How Cell Phones Communicate Using Radio Waves

Cell phones communicate using radio waves. When you make a call, your phone converts your voice into an electrical signal. This signal is then turned into strings of numbers using a microchip inside the phone. These numbers are then converted into radio frequencies (RF) that can be transmitted and received by mobile phone base stations. The base stations connect callers to other phones and other networks1.

Cell phones use wireless technology to send and receive calls without wire connections of any kind. They use electromagnetic radio waves to send and receive the sounds that would normally travel down wires2.