LightRadio blocks are smaller than a Rubik's Cube. (Alcatel-Lucent)

As mobile data usage skyrockets, wireless companies are spending billions each year to maximize capacity, and consumers end up footing the cost in the form of higher cell phone bills. But a cube that fits in the palm of your hand could help solve that problem.

It’s called lightRadio, a Rubik’s cube-sized device made by Alcatel-Lucent that takes all of the components of a cell phone tower and compresses them down into a 2.3-inch block. Unlike today’s cell towers and antennas, which are large, inefficient and expensive to maintain, lightRadio is tiny, capacious and power-sipping. Get the full story »