time.", reports the Mirror .

"However, H continued to evolve, becoming H+. H+ can usually provide really decent speeds of up to an impressive 168 Mbit/s a big improvement from the original H speeds. Using H+, you'll probably be able to use your phone as normal in terms of internet, text and call usage you just might notice the speed is slightly slower than 4G."

Read more: Sign up to Mirror US's SMS updates for the latest straight from the newsroom

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US .

But your spot on the globe isn't the lone factor affecting your signal strength, the age of your device also plays a significant role. As per an additional statement: "The newer your phone is, the better signal it will receive. Phones are manufactured with improved chipsets and antennas to keep up with mobile network developments. For example, if you bought your current device before 4G was rolled out, it's unlikely that your phone will support LTE networks, meaning it won't be able to access them at all."

"Your phone's ability to maintain a good signal is also impacted by its software - meaning it is important to keep it up-to-date with the latest updates. If your phone is damaged in any way, it's possible this damage is creating an interference with your network connection or worse yet, the antenna itself may be damaged."

Got a story to share? Reach out to us at paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.