WHY HEXAGONAL CELLS ARE USED IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

  

     

     We all know that hexagonal cells are used in mobile communication systems.

              But the question arises that why so??, why not any other shape??. So here we will try to find an answer to it.

SQUARE:

                 In this type of shape we can cover all area without overlapping , but there is problem with signal strength . assume that a trans receiving antenna is placed at the mid point of square .The antenna is "omnidirectional " so it will be radiating the signal in all directions equally with same strength.

                But the problem here  is that user at the "corner" of square cell will receive a weak signal as   compared  to   a  user  in  the "side"section  .

As we can see in below figure 

The user at point "A" will receive a signal with lower strength and he has to face the problems like "call drop", disturbed voice , noisy data .

"Square shaped cell arrangement"

CIRCLE:

               The basic problem with these is that it cannot cover all the area without overlapping . If we place two or three circles side by side then we will see an uncovered area called as " Blind spot"where no signal will able to reach.

          If we try to overlap the circles to cover blind spots then we have to face the problem of frequency interference .

HEXAGON:

                   After seeing all these points now look at hexagonal cell.

1) The first thing it wont create any blind spot .

2) It is equidistant from middle point .

3)  In an  antenna which use mostly "360 degree" radiation pattern the middle cell should have "6 neighbour " cells which can  only be done using hexagonal    shape because     it   is       the   shape with " 6 sides".

"Hexagonal cell arrangement"