In-Situ Measurements of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Measurements Around 5G Macro Base Stations in the UK

Abstract

Overview

This study conducted radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field spot measurements in line-of-sight to 56 active 5G macro base stations across 30 publicly accessible locations within the United Kingdom (UK).

• Four different exposure scenarios were assessed:
• Background (no traffic instigation)
• Streaming videos
• Downlink speed test
• Extrapolation of SS-RSRP decoder measurements
• Power density measurements were performed across the 420 MHz–6 GHz frequency range at each site to assess total exposure from various RF sources present in the environment.

Findings

• Both total RF and 5G-specific power density levels were found to be well within the 1998 ICNIRP public reference levels, even when extrapolating to worst-case scenario (= 5%).
• 4G downlink was identified as the dominant contributor to total RF exposure, with 5G contributing on average less than 10%.
• No statistically significant difference was observed between beamforming and non-beamforming sites.
• Streaming did not appear to materially contribute to exposure levels, indicating that background measurements reflect typical downlink exposure at current urban and suburban 5G sites.

Conclusion

The study underscores the importance of monitoring and reporting on environmental exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), as continuous assessment helps to inform public health guidelines and understand potential health risks, particularly with expanding 5G infrastructure.