What Makes a Wireless “Super-Switch” Super?

As coastal regions prepare for the late summer heart of hurricane season, a vast network of wireless facilities and resources stand ready to deliver strong, fast and reliable coverage in emergencies. Some of the most powerful components in this arsenal are what industry insiders call super-switches. But what makes a super-switch “super”? A super-switch is a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) that typically handles tens of millions of wireless connections each day – from calls and texts to emails and Internet connections – from an array of customers’ cellphones, tablets, computers and other devices. Connections using technology such as Verizon’s 4G LTE network are consistently fast and reliable thanks to the advanced network on which they connect. A super-switch is designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, with low, wide dimensions, hardened shell and double-reinforced exterior walls that are effective against strong winds and blowing debris.

[Chuck Hamby is public relations manager for Verizon Wireless in Florida]