The waves used to transmit mobile phone calls between cell towers are radio- frequency (RF) microwaves , which are part of the radio wave region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Quick Scoop

  • Mobile phones and towers communicate using radio waves in the microwave range (typically a few hundred MHz up to several GHz).
  • In physics exam language, the accepted answer is usually either “radio waves” or more specifically “microwaves,” since modern cellular bands sit in the microwave portion of the RF spectrum.
  • These RF microwaves carry your voice/data as digital signals between your handset and the nearest tower, and between towers in the wider network.

Think of it like this: your voice is turned into digital code, then “ridden” on RF microwave signals that zip through the air between antennas.

Extra context (if your question is from a test)

If the options include both “radio waves” and “microwaves,” many school-level questions mark “microwaves” as correct for mobile/cellular communication.

If the choices are broader (e.g., radio vs visible vs infrared), then “radio waves” is the correct category.

Final one-line answer (exam style):
They use radio-frequency microwaves to transmit mobile phone calls between cell towers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.