Strength of the FP2 antenna

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1

Hello, Before buying the FP2, which seems to be a very good idea, I would like to know the strength of the antenna, as I will be staying in rather remote areas. This strength should be expressed in dB, if I am informed well.
Please do not answer that this strength is not important as friends showed me the difference in practice…
Thank you!

2

There are many factors - not only the antenna gain - that influence the usability of a phone in a remote area. Just a quick overview:

  • Provider coverage
  • Topography: In mountain areas the radio signal can reach you through different paths at the same time causing the signal cancelling itself out through interference.
  • Frequency: The 900 MHz band used by “standard” GSM 900 networks has better penetration of buildings than GSM 1800.
  • Antenna gain (that’s what you are asking about).
  • Antenna matching: The internal resistance (impedance) of the antenna has to match the impedance of the transceiver, otherwise you have signal loss. This is mainly a question of design.
  • Receiver sensitivity and signal to noise ratio.
  • Transmit power.

Personally I am satisfied with the FP2’s RF performance. Inside I get a much better signal (GSM 900) than with my Samsung Galaxy S3 mini that I was using before I got the FP2.

4 Likes
3

Thank you very much. Indeed the antanne strength is nog the only factor.
But for the outdoor use I aim for it seems one of the more important factors.
I will try if FP itself will give me the desired information.

Tahanx once more,
Lies

4

Well, not much of a reaction from the helpdesk yet.
I found an article giving some general information and tests concerning the antenna and the effect of the body/head/hand onthe receiving/transmitting power. Seems interesting…
https://www.pts.se/upload/Rapporter/Tele/2016/MobilephoneTest2016-augusti-2016.pdf
But what could this mean for the FP2? Or can FP give more information?

5

Update:
shortly after writing my last message I got an answer from “Gino”. Interesting stuff, but nothing to do with antenna strength. I start wondering if Gino is human…

For your information:

Gino (Fairphone) Sep 28, 12:04 CEST wrote:

Dear Liesje,

Thanks for your message. SAR stands for specific absorption rate, which is a
measure of how much radio frequency (RF) energy is absorbed by your body
when using an electronic device like a mobile phone. In the EU, SAR
limits are governed by the European Committee for Electrotechnical
Standardization (CENELEC). Here, any mobile device with a SAR of 2.0
Watt per kilogram (W/kg) or less averaged over 10 grams of tissue is
considered safe for consumer use.

SAR is calculated for two
areas: the head and the rest of the body. During testing, the phone’s
radio is set to its highest transmission level for each frequency. For
the head rating, the phone is placed directly next to the head to
simulate actual calling behavior. For the body rating, the phone is
positioned 5 mm away from the body.

The SAR of the Fairphone 2 is
relatively low: 0.288 W/kg for the head and 0.426 W/kg for the body.
There’s a lot of research out there about the effects of exposure to
radio frequency, but many remain inconclusive. If you would like to
research more, see the World Health Organization and we invite you to share your opinions with us below.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again.

Kind regards,

Gino
EN NL GER

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