One of the most interesting developments over the course of the last 20 years has been the evolution of the cellular phone, and the reliance upon it by the general public. Just two decades ago, a cellular phone was a new type of device that gave you the ability to receive or make a phone call without being connected to a line. This functionality was provided by towers which were installed in a position that would provide an uninterrupted line between the cellular device and the top of the tower. The signals that were being sent and received from the device to the tower top were then processed and sent through the network to that person on the receiving end of the call. This type of setup has evolved technologically in order to provide more enhanced services for the person using the cellular phone, but both the generalized makeup of the process as well as the potential pitfalls of it have remained in place. Cellular phones themselves have become more enhanced with the ability to transfer larger amounts of data using the same network. This is how cellular calls ultimately became the access to the internet with the ability to stream video and send pictures. Only through the ability to transfer larger packets of data were any of these processes able to become a reality, and only through the upgrading of the equipment involved in the process were these things able to manifest themselves. The stakes became higher as the need for more technologically advanced and robust equipment presented itself, all costing more to both put in place and keep operational. At the same time that these advanced services have become more commonplace, costs associated with operating the network has been driven down, enabling both lower prices and advanced services all at once. Because cost cutting via a reduction of service would cause customer dissatisfaction in today’s landscape, the only way to continually drive the rise in operational costs down is to improve the process. This involves creating ways to extend the operational life span of the equipment used or improve the maintenance and replacement of that equipment. One of the best ways that this is being accomplished at the cell site is through the installation of more advanced DC surge protection devices, which minimize the amount of damage created by natural events like lightning strikes. The lightning strike produces an electrical surge which can overwhelm any equipment between the top of the tower and the network, as it travels along connectivity lines as well as power lines it can cause damage to any other connected equipment. These surges can produce outages that reduce the ability for customers to connect as well as send or receive data. As more effective prevention measures are developed to reduce the amount of cost associated with lightning strike damage even more, we will see cellular providers able to provide even better services at lower costs than are available today. Surge protection devices can keep us online and productive in today’s connected world.
