Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios

Abstract

Overview

In order to investigate the health risks linked with 5G technology, this study commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) evaluates total human exposure in diverse scenarios using hypothetical 5G mobile networks. Total exposure includes emissions from network base stations, users' devices, and bystanders' devices within different network topologies and user scenarios.

Findings

• Various factors influencing exposure were tested using the Monte Carlo simulation technique, focusing on the 3.6 GHz band amongst others.
• Frequency-specific analyses reveal varying levels of exposure reduction across different brain regions; however, particular concern arises from higher exposures close to the skin surface such as eyes and testicles.
• Exposure primarily originates from the user's own device, rather than surrounding infrastructure like base stations, amplifying with the intensity of device usage.
• Small-sized mobile cells and increased indoor network coverage can mitigate exposure significantly, albeit increasing the exposure in non-users or bystanders.

Conclusion

The study underlines the imperative of understanding personalized usage and infrastructure configuration to effectively manage electromagnetic exposure in emerging 5G technology environments. The higher frequencies typical in 5G networks result in reduced penetration but pose increased risk to surface tissues, warranting careful exposure management strategies to protect public health.