A cellular network or a mobile network is a communication network in which the latter is wireless. The network is distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed location transceiver, but more typically three cell sites or transceiver base stations. These base stations provide the cell with network coverage that can be used for voice, data and other transmission. A cell typically uses a different frequency system of neighboring cells, to avoid interference and to provide guaranteed quality of service within each cell.
When joined, these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographical area. This allows a large number of portable transceivers (eg mobile phones, tablets and laptops equipped with mobile broadband modems, pagers, etc.) to communicate with each other and with transceivers and landlines anywhere on the network, to through base stations, even if some of the transceivers move through more than one cell during transmission.
Cellular networks offer a number of desirable features:
• Greater capacity than a single large transmitter, since the same frequency can be used for multiple links as long as they are in different cells
• Mobile devices consume less power than with a single transmitter or satellite, as cell towers are closer
• Coverage area larger than a single ground transmitter, since additional cell towers can be added indefinitely and are not limited by the horizon.
Major telecom providers have deployed cellular voice and data networks in most of Earth's inhabited land. This allows mobile phones and mobile computing devices to connect to the public switched telephone network and the public Internet. Private cellular networks can be used for research or for large organizations and fleets, such as sending local public safety agencies or a taxi company.