JOIN USBoosting mobile tower density is one way of arresting those annoying call drops. But the process of installing a tower is anything but easy. Here’s a look at what goes into the entire process, an elaborate exercise that could take more than two months.
n The first step is to identify a suitable building to set up the tower and sign an agreement with its owner. A BSNL official says this itself could take a month. He explains, “It needs to be verified whether the house is in his/her name. The building too should meet certain structural requirements.”
n The roof is then tested whether it can withstand the weight of the tower and other equipment. “Generally, buildings have a capacity to withstand upto 300 kgs/ sqft. We target only buildings with columns built of high quality steel. The rod thickness also matters.”
n Once the measurements are ready, the tower is designed and built accordingly. The tower size could change from building to building.
n The service provider then applies for a commercial power connection for the tower, separate from the residential link. This could take a month to 45 days. A meter is then purchased, tested and sealed.
n Thereafter, a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is set up, catering separately to 2G, 3G and 4G connections. The BTS is then connected to a centralised Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) through optic fibre cables. Only then can the calls and data transfers be tested and analysed. This could take another month. Simultaneously, the meters are tested.
n For every one lakh mobile connections, drop-less calls and data transfers would require at least 20 towers. The BSNL official says it would take at least six months to build those many towers, even if the projects are undertaken simultaneously.