In our example, let’s imagine that Anytown is a mostly residential, suburban community of modest size. Near Anytown is a cell tower that provides wireless voice and data coverage to the entire town.

Affixed to this tower are several antennas owned by the wireless carriers that serve Anytown. They broadcast and pick up signals from residents’ devices, send the data it receives to adjacent equipment near the tower and then a wired connection sends the information on to the internet or phone system.

Twenty-five years ago, when this tower was built, it served the residents of Anytown well. People were using cell phones to talk, and later, text with hardly any issues. With the possible exception of a few dead spots and limited coverage areas, Anytown’s tower has reliably provided good, dependable service that kept residents connected.