How scary is this nightmare?  Baby Maggie (not scary)  Seed of Chucky (somewhat scary)  Rosemary's Baby (very scary)    View results

Ever feel like your phone is haunted? What else could explain the never-ending dropped calls, garbled words, and reception black holes? Along with poor customer service, reception problems top the list of complaints from cell phone users, in our experience. A static-filled conversation in which both parties constantly repeat themselves is not only annoying, it can also ruin a business deal. The horror!

1. Use your grace period
Every national wireless provider offers a grace period for terminating your contract, ranging from 14 to 30 days from the time you sign up for service. Use this time to determine how well your phone performs in the locations you use it the most, whether at home, the office, or on the road during your commute.

Don't waste your money on internal antenna boosters.

If reception is consistently poor--that is, the indicator on your phone's display regularly shows only one bar or none--then the problem lies with the strength of your provider's signal. In that case, it's time to try a new carrier. If the reception is strong, however, and you or your callers frequently complain of constant static or other anomalies, then you'll want to try a different phone. Although some users prefer phones with internal antennas because they're less obtrusive, handsets with external, extendable antennas can help boost the signal in areas where cell towers are widely dispersed. In either case, the best advice is to ask your neighbors which carrier they use, then ask to borrow their phone and test it in and around your home.

Note: Although you don't have to pay hefty early-termination fees when you cancel service within the grace period, you may be responsible for any usage fees that you've incurred.

2. Boost your signal
If you have problems with cell reception while you're in your car, you might be able to use a car kit to boost your phone's power. These kits usually require professional installation. They increase the maximum power of your phone's signal and route it to an external antenna on your car's windshield or roof. They also usually include a cradle that you dock your phone in when it's the car and a hands-free speaker and microphone.

You may see advertisements for cheap antenna boosters--small stickers that cost less than $20 (or are sometimes free with other accessories). You insert these stickers under your phone's battery. We haven't tested these, and there is no indication whatsoever that they actually work. Caveat emptor.