Network-Scale Impact of Vegetation Loss on Coverage and Exposure for 5G Networks

Authors: Schampheleer J, Huss A, Deruyck M

Year: 2025

Category: Wireless Communication, Environmental Health

Journal: IEEE Access

DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3538054

URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10870177

Abstract

Overview

This study investigates the effects of vegetation on 5G network performance, focusing on coverage, user exposure, and base station deployment strategies in an urban environment (Utrecht, The Netherlands).

Key Components

  • First network planning simulations incorporating vegetation and building propagation challenges at city-wide scale.
  • Examines how vegetation's blocking and shielding effects on 5G performance and exposure may vary with user height.
  • Considers both sub-6 GHz and mmWave networks through diverse simulated scenarios.

Findings

  • Vegetation impacts coverage and exposure:
    • 14.71% reduction in sub-6 GHz network coverage due to vegetation presence.
    • 42.98% decrease in downlink whole-body SAR in mmWave networks, highlighting a protective shielding effect from vegetation.
  • Base station placement adaptation: Flexible deployment can counteract coverage loss while stabilizing user exposure metrics.
  • Environmental sensitivity: mmWave networks remain highly sensitive to obstructions like vegetation.

Conclusions

The study underscores the critical importance of incorporating environmental elements like vegetation into 5G network planning. Doing so provides optimal network performance and, notably, helps mitigate user exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) — a factor significant for public health considerations regarding EMF safety.

5G vegetation user exposure network planning SAR mmWave environmental impact
← Back to Stats