The magic of cellular technology has allowed the world to become almost completely interconnected, when only 20 years ago it was not. Through the integration of internet technology into cellular devices, we are literally holding a connection to nearly anyone on the planet, and to most of the information available in the world. Access to information has always been the number one thing that holds societies back, and today the access to information is nearly limitless for anyone who can afford a phone. This is one of the most amazing developments in human history.
One of the little known facts about the mobile telephone system is that the equipment that makes it able to happen is also hindered by the necessary connections. When you use your phone you are connecting to a cellular tower that is within range of your device. You are sending and receiving information from your device to/from that tower, and then through the network that tower is connected to. The information is received on the other end by someone else connected to the network and to you. In order for this process to happen, both you and the person on the other end have to be able to have their devices connect to a cell tower. If that connection fails, then your cell phone is nothing more than a paperweight.
The connection to your device is made through a price of equipment called a RRH or “remote radio head” which is positioned at the tower top. This position is necessary in order to provide an unobstructed connection. That RRH relays information to equipment at the tower bottom housed inside the BSU or “base station unit.” These two devices are connected via copper and fiber cables and wires that allow for fast data transfer. It is these cable lines that provide the biggest danger for damage to happen to the BSU and the RRH. This is due to the fact that cell towers are natural attractants for lightning strikes, which ultimately create a power surge that travels through anything connected, particularly the copper cables and the housing of the tower itself. The lightning surge will couple onto cables and travel via these to the equipment in the BSU and at the tower tops, effectively destroying circuitry and rendering the site offline, in the worst case scenario. If the power surge can be eliminated or diverted to ground through an powerful industrial surge protector, the damage would be isolated to just the strike point. This would reduce the amount of loss that occurs with each lightning strike surge, and ultimately reduce the costs to the carrier and ultimately the cell phone network user. This is where surge protection devices and their technological evolution are allowing people to be further connected than ever before. Technologically advanced surge protection devices are being integrated into towers worldwide, protecting the equipment from the lightning surges. This reduces the losses associated with each strike and allows for faster re-establishment of connections. The savings are then allocated back into even faster and more powerful equipment within the towers, which allows for expanded features on your phone. You probably do not even realize that the device that you use every day is relying on sure protection technology to become even better, and that industrial surge protection will play a part in connecting the world even more.
