Poor mobile signal beyond the sixth floor - Apartments are facing a problem

    If you are planning to buy a flat above the sixth floor of an apartment building in the city, do not forget to check whether your cell phone is receiving adequate signal. Because the strength of the signal in almost all localities starts to reduce as you go up from the sixth floor level. The reason is, most, if not all, mobile towers in Bangalore are placed below the height of the sixth floor in an apartment and also, their transponders are aligned 15 degrees downwards. 

    Ravindra Kumar, chief architect of Venkataramana Associates, said, “The problem sometimes starts from the fourth floor onwards. I live in a penthouse and suffer call drops which in turn affects my work and business. Unfortunately, there are no rules governing this problem and no consumer forum takes up this case. I am sure even mobile service people live in high-rises. But they cure their problem with signal boosters and do not adopt the larger perspective.” 

    Several companies in Bangalore have now added mobile network coverage check to the list of risk specifications for spaces in high rises. A risk management specialist working for an IT company, who did not want to be named, said, “From a business point of view, we need to check that spaces in high-rises have adequate mobile network coverage so that people can communicate all the time. The problem is more acute in lifts, stair wells and washroom areas. These are the places which are considered most risky in buildings.” 

    An architect in a top construction company said that such problems are sorted out in due course. “Apartment blocks make special arrangements like signal boosters in situations when there is poor mobile network coverage. However, it is also true that the blame is first put on mobile service providers. Builders are now expected to make arrangements for good cellphone network just like supply of water and electricity.” 

    Getting “cell space”, or terraces to place mobile towers is a tough task for the service providers. “Very few buildings that are good for mobile towers have occupancy certificates. The BBMP has started auditing the cell towers on buildings. Anything above 45 feet (15 metres) will need the certificate and we do not want to take that trouble. If a building does not have it, we pass it. So usually towers are placed on buildings which are not very tall but on a naturally higher elevation,” said an official with a mobile service provider who is in charge of choosing buildings to install towers.