How mobile phones work

When you talk into a mobile telephone it converts the sound of your voice to radiofrequency energy (radio waves). The radio waves are transmitted through the air to a nearby base station. The base station then sends the call through the telephone network until it reaches the person you are calling. When you receive a call on your mobile phone the message travels through the telephone network until it reaches a base station near to you. The base station sends out radio waves, which are detected by your telephone and converted back to speech. Depending on the equipment and the operator, the frequency that each operator utilises is 900MHz, 1800MHz or 2100MHz. The mobile phone network operates on the basis of a series of cells. Each cell requires a radio base station to enable it to function. There are three types of base station and each has a particular purpose: 1. The Macrocell is the largest type and provides the main coverage for mobile phone networks. 2. The Microcell is used to improve capacity in areas where demand to make calls is high, such as shopping centres. 3. The Picocell only has a range of a few hundred metres and may be used to boost weak signals within large buildings.