- Although a little more than a decade ago they were seen as a novelty, cell phones have now become cross-generational staples as people of all ages communicate with each other all across the world. Modern cell phones can also accomplish a variety of other tasks such as storing to-do lists, address books and calendars while also allowing the user to access the Internet. Their main function, though, is accomplished by the transmission of radio waves.
- When you place a call or receive a call, you are sending or receiving a radio transmission. In this sense, cell phones are a complex, much-advanced version of the walkie-talkie--one that allows you to talk and listen at the same time. Upon placing a call, your cell phone is identified by the cellular system, giving your frequency an identity that includes your phone number and location within the system.
- Upon sending a call to the other person, a signal goes from your phone to the base station of the cell to which you are sending a call. A cell is where the cell phone derives its name, and it refers to a geographical zone within which all calls are routed through one base station. When the signal gets to the base station, it is assigned a specific radio frequency channel that allows you to have your own conversation without interference.
- Once the signal has been processed, it is sent to a call switching center, where the call is transferred to a local telephone carrier or another cell phone. This entire process takes place in a matter of seconds, allowing you to dial a number from anywhere you get cell phone service and, in less than a minute, be conversing with someone who is thousands of miles away.
- Cell sizes are based on the amount of population located within their area. In a densely populated city, cells are smaller because they have to compensate for a lot of people, but in a rural area, cells can be several square miles in size. For those concerned about the harmful effects that cell phone emissions may have on our health, using a cell phone in a rural area creates less of these emissions than in an urban setting.
- Evolving from a novelty that people saw as impractical and unnecessary to a staple of modern communication, cell phones allow people to stay connected even if they are on opposite sides of the world. They offer a lot of convenience because of the fact that they can be used anywhere that they get service.
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