The Hindu Business Line : Ericsson develops designer tower tubes

New Delhi, Jan. 18 Mobile towers may no longer be eyesores built as tubular steel structures sticking out from rooftops. Cellular towers, on which the operators mount the equipment for providing coverage in an area, are set to look stylish, aesthetically pleasing and colourful.

Swedish telecom gear manufacturer Ericsson has developed a ‘Tower Tube’ that has been designed in such a way that operators or tower companies can install it in textures suitable to the surrounding landscape.

The Tower Tube, which has been launched in Europe, will be introduced in India once the company gets the necessary certification from the Government.

Cost benefits

The Tower Tube claims to provide operators with significant cost benefits. For example, the modular concrete construction allows rapid and cost-effective deployment. It also reduces the need for cooling, thereby boosting energy efficiency and simultaneously reducing operator running costs. The concrete shell also protects equipment from vandalism and lightning strikes.

“The Tower Tube replaces conventional telecommunication sites with a sleek, architecturally designed, aesthetically pleasing tower. It can be regarded as a feature of any landscape. It employs modular concrete construction that allows the structure to be deployed quickly and easily. The tower can be erected in a variety of heights, shapes and styles. The exterior’s colour, pattern and finish can also be adapted to help it fit into rural or urban settings,” said an Ericsson official.

Slim design

The tower houses all equipment within its slim design (about 5m in diameter), reducing the need for more land. According to one estimate, this has led to a 30 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions associated with construction, and a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption.

The tower tube is part of Ericsson’s efforts to develop energy-efficient and environment-friendly telecom equipment.

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