erizon Wireless commercials say, "We never stop working for you," and although callers expect their cell phones to work, a lot of effort does go into making sure their calls go through whenever they press "send."
Cell phone calls have to go through an antenna and then be processed by immense computers to reach their destination. All this equipment must function perfectly for cell phones to work, so it is monitored by the staff at a mobile telephone switching station (MTSO).
The Verizon Wireless MTSO for Muncie is a small, nondescript building with no windows, a locked fence and a "No Soliciting" sign. Inside, a staff of ten maintains and watches the vital equipment.
"I can tell you when a door is opened in my network," Gerald Baker, manager of network operations, said.
Because the MTSO actually routes each cell phone call and collects billing information, it maintains a database of where each phone is in the network. All service in the area MTSO covers would be cut off if something happened to it, so the staff is constantly running tests on the equipment and back-ups.
"It's really not just a matter of revenue," Michelle Gilbert, Verizon Wireless associate director of public relations, said. "Customers and emergency personnel rely on our network."
"If the power goes off, that's when our customers are looking for our service," Don Carretta, executive director of network, said. "We take that challenge very seriously."
The MTSO that serves Muncie is one of about 160 that Verizon operates in the country and is of average size. The switch itself, which routes the phone calls that come though the building, is powered by batteries that are constantly recharged with electricity. If the power goes out, it can continue to function for 21 hours. Air conditioning is also key to keeping the switch from failing; in the event of a power failure, it operates off a diesel generator. The double-walled fuel tank holds 4,000 gallons.
No direct external air enters the building, and temperature and humidity have to be carefully maintained. If a single fan fails, Baker gets a print-out at his desk.
"Dust is definitely the enemy," he said.
All these precautions, however, introduce dangers of their own. Batteries can cause chemical spills. Diesel fuel can catch fire. Therefore, additional care has to be taken to avoid damage to the environment.
Baker said his facility exceeds legal requirements. "We don't want to just meet the criteria- we want to beat the criteria."
The staff at the MTSO is also responsible for maintaining the links that connect the switching station to the outside world. The "miles and miles" of wire have to be connected by hand.
"It's an art," Baker said. "When you find a guy who does this well, you keep him."
"A lot of time is spent back here," Geri Williams, switch technician, said. "I'm talking to the guy who says, 'Can you hear me now?'."
Williams works the graveyard shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., so she keeps an eye on the 137 cellular antennas in their area and the other central Indiana MTSO throughout the night. She is also responsible for nightly maintenance and said that she and her colleagues take their jobs very seriously.
"I've been in this business for 13 years now," Baker said. "It's not a job- it's my life.
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