What is a mobile phone base station?

A mobile phone base station provides coverage to a geographic area known as a “cell”. Cells are aligned next to each other in a similar pattern to a honeycomb, and it is for this reason that mobile phone networks are sometimes referred to as “cellular” networks.

How many calls can a base station carry?

Mobile Network Cell capacity Each base station can only carry a finite number of calls. In areas of high mobile phone use, such as central business districts and high density areas, more base stations are required to handle the level of call traffic.

What happens if a phone is handed over to a base station?

There is usually a smooth transition or ‘handover’ from cell to cell. During the duration of a call, the phone may have handed over to and from a number of base stations. If there is no adjoining base station, such as on the fringes of the mobile phone network, the call will drop out.

Does a mobile phone need a base station?

In essence, a mobile phone needs to have ‘sight’ of a mobile phone base station. In other words, the radio signal from the phone to the base station needs to be uninterrupted. Hills, trees and tall buildings can obscure this line of sight and so base stations need to be very carefully located to maximise the coverage available.

How does a mobile phone connect to a base station?

The first step in the process is for the phone to check that there is coverage in the area that the call is made. Once the phone has verified that there is sufficient signal strength to make the call, the phone establishes a connection with a nearby mobile phone base station.

How does a mobile phone call work?

The signals are sent to and received from antennas that are attached to radio transmitters and receivers, commonly referred to as mobile phone base stations. The base stations are linked to the rest of the mobile and fixed phone networks and pass the signal/call on into those networks. top What happens when I make a call from my mobile phone?