Base Stations and Wireless Networks: Exposures and Health Consequences

Mobile phones continue to develop with more user features being implemented as new technology is released commercially. The boundaries will blur between internet, broadcast and mobile telecommunications. Significantly more radio base stations will be needed as communications technology nears the physical limits in spectrum efficiency and to support increasing data-rates. The impact of transmitter power control, DTX, and capacity design on base station transmit power is discussed showing why GSM base stations transmit well below their maximum power even at their busiest time. Typical public exposures to radio frequency fields from base stations are several orders of magnitude below ICNIRP guidelines. It is shown how the 30 dB GSM terminal power control window in coverage areas with a 70 dB range in pathloss can explain the observed increased population of maximum and minimum power control settings.