An antenna does not amplify or create power but instead redistributes radiated energy by concentrating it in preferred directions at the expense of others, much like a flashlight focuses a bulb's light into a directed beam. The theoretical isotropic antenna radiates equally in all directions and serves as the zero dBi reference point. Practical antennas used in cellular networks are directional, focusing energy toward the coverage area and achieving gains typically ranging from 15 to 18 dBi for standard macro cell panel antennas, which dramatically extends the effective communication range compared to an omnidirectional design.