Electrical Surge Protection

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Driving Down Costs With Surge Protection

One of the most obvious ways to reduce the charges that customers must cover to remain profitable is to extend the life span of equipment. This means that when a piece of equipment is placed into service in any industry, it will have an operational life span that is relatively predictable. This measurement is not necessarily based on the expected life span that the manufacturer predicts, considering the wear and tear of normal operations. Instead, each industry must create their own expectations based on the ways that the equipment is used, and the environment it is used in. For example, the radios and transmitters used in the telecommunications industry atop cell towers will have an expected life span that considers normal wear and tear. However, when communication companies consider the equipment's longevity, they must also assess the risks from lightning surges. These threats produce damage that can both not be and can be avoided. Effective protection of cell sites in exposed regions must consider an entire suite of potential destructive elements. For example, lightning strikes to the tower or anywhere around it can allow a massive power surge to couple into the structure itself and the cables and wires that join equipment together. To function properly this equipment is interconnected in order to enable normal power flow to be supplied and for data to travel from component to component. These pathways are also used by the resulting power surge that comes from a lightning strike to move electricity from the strike point to adjacent structures. These induced surges can overwhelm any piece of equipment in their pathway. The result is damage to equipment that is potentially far from the strike point itself and a loss of functionality within that equipment chain. This results in customers not being able to connect to that tower and the need for repair and replacement of that equipment before its time.

Cost reduction in the telecommunications industry is necessary to keep customer prices low while still evolving to the latest technologies to remain competitive. The equipment in any tower costs thousands of dollars, which is only increasing as new technology is rolled out. In order to maintain the lower prices that consumers demand, telecom companies have needed to integrate surge protection equipment into the systems so as to avoid the lightning strike and surge threat. Through the redundant installation of devices along all pathways a surge can travel, we find that costs can be reduced over time. Extending the expected life span of equipment in the field is the best method for companies to remain competitive in the current telecom market. Ultimately, the evolution of even better surge protection devices and systems will further that cause. Saving capital expenditures through equipment protection is an essential part of the future network.

Surge Protection Is Critical For Telecom

The telecommunications industry is unique for a few reasons. The most obvious is that most people need a cell phone connected to a high-speed network to accomplish most of the tasks on their plate. Additional unique aspects of the industry are that the equipment utilized to make that connection of the customer phone to the persons or websites on the other end is all at risk 24 hours a day. The extreme expense that the major providers undertake to facilitate the most competitive customer satisfaction situation is constantly in need of repair and maintenance, as well as growing more obsolete every minute it is in use. Technological developments make the latest and greatest features only relevant for a few years afterward they need to be replaced or risk their customers moving to a competitor. As the transition to 5G started, there were already rumblings of the next iteration of high-speed data transfer that would replace it. This means that all the investment into 5G equipment being positioned in the field will also need to support the next-level networks within a few years. Even during that time when it is not obsolete, the positioning of equipment out in the field constantly puts it at risk from lightning strikes and the resultant surges that will damage or destroy the electronic circuitry inside the cell sites. This constant need for ongoing maintenance and replacement makes the operation of these networks very expensive, with the costs needing to be paid by customers in order to maintain profitability.

For cell network providers to make money without continually raising fees, they have turned to the conservation of the maintenance budget to bring down monthly operational expenses. This focus means they are exploring new ways to extend the life span of the equipment positioned in the field, trying to get every possible minute out of a component before it needs to be removed or replaced with a new version. The longer a component can functionally perform a relevant task, the more money is saved in the budget. Because lightning strikes cause power surges that damage equipment used in the process, the main push for life span extension methods is surge protection equipment. These devices are mounted along the pathways that power surges travel within the cell towers when a lightning strike happens, attempting to stop the surge before it encounters the next piece of sensitive equipment. As the technology behind surge protection devices themselves progresses, we are finding that cell network providers can get longer functionality periods out of the equipment costs already invested. The towers themselves also stay online for more extended periods. This is the one two punch that helps networks remain competitive, provide the latest and most significant services that lure new customers, and retain the ones that they currently have. The best surge protection systems equal the most customer loyalty, and the most profits.

