The Importance Of Surge Protection In Telecommunications
Read More: https://www.raycap.com/what-are-lightning-protectors/
The unfortunate fact with regards to telecommunications is that
the very aspects of the physical installation of cellular towers that provide
good service are the same ones that make lightning a major threat. While
lightning strikes are a threat to nearly everything during an inclement weather
incident, cellular towers are especially prone to strike and damage as a
result. This is because of the nature of lightning strikes, and the specific
necessity of the towers to be tall and unobstructed. They are also usually in
relatively remote places, at least not being located specifically within areas
of significant human traffic. The cellular signal that is provided and received
by your phone on the ground will vary, based upon it’s ability to communicate
with the nearest tower which is functional. While it does not need to be
visually unobstructed, the signal will be stronger and clearer with the fewest
amount of obstructions between them. For this reason, it is generally the plan
to mount cellular towers on the tops of buildings, mountains or as the tallest
structure for a copious amount of surrounding space. This allows the top of the
tower to be within a straight line to your phone on the ground with relatively
few obstructions in between. It has been proven that this type of installation
will provide the best communication between your phone and the “remote radio
head” equipment at the tower top. The need to make position this equipment at
the highest point in a region also makes it a direct target for lightning
strikes, which take the path of least resistance to the earth. Ultimately, this
means that lightning has the propensity to strike the tallest structure which
is connected to the ground, in this case more often than not being the top of
the tower. The lightning strike to the top will push a significant amount of
electricity into the structure, which easily travels along communication and
power lines from the equipment at the top to the “base station unit” and
equipment at the bottom. This need for communication between the tower top and
bottom will provide an added amount of damage as a result of the kind of surge
provided by a lightning strike, not isolating the damage to the strike point
itself. This is why surge protection equipment and devices must be installed
along critical pathways in between the tower top and bottom, so as to salvage
equipment that is not located at the strike point itself. Through this
mitigation of the amount of equipment damaged by a lightning strike, cellular
companies can not only keep prices for service lower by driving down their
costs but also keep towers operational for longer periods of time. The
minimization of the need for extra maintenance allows for towers that are
damaged to come into service quicker, providing better service to the
consumers. The result of surge protection integration is better service, lower
prices and more consistent connection rates.
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