Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!dsinc!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: hpubvwa!ssc!Tad.Cook@cs.washington.edu
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Signal Propagation Characteristics?
Message-ID: <15792@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 3 Jan 91 23:49:59 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 43
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 7, Message 5 of 13


In article <15746@accuvax.nwu.edu>, chapman@alc.com (Brent Chapman)
writes:

> On a drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Northern Arizona and
> back over the holidays, I was amazed by the extent of cellular service
> coverage. 

(stuff deleted)

> What are the propagation characteristics of cellular service?  I was
> under the impression that it was tuned to be strictly a short-range
> (i.e., less than ten miles) system, and that in fact this short-range
> characteristic is fundamental to making the system work (because
> shorter range allows smaller cells, and thus more total callers by
> reusing the same frequencies in more non-adjacent cells).  How, then,
> was I receiving service when I'm sure I was at least 60 miles from the
> nearest cell?

The size of the cell depends on the elevation of the cell site.  In
urban areas it makes sense to have a lot of little cells to handle a
large number of callers.  Out in the desert you could be served by
just a few cells at high elevation, or directional cells that cover a
whole lot of highway.

You also can't be too sure (if you are an average user without special
knowledge of the system) just how far you were from the nearest cells.
Over the route you travelled, there is probably plenty of incentive
for the cellular providers to have coverage at least along the main
highways.

> On a related topic, I've been told that cell size is not uniform, and
> that it is a common practice in densely populated areas (like downtown
> San Francisco, for instance) to reduce the power of each cell in order
> to reduce the cell size to the absolute minimum and thereby increase
> the total capacity of the system.  Is this true?

Yes.


Tad Cook  Seattle, WA  Packet: KT7H @ N7HFZ.WA.USA.NA  Phone: 206/527-4089 
MCI Mail: 3288544      Telex: 6503288544 MCI UW  
USENET:...uw-beaver!sumax!amc-gw!ssc!tad  or, tad@ssc.UUCP