There is a microwave backbone that connects all the network together. For example if the main switch system is located in Montreal for a certain operator and this operator has cell phone services across Canada so it will spread through the microwave links between the provinces and far cities. The microwave antennas are different bin shape because the frequency used is different. the covered dish antenna indicates that this is a microwave link. Microwave frequencies will fade after a certain distance because of the earth curvature therefore it has to be received boosted and transmitted again to the other tower until it reaches its destination. The following figure shows the effect of earth curvature on the microwave transmission.
If you live outside the city you might see these antennas and also inside the city for some networks. usually operators do not depend on one transmission line because if it is broken for any reason the system will be down for the cities linked to it. Therefore each operator has protection lines so if transmission is broken in one side the signal will come from another side and so. Number of protections could be more than one depending on the operator budget.
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