How does a base station work?

Radio signals are fed through cables to the antennas and then launched as radio waves into the area, or cell, around the base station. A typical larger base station installation would consist of a plant room containing the electronic equipment as well as the mast with the antennas.

Where can radio equipment be installed in the UK?

Operators may establish, install and use radio equipment anywhere in the UK, in accordance with their Wireless Telegraphy Act licences, issued by Ofcom. Obtaining planning permission for the physical structures that host the radio equipment is handled by the relevant local planning authorities.

What is a mobile phone base station?

Public exposure levels Mobile phone base stations are radio transmitters with antennas mounted on either freestanding masts or on buildings. Radio signals are fed through cables to the antennas and then launched as radio waves into the area, or cell, around the base station.

How many transmitters does a base station have?

Base stations in busier areas may have up to ten or more transmitters connected to their antennas, allowing them to transmit on several frequencies at the same time, and to handle communications with many mobile phones.

What is a base station installation?

A typical larger base station installation would consist of a plant room containing the electronic equipment as well as the mast with the antennas. Several types of antenna are used for the transmissions; panel-shaped sector antennas or pole-shaped omni antennas are used to communicate with mobile phones.

How does a base station transmitter work?

The power of each base station transmitter is set to a level that allows a mobile phone to be used within the area for which the base station is designed to provide coverage, but not outside the coverage area. Higher powers are needed to cover larger cells and also to cover cells with difficult ground terrain.