LTE: Technology and Health 4G and Mobile Broadband LTE: TECHNOLOGY AND HEAlth – 4G AND MOBILE BROADBAND LTE Technology and Health Mobile Broadband typically refers to providing customers with high speed data while on the move. There are several technologies capable of delivering commercial Mobile Broadband services. The GSM Association (GSMA) has produced this brief to describe key features of the technology and address some of the questions related to exposure to radio signals from LTE antennas and devices. What is LtE, and What bEnEfits The figure below shows data rates for Mobile doEs it providE? Broadband technologies. 3G/WCDMA is a third Long Term Evolution (LTE) is designed to generation mobile system. High Speed Packet deliver very fast data speeds – faster than most Access (HSPA) technology is already delivering home wired broadband services. LTE has the Mobile Broadband services and HSPA Evolution advantage of being backwards compatible is a technical enhancement. LTE is the next with existing GSM and 3G technologies, step on the GSM technology road map after enabling mobile operators to deploy LTE and HSPA. The first commercial LTE networks were continue to provide a seamless service across launched in Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, existing networks. Sweden in December 2009. By the middle of 2013 more than 200 LTE networks were in LTE-Advanced is designed to enable even higher operation worldwide. Global LTE coverage is data rates by supporting higher order MIMO projected to rise to approximately 60% of the (Multiple In Multiple Out) antenna technology world’s population by 2018. and combining multiple carriers. www.gsma.com/aboutus/gsm-technology EvoLution of mobile tEchnoLogiEs GSM EDGE Voice Voice 9.6kbps 320kbps WCDMA HSPA HSPA Evolution Voice HSDPA HSUPA Enhanced capacity and high 384kbps Broadband downloads Broadband uploads data rates Voice Voice Voice DL:14.4Mbps DL:14.4Mbps DL:28-42Mbps UL:384kbps UL:5.72Mbps UL:11Mbps LTE Evolved radio network for even higher speed data rates Voice DL:100Mbps UL:50Mbps 2 MOBILE TAxes and fees – AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS WhEn LtE is LaunchEd Will it rEpLacE What kind of rEsEarch Exists Existing mobile nEtWorks? rEgarding LtE and possible As consumers expect to be able to use their hEaLth EffEcts? mobile phone virtually everywhere, LTE will Based on the current state of scientific initially be deployed in parallel with existing knowledge expert bodies consistently conclude mobile services. This also means continuity of that the international standards provide health service for customers who can continue to use protection for all persons and are relevant their phones on existing networks. The first LTE to all mobile technologies, including LTE. devices were Mobile Broadband modems (USB The essential characteristics of LTE signals in ‘dongles’) that plug into laptops. Now other respect of exposure are comparable to those of wireless devices such as smartphones and existing mobile technologies. These similarities tablets increasingly also support LTE. refer especially to the transmission power and also to the relevant frequency range. Indeed, If governments allocate low frequency the frequency bands which will be used by spectrum from the Digital Dividend, LTE has LTE were previously allocated to other mobile the potential to deliver mobile broadband or radio services, for example TV. The existing coverage to rural and urban areas. This will scientific research and safety standards refer enable high speed Internet access regardless to the whole frequency range up to 300 GHz. of where people live. Therefore, existing health risk assessments are valid independently of the mobile technology The GSMA generally supports spectrum (GSM, 3G, LTE) for the whole frequency range. liberalisation, essentially the removal of technology restrictions to enable new mobile In April 2010 the German Federal Agency for technologies to be deployed within the same Radiation Protection assessed LTE in response band or bands as existing technologies. For to a question in the German Bundestag example, 3G or HSPA could be deployed in (parliament) and concluded: spectrum bands where traditionally GSM has been used. ‘These frequencies adjoin the frequency bands previously used for mobile Where governments allow flexibility in the communication and researched in the choice of technology, network operators may German Mobile Telecommunication deploy LTE in the frequencies currently used to Research Programme (DMF). Therefore, provide mobile services. In some cases this may no significant differences to previously be a replacement for GSM or 3G and in other used mobile communication frequencies cases it will be an additional radio technology. are to be expected regarding possible If a new license, with additional fees, is required biological effects: The German before LTE services can be provided this may Mobile Telecommunication Research delay rollout. Programme has shown that there were no indications of a damaging effect www.gsma.com/spectrum/ of mobile communication within the effective limit values.’ www.bfs.de/en/elektro 3 LTE: TECHNOLOGY AND HEAlth – 4G AND MOBILE BROADBAND arE new safE ExposurE Limits hoW do thE ExposurEs from LtE needEd for thE LtE systEm? antEnnas comparE to othEr mobile No, because current international safety and radio sErvicEs? guidelines for radio technologies are valid for Measurements of LTE antenna sites have found the whole frequency range planned for LTE that typical exposures are similar to current deployments. These guidelines are recognised wireless networks, and other sources, such by the World Health Organization (WHO) as as TV. The level of exposure in a particular providing protection for all persons against all position will depend on many factors including established health effects. antenna height, and distance to the antenna. Public Health England (PHE) states: The WHO has concluded that for mobile and wireless networks: ‘From an exposure perspective, the AGNIR [Advisory Group on ‘Considering the very low exposure Non-ionising Radiation] report states levels and research results collected to that 4G networks are very similar date, there is no convincing scientific to other mobile communications evidence that the weak RF signals from networks, and PHE expects public base stations and wireless networks exposures to remain well within the cause adverse health effects.’ ICNIRP [international] guidelines after the deployment of 4G services www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs304/en/index.html in the UK.’ In Germany measurements of network The International Commission on Non- upgrades found that LTE levels were at the Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) is same order of magnitude as those from GSM a non-governmental organization formally or 3G. Where LTE antennas were added to recognised by WHO. The main conclusion a site with existing GSM or 3G antennas, from the WHO reviews is that exposures the total exposure increased but was still below the limits recommended in the ICNIRP only a small fraction of recommended international guidelines do not appear to have limits. The results of the nationwide German any known consequence on health. measurements are summarised in the figure on the next page. www.who.int/emf/ http://www.izmf.de/sites/default/files/iZMF_LtE- brochure_screen.pdf The LTE network aims to maximize the data rate using the available radio resources. The amount of customer data traffic will affect the amount of power being transmitted. Assessments for compliance with exposure limits are generally conducted for designed maximum power. This may not be representative of everyday conditions. Research on a Swedish network of more than 5,000 sites found that even in high data traffic periods the transmitted power was less than 12% of the maximum 90% of the time. 4 LTE: TECHNOLOGY AND HEAlth – 4G AND MOBILE BROADBAND LtE promisEs fastEr data ratEs arE thErE safEty standards for than currEnt mobile tEchnoLogiEs, LtE dEvicEs? doEs that mEan highEr ExposurEs Yes, LTE devices have to comply with the from thE antEnna sitEs and Will same limits as mobile phones. LTE devices this groW With morE data traffic? include data modems (such as USB ‘dongles’, We all expect more from mobile applications, smartphones and tablets. Exposure guidelines and services at home, at work and on the for mobile phones and devices used close to move. LTE will improve data speeds and the head or body specify the maximum level network capacity by carrying data more of RF energy that can be absorbed with a efficiently. This is needed to meet the high large safety margin. The term for the amount expectations and demands customers place of RF energy absorbed by the body or the on mobile communication applications and head during a phone call or use of a mobile services both in their professional and device is the Specific Absorption Rate or SAR. private life. The power from an LTE base SAR is expressed in units of watts per station will vary in response to the amount kilogram (W/kg). of data traffic. The maximum exposure levels will be similar to other mobile services The maximum SAR level for a mobile phone using similar transmitter powers. used against the head or body in accordance with the international guidelines is 2 W/kg measured over a 10 gram averaging mass. Some countries use other limit values. LTE devices (including smartphones) are tested for SAR compliance at the highest certified power level in laboratory conditions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwKYB1npxQo www.sartick.com nationWidE German LtE and GSM/3g MeasurEmEnts 60 LTE GSM/3G 50 47 40 36 30 27 21 20 9 10 6 7 4 6 3 3 3 Number of measuring points 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0.0 - 0.01 0.01 - 0.04 0.04 - 0.09 0.09 - 0. 0. 0.25 - 0. 0.36 - 0.49 0 0.64 - 0.81 0.81 - 1.0 > 16 .49 - 1.0 - 0.25 % 0.64 16 3 % % 6 % % % % % % % % Base station power density [% of the exposure limit] The horizontal axis shows the measured level as a percentage of the exposure limit in different ranges from <0.01% up to >1%.