Cell Site Surge Protection Systems

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/cellular-site-surge-protection-systems/

 

The telecommunications industry is invaluable to nearly everyone in our modern and connected society. Over the years, telecom companies have attempted to compete in the market, only to be swallowed up or purchased by the major corporations. This has eventually led to an industry dominated by several prominent players who build and control their networks. All the remaining cell providers use the networks created and maintained by the majors. These networks essentially interconnect nearly everyone in the United States and feature a connection point to most people in major metropolitan areas. This is accomplished through the presentation of towers every few miles to every few hundred feet within these regions, needing to be within a short distance to devices on the ground to provide basic connectivity. Enhanced speeds and clear signals are dictated by the strength of the tower signals, communications equipment used, and proximity to the user. As the speed of connectivity increases, the expenses associated with deploying and maintaining that tower or installation are also increased. This increased cost must be paid for by the consumers subscribed to the service, consumers who have proven that they are not happy with increasing prices. As a result, alternative methods of reducing prices must be developed, the most obvious being the reduction of operational costs. One of the main methods of accomplishing this goal is the integration of surge protection devices for cell sites installed at critical pathways within the system.

Surge protection is one of the most critical aspects of telecommunications, as the expensive equipment necessary for the process is positioned in harm's way to achieve the connectivity needed for users' devices. Within each tower or installation resides thousands of dollars’ worth of radios and associated equipment, all of which are subject to damage that can occur from various methods. One of the most common damage threats is lightning strikes to or around that equipment, resulting in a chain reaction of destruction with several dire implications. The first and most apparent is the need for repair or replacement of that equipment at a cost to the operational budget of the network provider. The second implication is the potential consumer dissatisfaction while that equipment is offline.

For this reason, robust Class I surge protection devices must be implemented on cell sites to reduce the damage that typically occurs from a lightning strike. The power surge that follows these strikes travels along with the wiring that interconnects the devices necessary to the process, ultimately damaging both the devices at the strike point and those connected to it. Surge protection devices installed along the pathways this power surge can travel will reduce the amount of damage beyond the point of the strike, keeping equipment intact and towers functioning. This in turn keeps customers happy and loyal to the provider.