When you tap the call button on your phone, something remarkable happens in milliseconds. Your voice is captured by the microphone and instantly converted from analog sound waves into digital data. This digital signal is then modulated onto radio waves and transmitted through the air to the nearest cell tower, also called a base station. The tower receives your signal, processes it, and forwards it through a wired backhaul connection into the mobile core network, which handles routing, authentication, and session management to connect you with the other party.