Surge Protection Devices In Cell Towers

Most people using cellular devices do not think much about the technology that goes into making calls and connecting to the internet. They probably think even less about the extreme challenges that the industry faces to make that convenience happen, all the while doing it affordably. For your cell phone to connect a call or retrieve information from the internet, it must connect to the network with which a consumer is registered and contracted. That network equipment is positioned everywhere. A cell tower operating on the average speed technology will be able to serve people for about a mile around it, and the installations that provide higher speeds can only provide service to people with devices within a few hundred feet. Each of these installations has tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, ranging from receivers to transmission devices that relay that signal and data back to the network hub. All this equipment is placed into a pole or installation that is generally higher in position to most other things around it to give a clear signal to the devices on the ground. Being positioned at such height makes them prime targets for lightning strikes, lightning generally seeking the path of least resistance to the ground. When lightning strikes a cell tower, it damages at the point it hits in the form of fire and explosion, but the damage does not stop there. A massive power surge then follows, traveling along conductive surfaces and materials within the tower. This surge will often couple into the power and data transfer lines that interconnect the equipment within that installation, overwhelming and damaging the circuitry of components even great distances from the strike point. These dangers illustrate the extreme amount of installation costs as far as equipment necessary to connect calls but also the amount of cost that goes into upkeep. Any time a component is damaged, it will need to be repaired or replaced before the tower will regain full functionality. This costs the company operating the network as far as equipment but also costs them in the form of potentially lost customers. Patrons who cannot connect to the cell tower near them because it is damaged are forced to rely on the weaker signals of towers further away, reducing their ability to have the experience they expect. All of these issues must be solved in a way that does not increase the customers' monthly bills.

To keep monthly bills low cell network operators rely on surge protection devices installed within their towers and installations. These devices can stop surging electricity and prevent it from coming into contact with equipment downstream. Through this investment, most of the equipment in a tower or installation can be salvaged after a lightning strike, ultimately keeping that tower functioning longer for less money. That translates to a happy customer and a strong signal.

Surge Protection To Save Cell Customers Money

Reducing costs to conserve operational budget is nothing new, and most companies will engage in some form of it. The more competitive the industry, the more attention will need to be paid to saving money. In a hyper-competitive industry like telecommunications, it can be the difference between success and failure as a company. There are only a handful of telecommunications companies that operate their own networks. The rest are simply leasing space from the leading industry players. The network you are connecting to is the most important thing regarding the quality of your calls or access to the latest technologies that will enhance your experience. This means that when you choose a cell phone carrier, you ultimately choose the network they operate on over the few other available networks. Most people will make that decision because of the reception and data transfer speeds available at their home or place of business. Most calls and internet access occur within only a few miles of the home or business, so the number of towers the provider has positioned in that area is crucial to that user’s experience. The more towers positioned in an area and outfitted with the latest technology, the better experience an end-user will have. The costs associated with accessing that network through the chosen provider will depend on many things. Still, the network operating costs will be the majority of that bill. Simply put, it costs a great deal of money to keep those cell phone towers updated and functional, and you as a consumer are the one paying that bill.

Most cell phone networks invest heavily into surge protection to conserve operational budget. This is because one of the greatest threats to repair and maintenance budgets as well as customer retention rates is lightning strikes. The lightning is attracted to the tower because it stands alone as the tallest structure in the region. It strikes the tower or around it, allowing a massive power surge to travel through the conductive materials and connectivity wires, overwhelming the circuitry of any component that it touches. The way to protect that equipment is to provide a method of stopping the inevitable surge when it happens, limiting the number of components it comes into contact with. The integration of surge protection along these pathways allows the equipment to be salvaged for continued operation for longer periods while also keeping that particular cell tower operational. The outcome is less operational expense and happier customers that stay with the company they have chosen because of satisfaction with the service. If costs can be kept low, they also experience a feeling of “getting their money’s worth,” which retains them for longer as customers. Surge protection may be the most important aspect of cellular operation you are unaware of.

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Your Cell Network Needs Protection

The cellular provider that you choose probably provides you with a level of service that you expect for the price you are paying. What this means is that most people choose their cellular provider being sensitive to price for their plan, and expect that they will probably not get the top-level of speeds or service unless they are paying a premium. The overwhelming majority of cellular customers expect to make some sacrifices in order to keep their bills affordable, falling somewhere in between the customers who want the best of everything and the customers who only want a basic phone plan. This is the lion’s share of the market, with a few companies competing for these customers. These companies also allow smaller carriers to use their networks in order to provide service to their own customers, however the majority of the main competition is where the innovation and expansion is happening. This is because these main companies are the ones who are able to improve customer experience through upgrades to their own networks, as well as investing into new areas that have traditionally been lesser served. The ultimate goal is coverage for all customers at all times, no matter where they are in the country. This involves a significant amount of investment into new equipment and its positioning in the field, because the only way to provide service to those in more remote areas is to place new cell sites near enough to them to allow the transfer of data from their devices to the tower. Every time that a new tower is erected, or an existing tower is upgraded with new equipment that will provide faster speeds or stronger signals, it represents more risk to the company. The risks come in the form of damage to that expensive equipment, as well as unsatisfied customers who cannot gain access to the network if that nearby cell site is not operational. This is why the equipment used in the field must be protected with surge protection devices.

