Cellular networks are comprised of single cell towers covering areas with their signal, overlapping into as close to complete coverage for users as possible. Every cell user has experienced the “dropped call” or the lack of bars that illustrates a weak signal. These issues cause a poor user experience, and cell phone carriers are continually fighting the battle to improve the customer experience through more robust signals and greater connectivity. This means creating not only a network of towers that will provide as close to complete coverage without gaps as possible, but additionally the redundancy of a single tower which might be rendered offline should be compensated for by the surrounding towers. These issues are common, and as a result customers will move between carriers seeking a better experience for lower prices. This is where technology outside of the common equipment used in the process comes into play.
The cell tower functionality is created through a connection between the RRH (remote radio head) and the BSU (base station unit.) While there is certainly more equipment involved in the process, these two main components essentially connect the top of the tower where the signal is received and sent with the bottom where it is processed. Lightning strikes to the top of a cellular tower can damage the RRH, and unfortunately provide a path for the subsequent power surge to travel to the BSU, harming all downstream equipment. This means that a single strike to the tower top can damage all of the involved equipment, magnifying the damage levels far beyond the isolation of the strike point. Only through integrated surge protection devices that are technologically advanced is any damage beyond the strike point able to be minimized. Raycap creates this technology, and through the integration of the advanced products that Raycap creates, cellular networks are able to provide better service to their customers.
Every time a tower is taken offline by a lightning strike, the race to restore functionality begins. The customers do not care why they are getting weak signals, they only care that they are able to connect and have clear calls and fast data transfers. When a tower is rendered inoperable, the amount of time it will take to restore that portion of the network’s functionality is dependent on the amount of damage and the system in place that will restore the functionality itself. By simply integrating Raycap’s Strikesorb products into cell towers, a revolutionary “always on” functionality is added. A typical SPD needs to be replugged or reset physically in order to return to the on status, but Strikesorb technology does not ever need resetting, and can continue to work even right after diverting a surge. This means that system restoration times are reduced in every case involving these products, and ultimately a better customer experience is had by everyone affected by that particular outage. In addition, protection of equipment beyond that point enables the system to be restored with less component repair or replacement, ultimately resulting in lower consumer prices. Surge protection technology has an impact of everyday consumer’s lives in ways they may not even realize, but the improvement of that experience will be noticed.
