Why does a cell tower need to be massive to transmit data to a smartphone but the phone’s extremely small antenna can transmit data back over the same distance?

Question

Why does a cell tower need to be massive to transmit data to a smartphone but the phone’s extremely small antenna can transmit data back over the same distance?

In: 52

Answer 1

Part of it is height. At those frequencies, it’s line-of-sight. Think of it like a lighthouse or beacon. The higher it is, the less likely it will be blocked by terrain, and the further it will go before it hits the horizon / curve of the earth.