SPDs allow for the minimization of damage within cell sites when lightning strikes happen to or around that site. The lightning strikes produce damage at the strike point, but the main share of the damage that is seen as a result of strikes comes from the power surge that follows. This surge is strong enough to destroy circuitry in the equipment involved, as well as knocking that site offline until which time that repairs can be made. The surge travels along the power and data transfer lines used typically in the process, easily overwhelming the circuits that provide functionality. Only through the investment into technologically advanced surge protection devices can that expensive equipment remain functional and without damage, ultimately providing customers with continual connectivity. This investment on the part of the major carriers is included into the costs of the rollout or upgrade to towers and cells sites in general, so as to improve their customer experience and get the most out of their existing equipment.

The Overwhelming Need For Cell Site Surge Protection

Cellular network service has become not only integral, but crucial to our lives in the modern era. Imagine being without cell service in an emergency, or when there is a need for immediate communication. This is the case in many areas outside of California and Nevada where unpopulated areas of desert make it less of an immediate necessity to put cell towers, and the major cell carriers have made the decision that it is not worth the investment to position equipment in the field due to a lack of a large population that would be accessing that tower. This is the sad reality, that your connectivity actually has very little to do with your level of equipment, and more to do with the proximity of your phone to the nearest viable tower. Each cell tower that you are being connected to represents a significant investment to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and must be done in a way that will benefit the business. Each network is expanding continually through the ownership making decisions to expand to new areas that are considered viable for their customers. The existing cell towers are upgraded with new equipment to make the network more powerful and the connection speeds faster for the customers, and each decision involves the allocation of resources to that improvement. Each cell tower that is put into place also represents a risk to that equipment, and the potential for damage that then must be repaired or replaced. This is the reasoning behind the appropriate allocation of resources to the places where it will make the most impact. It is not good business to put equipment at risk if it is not going to deliver as far as new customers.

The way to protect equipment in the field is to identify the main threat, then to create solutions that will prevent that damage. In the case of cell sites, the integration of surge protection devices throughout the system helps to prevent the main source of field damage, that being lightning strikes and power surges as a result. The lightning strike produces damage at the point it hits, then allows a huge power surge to couple into the lines that interconnect the equipment in that tower. This power surge will travel through the system overwhelming each piece of equipment unless surge protection devices stop that surge in its place. This means that in order to provide insurance against damage and the additional loss of customers as a result of connection frustration, companies must factor in the surge protection system. This system allows for the cell tower to stay online for longer periods of time, and prevents a large portion of the damage that must be rectified in order to keep that tower viable. For this reason, surge protection for cell sites is as necessary for the modern age as cell networks themselves, because you cannot use what you cannot connect to.

Surge Protection Helps Keep Cellular Bills Low

Most customers decide which cellular company to use with a combination of motivating factors. For most consumers, the price of the monthly plan is the major component that they consider when choosing the company that is right for them. A close second to the amount of money it will cost them every month is the features that they can receive with that plan, as well as the connectivity and speed of the network. If a person has trouble connecting to the network in the area surrounding where they live or work, they are probably not going to stick with that company. For this reason, a cellular company that wants the business of the customers in a certain area is going to need to invest in putting towers and cell sites within a mile or so of those customers. Without that placement, those customers will not use that company because they will get poor reception and connection. Once an area has been allocated and the site is live, the company must then continually invest in the latest equipment that will allow customers to transfer data at the fastest speeds. This also represents ongoing significant investment that is necessary. All of this equipment in the field is constantly at risk of damage from the natural events that occur in isolated and unobstructed areas where towers and sites must be placed. The most damaging of these is lightning strikes, which can destroy equipment both at the strike point as well as some distances away. This is due to the power surge that follows the strike, ultimately traveling along the wires and cables that join equipment used in the process together. The power surge overwhelms any equipment that it contacts, destroying it at the circuit level and necessitating the need for repair or replacement. Add these costs to the installation and upgrade costs, and we can see easily why your monthly cell phone bill costs so much.

The way that cellular companies reduce the amounts that must be charged to customers on a monthly basis is by installing surge protection devices along the critical pathways where electricity can travel. By creating a blocking potential, a power surge can be thwarted before it hits the equipment, while in normal operational times the electricity flows through and past the SPD. This gives a controlled flow capability to the cell site, only allowing the safe amount of electricity necessary to power the equipment used in the process. Anything over that amount will be blocked or rerouted to a safe distribution area where it will not damage the equipment. This salvaging of equipment from the natural events that can damage it helps to reduce the operational costs, and allows the cell company you choose to remain competitive in the marketplace. They can offer you the best plan and the fastest speeds at prices which are affordable, ultimately making them a potential choice for your continued business. Customers are only as loyal as they need to be, and keeping them satisfied is the way to gain an edge on the competition.