Abstract

Overview

The paper focuses on evaluating the impact of different 5G network topologies on human electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure, quality of mobile communications, and sustainability.

Findings

• Introduction of a novel Exposure Ratio (ER) metric focused on Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MaMIMO) systems in 5G networks, in comparison to the existing 4G networks.
• Assessment includes results from simulations covering different municipalities and operational scenarios to determine the optimal balance between user coverage and minimal EMF exposure.
• Significant findings show:
• Uplink (UL) exposure being ten times greater than downlink (DL) exposure in 5G networks.
• Average increase of 36% in DL exposure when a 5G network operates at 10 times the traffic capacity of a 4G network.
• Potential reduction by up to 75% in UL exposure depending on specific deployment scenarios.
• A 90% reduction in DL exposure when the network targets only outdoor coverage.

Conclusion

The study highlights the potential for significant reductions in EMF exposure through the use of 5G MaMIMO technologies, carefully optimized for both uplink and downlink operations. It underlines the importance of considering both indoor and outdoor network coverage for minimal human EMF exposure.