The Hindu Business Line : Cellular base stations go `mobile'

DOES your cell phone blip every time you pass a crowded area? Have you experienced call drops or break in transmission while using your mobile phone when in a concert or watching a match in a packed stadium?

In a bid to better the quality of service in high usage areas, cellular operators are now taking their network infrastructure itself to the subscribers.

In a first of its kind initiative, companies such as Bharti Cellular and Idea Cellular have launched the concept of `Cell on wheels' where high capacity base stations, as seen on rooftops of tall buildings, are put on trucks and are moved to areas where there is temporary increase in mobile usage.

Idea Cellular, for instance, carried a 30-metre tall mobile base station (BTS) on an Ashok Leyland Viking 222 truck, at the recently held Nehru Boat race at Alappuzha in Kerala, where thousands of mobile subscribers had gathered. With this, IDEA was able to provided more than 25 per cent additional calling facility and full coverage without congestion.

Bharti Cellular launched an indigenously developed mobile BTS during the Kumbh Festival held in Ujjain. The design for Airtel was approved by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. The initiative helped the operators to cater to the increase in cell usage arising from the huge gathering of subscribers in a relatively small area.

Mr Anil Tandan, Vice President-Network Services, Idea Cellular, said that the Alappuzha example would be replicated across all its 8 circles. ``Mobile base stations have a lot of advantage both for the consumers and for the operators. It can give instant coverage and enable the network to support more customers. It can also be used to give coverage for emergency situations like calamities and big events. Mobile BTS can also be used as a stand by for breakdown and maintenance of the main network and is also a good option in areas where permanent installation is not possible," Mr Tandon said.

The coverage of a mobile BTS is similar to that of the normal BTS. The height of the mobile BTS can also be adjusted and it comes with alternative power backup for uninterrupted service and an AC equipment room. The tower can withstand wind pressure up to 160 km per hour.

"Airtel is looking at deploying mobile BTS to enhance the quality of service for consumers. Advantages like fast and easy commissioning and low cost of ownership makes it a tool to reach areas wherever there is an urgent need of coverage and where activities like site acquisition for a permanent site is taking time," said an Airtel spokesperson.

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