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What is a cell tower? -

Cell base towers are communication structures that enable mobile network coverage and capacity.

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What are they used for? -

In other words, they serve as the intermediary between mobile devices and the telecommunications network.

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Cell tower function -

Cell towers, also known as cell sites, allow the surrounding area to use wireless communication devices like phones and radios.

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How do cell towers work? -

Cell towers function by receiving signals from your mobile device and converting these signals into a digital format.

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Routers -

These are then sent to their destination, either to another cell phone or onto the Internet.

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Transfer of data -

This transfer is achieved with a myriad of transceivers, digital signal processors, control electronics, and GPS receivers that facilitate wireless communication.

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Essential components -

Cell towers are, at their most basic level, radio signal transmitters. But they are a critical component in the cellular network.

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What do cell towers provide? -

Cell towers provide both geographical coverage and the capacity to handle thousands of calls or Internet connections at the same time.

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Signaling station -

A cell tower can send signals to mobile devices up to 20 miles (32 km) away in rural areas.

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Obstructed range -

In densely populated cities, however, the range might be reduced to 2 miles (3 km) or less even, depending on how many physical obstructions, like buildings, are present.

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Cell tower types -

There are four main types of cell phone towers: monopole, lattice, guyed, and stealth.

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Monopole -

Monopole towers are towers that consist of one main stem (or pole) that is anchored to the ground. One of the most popular structures in the wireless communication industry, monopoles are also one of the least intrusive and easiest communication towers to erect.

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Lattice -

A lattice tower is a freestanding vertical tower designed with rectangular or triangular bases. These robust structures have a tapering freestanding framework with three or four open-framed steel legs and generally stand between 200 and 400 feet (60 to 120 m). They provide a sturdy foundation for multiple antennas.

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Guyed -

Guyed towers are exceptionally tall, reaching heights of 2,000 feet (610 m). The masts are supported by guy wires and are designed with the ability to carry light antenna. Guyed towers are often found in open areas susceptible to strong winds.

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Stealth -

Stealth towers are essentially monopole towers, but in disguise. They are designed to blend into the surroundings and are often camouflaged as trees, flagpoles, or water towers to minimize their visual impact. Stealth towers are often constructed as such to comply with urban planning laws set by local authorities.

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The communication process -

The communication process starts when you make a call on your mobile device, such as a cell phone.

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Call signal -

This generates an analog call signal that needs to be transmitted to another device for communication.

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Transmitting process -

A transmitter in your cell phone converts this analog signal into a set of radio waves that are tuned to a specific frequency.

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Sending the signal -

These radio waves carry the call signal—essentially a modulated version of the user's voice or data— through the air and are caught by the closest cell tower's antenna.

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How radio waves are sent -

The antenna sends these radio waves down the length of the tower to a base station at the bottom of the structure.

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Backhaul data -

At the base station, the radio waves are transformed into what is known as backhaul data (the digital portion of the call). Backhauls are used to transport data between base stations and mobile devices via aggregation points.

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Aggregation points -

Aggregation points serve as hubs that collate this data before sending it to the mobile core network.

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Mobile core network -

The mobile core network works as a finder, identifying the most efficient path to route the call. It then directs the data to the cell tower that is closest to the receiver's mobile device, or, in other words, the person you are calling.

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Completing the cycle -

Once the receiving cell tower has acquired the data, the reverse process takes place, thus completing the routing cycle.

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Clear line of sight -

Seamless wireless transmission depends on a clear line of sight—the unobstructed path that radio waves travel from the transmitting antenna, such as a cell tower, to the receiving antenna.

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No signal? -

While a cell tower can send signals to mobile devices up to 20 miles (32 km) with a clear line of sight, a tower's range can be influenced by several factors, specifically geographical terrain, transmitter power, frequency band, and antenna height and design.

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Methods of tracking -

Cell phone towers can assist law enforcement in tracking those suspected of committing a crime and other persons of interest.

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Pinpointing a location -

For example, if a phone belonging to a murder suspect was in contact with a cellular tower near the scene of the homicide, at the time the crime was committed, that tends to place the suspect in the vicinity.

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Switching between cell towers -

While driving, your phone can switch from one cell tower to the next mid-conversation. As you continue your journey, the cell phone will pick the strongest signal and release the weaker cell tower, making it available to another caller.

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Cell tower triangulation -

The estimated location of someone using a mobile device can be determined as their cell phone "pings" a cell tower. This may be achieved via GPS data or by using cell tower triangulation.

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Valuable technique -

Obtaining a cell phone ping is a valuable technique that may be utilized for a variety of emergency situations.

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Are cell towers dangerous? -

The debate surrounding cell phone towers and public health is a contentious one. According to the American Cancer Society, there is currently no solid evidence that exposure to radio frequency waves from cell phone towers causes any noticeable health effects.

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Effects on human health -

However, in a 2023 report, ProPublica, an independent, nonprofit newsroom, suggested that cell phone radiation is possibly carcinogenic to humans. Furthermore, the array of possible harms extend to effects on fertility and fetal development. ProPublica also cited the European Environment Agency as urging precautionary steps to limit wireless exposure, especially for children.

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Effects on birdlife -

And some evidence suggests that birds using cell towers as convenient nesting sites experience negative health effects; for example, some birds nesting in such places raise fewer chicks. But, notes the CBC, the research is controversial and no definitive results have been published. 

Sources: (Emerson) (Dgtl Infra) (American Cancer Society) (ProPublica) (European Environment Agency) (CBC)

See also: How your smartphone can lead to serious health problems

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