Briefly describe the various types of cellular radio sites and their relevant use cases in communication networks.
Tech Junction Answered question November 7, 2023
- Indoor Macro Site: An indoor macro site is a large-scale cellular base station located inside a building or structure. It’s used to provide extensive coverage in indoor environments such as shopping malls, stadiums, and large office buildings.
- Outdoor Macro Site: It provides broad coverage to a wide area and is commonly used in rural and suburban settings.
- Micro Site: A micro site is a smaller cell site designed to cover a relatively small area with high capacity. Used in urban environments to provide coverage in densely populated areas.
- IBS (In-Building Solution): IBS involves installing a dedicated cellular network within a building or structure to improve indoor coverage. It’s common in large office buildings, airports, and other locations with poor indoor signal reception.
- COW (Cell on Wheels): A COW is a mobile cell site mounted on a trailer or truck. It’s a temporary solution used to provide extra cellular capacity during events or emergency situations.
- Lamp Cell: A lamp cell refers to a cellular site that is integrated into a lamppost or streetlight. This discreet installation is often used in urban areas to blend in with the surroundings.
- Q Cell: The term “Q Cell” is not a standard industry term, and its meaning can vary depending on the context. It might refer to a proprietary technology or a specific deployment method used by a particular wireless provider.
- PICO Site: It is a very small cell designed to cover a tiny area, such as a single room or small office. They are used to provide localized, high-capacity coverage.
- Small Cell: Small cells are compact cell sites that are typically deployed in urban areas to enhance network capacity and coverage. They can be mounted on streetlights, utility poles, or building exteriors.
- Repeaters: Repeaters are used to amplify and retransmit cellular signals, improving coverage in areas with weak or no signal. They are often placed in remote or hilly regions.
- Satellite Cell Site: These are useful in places with no terrestrial network infrastructure.
- Underground or Tunnel Cells: Cellular networks may extend coverage to underground tunnels or mines by installing specialized cell sites to ensure connectivity in these challenging environments.
- Marine and Offshore Cells: Cellular networks can be extended to ships, boats, and offshore platforms to provide connectivity at sea like Specialized marine cells
- Aviation Cells: These are cellular base stations designed for in-flight use on airplanes, enabling passengers to use their mobile devices during flights.
- Train and Rail Cells: Cellular coverage along railways and train routes is essential for communication and passenger services. Specialized cell sites are deployed to cover these areas.
- Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellites: Some companies are working on deploying LEO satellites to provide global broadband coverage, which could supplement or replace traditional terrestrial cell sites in the future.
Tech Junction Answered question November 7, 2023