Wireless Signal Series: What are wireless signals on Android phone

Smart phones like Android phone usually receive three or four wireless signals. People is easily confused about these signals and puzzled about how to disable these wireless signals.

Here is some description about what wireless signals are on Android phone and other smart phones.

1) Mobile network. This is the signal from mobile carriers like Verizon, AT&T, T-mobile, and Sprint. You need to pay these carriers to use this signal. Based on mobile network signal, there are voice service (phone call), text message service, and data service. For the data service, there is 2G and 3G network signal. For Android phone, you can set them from Menu -> Wireless & Network -> Mobile networks.

2) Wi-Fi. This is the signal from your home wireless router, your company wireless data network, wireless network in public libraries, hot spot in cafe shops, bookstores, car service waiting rooms, airports, etc. You can use Wi-Fi to access Internet. More and more places offer Wi-Fi signals, free or not. For example, in November 2009, Google announced that it offers free Wi-Fi in 47 airports and on Virgin America airplanes. For Android phone, you can view what Wi-Fi signals are available from Menu -> Wireless & Network -> Wi-Fi settings.

3) Bluetooth. This is a short distance wireless signal. You can use it to connect with laptop or car with bluetooth functionality to transfer data. Or you can use bluetooth headphone to make phone call when you drive (strongly discouraged!). For Android phone, you can view bluetooth setting from Menu -> Wireless & Network -> Bluetooth settings.

4) GPS. This is a wireless signal sent from satellites about your phone location (latitude and longitude) about the phone. It's free. But sometimes it may be battery power consuming.

How can we disable all these wireless signals or individual wireless signals on Android phone?

1) To disable all signals (except GPS signal), use airplane mode. Menu -> Wireless & Network, check Airplane Mode. It disables phone and data service provided by mobile carrier, Wi-Fi, and bluetooth. But it does not disable GPS signal. You want to need this because you are required to do so on the flight, you are sitting in a meeting room, or you put your phone besides the bed, but do not want someone to interrupt your sleep by phone call or incoming email notification. Read this article for more information about airplane mode and airplane mode difference between Nexus One ((Android 2.1)) and G1 Dream (Android 1.6).

2) To disable GPS signal, go Menu -> Location & Security settings, and then uncheck Use GPS satellites. You want to do this because you want to save battery life.

3) To disable bluetooth signal individually, go Menu -> Wireless & Network, and then uncheck bluetooth. You want to do this because 1) you never use the bluetooth signal, like me, or 2) you are concerned about the bluetooth radiation.

4) To disable Wi-Fi signal individually, Menu -> Wireless & Network, and then uncheck Wi-Fi. You want to do this sometimes because you want to save battery life.

5) To disable data service provided by carrier, you can install an app called APNDroid (APN stands for Access Point Names) to do this. You do this when you want to use Wi-Fi rather than 2G/3G signal provided by mobile carrier to surf Internent. Why do you want to do this? a) In some phone service packages, data service is charged according to your usage. So when Wi-Fi signal is available, people want to use Wi-Fi signal to surf Internet for free instead of pay usage fee to mobile carreirs. b) In many cases (not always), Wi-Fi data transfer speed is higher than 3G mobile network.

Update on January 19, 2009: add a link about airplane mode.