Mobile Communication Signals Channels and Indoor Penetration Loss in 4G/LTE Network at Different Location in Kazaure, Nigeria

This study presents an in-depth analysis of mobile communication signal channels and indoor penetration loss across various locations in Kazaure, Nigeria. Field measurements were conducted using multiple mobile frequency bands (900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz) at selected residential, commercial, and institutional sites. Signal strength was recorded both outdoors and indoors at varying distances from cell towers, and penetration loss (PL) was calculated by comparing received signal levels across environments. Based on field measurements spanning both legacy GSM (900/1800 MHz) and 4G/LTE (800/2600 MHz) bands, indoor reference signal power (RSRP) was recorded across typical Hausa‑vernacular dwellings including walled mud houses with corrugated‑iron roofs under various corrosion states, sand‑crete block homes, as well as thatched roofs and zinc roofing seen in newer constructions and compared with nearby outdoor benchmarks, following methods similar to Danladi et al. [1] and Akanni et al. [2]. Hence, the results revealed that signal attenuation indoors varied significantly depending on building structure and material composition, with concrete buildings showing an average penetration loss of 12-18 dB, while wooden or less dense structures showed lower losses between 6-10 dB. Additionally, 2100 MHz frequencies (4G/LTE) experienced higher penetration loss than lower bands due to shorter wavelength and higher susceptibility to physical obstructions. The study concludes that optimizing indoor coverage in Kazaure requires both frequency-aware planning and strategic deployment of indoor signal boosters or small cells.