If you are anything like the rest of us, you have probably had more than a few occasions where your signal is weak on your cell phone. You have probably experienced dropped calls or buffering when you are trying to stream video. You may have experienced failures with regards to downloads of large files on your phone, and all of these problems have caused you to question if you should switch network providers. The phone that you holding in your hand is viewed as a connection device by most customers, and the network itself is the transfer mechanism allowing them to both receive and send data. People do not blame their phones for less than quality service, and instead will immediately question the quality of the network that they are paying to connect to. Because of this perception, cellular providers must invest heavily into not only upgraded equipment with which they can provide faster transfer speeds as well as better connectivity, but they also must invest into the protection of that equipment in the field. This is accomplished through small and compact devices which are installed at critical junctures on cell towers, between long connectivity lines in order to allow for the unmitigated transfer of information both along those lines and through radio signals. The systems must remain operational as much as possible in order to avoid the customer dissatisfaction that will lead to revenue losses. The maintaining of equipment as a result of damage in the field is only half of the losses that can come as a result of natural events like lightning strikes. Repairing the equipment that is needed in order to provide connectivity is also compounded with the potential of data loss that can spell disaster for a cellular provider. All of these factors must be taken into consideration in order to maintain profitability, and it has been recognized that the prevention of problems is the best path to take to keeping customers happy.
The strength of the signals that are sent between the remote radio head and the base station unit within the cellular tower is going to be critical in maintaining signal strength at the point of the handheld device. It is going to dictate if the customer can connect to the network, as well as how fast data can be transferred to and from the device. Lightning strikes have a major impact on these radio frequencies both through damage to the equipment used in the process as well as interruption of the radio signals through electromagnetic pulses. Through the integration of advanced protection devices that are designed specifically for these purposes, equipment damage can be mitigated, and connectivity rates can be improved. This will lead to customers which question their choices of providers less often, resulting in higher profits for the provider themselves. The investment into surge protection devices more than pays for itself in customer satisfaction and retention.
