In northern Nevada, every now and then my phone will briefly connect with a 3G network, the connection last one or two minutes at most.
The only thing I can think is it was put in place by the bureau of land management, the department of transportation or the forest service, it was set up with or eventually had solar panels installed to charge the batteries
Why is it still operating? I think it was either forgotten about or it's some back up plan. Personally I think it was forgotten about or it was put up on some mountain top and people didn't want to go remove it.
The connection is sporadic, you most certainly won't be streaming Netflix
it will be on until either those frequencies are reallocated, or until there are no working devices using it.
this is my best guess using info from my past experiences with the end of analog (900mhz), the end (not quite) of 2G, and the current attempts at AM radio, the loss of FM capability on some devices, the attack on CB radio, and others that I may or may notbe aware of
keep in mind that all frequencies like this were once free for the use of anyone
that is becomming less and less true
also keep in mind that the loss of these and of many other enjoyable things from the past (large, powerful speakers and amps, media with great audio, even cellphones with good range, etc.) have all been degraded or even destroyed by the acceptance of cellphones and other digital drivel.
remember that with every so-called 'upgrade' in this market is always followed with a degradation in some part of the service that is often overlooked by the masses, such as a feature you like that most people dont use.
(that is happening with the FM receiver on Androids)
most folks i know dont even know that there is an offline FM radio built into their phones
it isnt even an advertised feature anymore
that is because the manufacturers would like to do away with it altogether to make each device cheaper (for them, not you. it's an 'upgrade', remember? that means you will pay more for it)
the pathetic range measured in feet of 5G compared to the range measured in miles of 900mhz analog shows that cellular range is decreasing with each 'upgrade'
that means more of these antennas are needed, more radio radiation is produced, and our landscape becomes a prickle pear of antennas poking upwards everywhere
and we pay for it with our money and health with each 'upgrade'
what we gain is never close to what we lose
THE SWIMMING POOL ON THE TITANIC IS STILL FULL
www.popularmechanics.com
