Have you realized that normally there is poor signal during power outage? You’ll notice that the signal strength is unstable. It can reduce to a bar or two at most. This heavily affects internet connection. It makes calls drop by themself and web pages loading slowly.
When there’s a power cut, several factors can lead to a deterioration in telecommunication network quality. Let’s look at these factors in detail.
1. Power Dependency of Cell Towers
Cell towers, also known as cell sites or base stations, are structures equipped with antennas and other communication equipment that facilitate wireless communication for mobile phones and other devices. These towers are an essential component of the cellular network infrastructure. This allows the transmission and reception of radio signals that enable mobile devices to communicate with each other and connect to the internet.
How does this relate to poor signals during outages? Cell towers rely on electrical power to function. While many are equipped with backup batteries or generators, these can sometimes fail or be insufficient for prolonged outages. Eventually, it will lead to a drop in signal strength or complete signal loss.
2. Overloaded Networks
During a power cut, more people might rely on their mobile devices for communication. While people can’t use television, radio and other electronic gadgets that solely rely on electricity, the mobile phone or laptop becomes the alternative. A lot of people will be using the internet at the same time. This causes network congestion. This increased demand can overload the system, leading to poorer signal quality.
3. Interruption of Power to Network Infrastructure
Power network infrastructure refers to the interconnected system of electrical components and facilities used to generate, transmit, distribute, and manage electricity from its source to end users. Network infrastructure, particularly for telecommunications and internet services, relies heavily on a continuous and stable power supply to function correctly.
Even if some towers are operational, disruptions in the broader network infrastructure can affect overall connectivity and performance. This will create poor signal.
4. Impact on Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Many telecommunication services are interconnected with internet services. If local internet service providers (ISPs) are affected by the power outage, this can indirectly impact mobile network services. Especially if data services are involved. This contributes to poor signal during outage.
5. Reduced Maintenance and Monitoring
During power outages, the ability to maintain and monitor the network in real-time may be hampered. This leads to slower responses to issues and faults in the network.
These factors combined can lead to the poor signal and quality during power outages. In the next post, we will look at some few tips to consider to enhance your network during outage.