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[F517]For Your Cell Phone

by Roberto Sedycias, Rob

The amazing fact about a cell phone is that it is a radio - a very special one. The gurus in the line are Bell (1876), Tesla (1880) followed by Marconi and Bose (late 19th century). It is known that the concept of cell phone was produced by Bell Laboratories with the permission of FCC (Federal Communication Commission), and had everything to do with broadcasting and sending a radio message out over the airwaves.

In cell phone technology cells divide the city, allowing for the facility to be frequently reused throughout the city. Millions can simultaneously avail of it.

In devices that are half-duplex (walkie-talkies and CB radios) two communicators use a single frequency. This means that at a single point of time only one can talk. On the other hand a cell phone being a full duplex tool has two frequencies: one for talking and the other for listening. Thus a real-life conversation can take place. Cell phones glide through 1,664 channels whereas the walkie-talkie group has to be content with only 40. The walkie-talkie and the CB radio respectively reaches out to 1 mile and 5 miles but the cell phones, because of their ability to switch from cell to cell can cover incredible distances, even while driving at top speed. Each cell is approximately 10 square miles.

The cells are usually depicted as hexagons. The unique frequency tiers avoid all possibilities of cross connections. Generally a carrier of cell phone can avail of 832 radio frequencies in a city. Each cell phone uses 395 voice channels (per carrier), that is 56 voice channels per cell. It means 56 persons can simultaneously say hello on the phone. In digital transmission technology the number of channels increases even further. For each cell phone 168 channels is available.

The distinctiveness about cell phones is their low-power transmitters. Most use 2 strengths: 0.6 watts and 0.3 watts. In comparison it is 4 watts for CB radios. The advantage of this is that it can be frequently reused consuming less power. Cell phones are battery operated. The lower the power the smaller the battery. This makes the set handy and light.

For cellular technology a city requires a good number of base stations. This can run into some hundreds of towers. But because of the huge number of users costs per head remain very low. Each carrier has one centre called MTSO or Mobile Telephone Switching Office. Its work is to see to all the connections.

Cell phones each have codes, which enable identification of the phone, its user and its server. When someone tries to reach a phone the first thing is to locate the SID (system identification code) on the control channel, that is find out if the phone is within range or not. A message relays no-service when it is out of range. But when the SID is received then the next step is to find out whether the call is within its own home zone or not. The phone also tracks the location of the phone called on a database. Thus the MTSO knows the cell of the called number and caller. Communication is transmitted through the control channel and it is this link that activates the phone being called and calling.

These are the facts of a cell phone as explained for a layman. It is always advisable to know at least the basics of a cell phone since it has become an integral part of our life.

However, the handy device needs proper care and attention for consistency with its performance. When it comes to cell phone performance, the first thing that comes to our mind is the battery of a cell phone which forms the vital part of the device.

The functionality of the cell phone battery can be decided from two aspects- the interval between the charges and the life of the battery on a whole.

To increase the life of the battery between charges:

The simplest way is to switch the cell off when you do not want to receive a call, for instance at nights or after business hours or at times when your cell phone is out of coverage area. In an area where there is poor or no signal the cell may search for a better connection consuming much battery power.

Use ring tones of your cell phone instead of using the vibration mode and try to keep the volume as low as possible. The vibrate function eats up much battery power making the battery run down of power faster.

Flash photography, connection to internet and Bluetooth device drain the battery quicker. Hence, switching off the unnecessary features when not in use can save the power of your cell phone battery. WiFi and GPS enabled cell phone are also more prone to higher battery consumption and should be turned off.

Well, limiting the talk time over cell phone is healthy for both the battery and you as well. Longer call results in more consumption of battery.

Use the GSM mode of the cell phone in stead of using it in 3G/Dual mode.
Turn off the back light of your cell phone.

Extend the Life of Cell phone Battery:

The new battery should be initialized properly. Charge the new battery completely before installing it into the cell phone.

Keep the cell phone in room temperature as much as possible. Exposure to excessive heat may deter the battery to last long and perform properly. Moreover, try to keep the battery cool.

It is very important to charge the cell phone battery properly according to its type. The nickel-based batteries need to be discharged completely once in every two to three weeks and then recharged again. The lithium ion batteries should be discharged till the low battery warning. Recharge it before the battery is completely drained out. However, it is important to use cell phone charger meant for the type of battery.

Storing the battery properly is another vital thing. Store it away from any metal and make sure that the cell phone battery is not exposed to moisture.

The battery contact should be cleaned in regular time interval as they accumulate dirt over time.

No matter how much care you take of your cell phone battery, it is sure to die and decrease its performance sooner or later. You can ask the manufacturer to get it refurbished. Some of the cell phones have a `Battery Save` option that can be turned on to increase the life span of the battery. Ensure that the temperature inside a car is not high if you are using a car charger to recharge your cell phone.

When you are using delicate gadgets like cell phone, it is essential to take proper care of it. The cell phone battery is one of the delicate parts of the cell phone and its performance depends largely on the way you take care of it. However, charging the cell phone in a proper way is the important aspect of battery care that will ensure prolonged life for your cell phone battery.

Article Source : Pg. 5

Roberto Sedycias has sinced written about articles on various topics from GPS Cell Phones, Writing and Movie Reviews. This article can be accessed in portuguese from the Article section of page Roberto Sedycias works for. Roberto Sedycias's top article generates over 1500000 views. to your Favourites.