Ericsson White Paper

GFTL-21:000987
October 2021

Accurately
assessing
exposure to
radio frequency
Intent-driven Enterprise Service Orchestration

Why intent-driven service automation is key for communications service providers

(CSPs) wanting to move up the enterprise value chain

electromagnetic
Automation is critical for the commercial survival of today’s CSPs, who face rising technology complexity,
increased commercial pressures, and accelerated technology refresh cycles which threaten to increase
the cost of operations beyond sustainable levels in a market that is effectively static. Automation has
the ability to lower the cost of operations by a phenomenal 60-70 percent [1] while, at the same time,
enabling the agility and innovation CSPs need to enter and compete effectively in new markets. The global

fields from 5G
enterprise market is a highly attractive one, and many CSPs are using the benefits of automation to enter,
compete, and differentiate themselves there.

networks
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 2
Content
September 2021

Content
Introduction 3
A new mobile network generation and new EMF-related questions 4
5G uses radio waves for communication in a very efficient way 5
5G equipment complies with health and safety requirements 7
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations 9
Typical RF EMF exposure levels from 5G base stations 16
Conclusion 17
References 18
Glossary 19
Authors 20
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 3
Introduction
September 2021

Introduction

Throughout the world, the rollout of 5G networks is either currently taking place or is about
to take place, and extensive growth of 5G services and subscriptions is expected in the
coming years. To address the increasing demand for mobile network capacity and coverage,
5G uses advanced antenna technologies and new allocated frequency bands. This white
paper provides information related to human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic
fields (RF EMF) from the base stations in the new 5G networks and describes how to
accurately assess compliance with established limits.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 4
A new mobile network generation and new EMF-related questions
September 2021

A new mobile
network
generation and
new EMF-related
questions

With the introduction of a new generation of mobile networks, questions are naturally
being raised about health and safety aspects related to the RF EMF exposure from the
radio equipment, which includes 5G. Members of the public and local authorities have
expressed an interest in knowing whether the RF EMF exposure from 5G will be different
from the previous generations of mobile communications. Service providers and regulators
need to understand how the RF EMF exposure levels from 5G networks can be accurately
determined to assess compliance with applicable safety regulations. Regarding the RF
EMF compliance assessments of 5G new radio (NR) base stations with advanced antennas,
the challenge is how to consider the dynamic change of beam patterns that serve users in
different places. In this white paper, these questions and challenges are addressed.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 5
5G uses radio waves for communication in a very efficient way
September 2021

5G uses radio
waves for
communication
in a very efficient
way

Like all radio communications, including radio and television broadcasting, satellite
communications, and previous generations of mobile networks, 5G uses radio waves
to transfer information between base stations and connected devices. Radio waves are
a form of electromagnetic fields that are transmitted and received by antennas. They
belong to the radio frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum, as shown in Figure 1.
5G uses frequency bands assigned by regulators ranging between 600MHz and 40GHz,
which are within or adjacent to the ranges that are already used by previous generations
of mobile networks, satellite communications, and other radio applications. Radio waves,
including the new higher bands used by 5G, called millimeter waves, are very different
from the electromagnetic fields in the upper part of the spectrum, called ionizing radiation,
with frequencies more than 100,000 times higher than those of the radio waves used for
communication. Ionizing radiation is known to have frequencies (and photon energy) high
enough to break chemical bonds, which can cause tissue damage. Radio waves do not have
such properties.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 6
5G uses radio waves for communication in a very efficient way
September 2021

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

(2G 3G 4G
Static Alternating 5G)
Electric & Electric & Radio Frequency
Magnetic Magnetic TV and Microwave Infrared
Radio Mobile and and Ultraviolet X-Rays Radioactive
Fields Fields Broadcast Networks Satellite visible light sources

0 Hz 50 Hz 3 kHz 300 GHz 3000 THz 30 EHz

Non-Ionizing Radiation Ionizing Radiation

Figure 1. The electromagnetic spectrum

5G is designed to increase the spectrum efficiency compared to earlier generations. This

means that less bandwidth and less energy are needed to transfer a certain amount of
information. 5G also uses only a very small fraction of the transmit power for non-data
signaling, and it uses advanced antenna technology to direct the energy where it is needed
(beamforming). All of this together means that the 5G radio technology is very efficient and
that levels of RF EMF are, for comparable services, lower than from earlier technologies.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 7
5G equipment complies with health and safety requirements
September 2021

5G equipment
complies
with health
and safety
requirements

Radio equipment needs to meet regulatory requirements related to RF EMF exposure.

In most countries, the applied limits have been adopted from guidelines provided by
the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which
is an independent international expert group formally recognized by the World Health
Organization. The limits recommended by the ICNIRP are based on reviews of all relevant
scientific literature and have been set with significant margins to protect from substantiated
short-term and long-term health effects of exposure to RF EMF. Most regulations are still
based on the ICNIRP limits from 1998 [1], which have been confirmed to be protective.
In 2020, the ICNIRP published updated guidelines [2] considering the latest available
scientific research and introducing some additions and changes. Some countries have
already adopted the new ICNIRP limits and others will follow soon. The ICNIRP guidelines
are technology-independent, meaning that the same limits apply for all radio technologies,
that is, also for 5G.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 8
5G equipment complies with health and safety requirements
September 2021

As concluded by the ICNIRP, the substantiated health effects of RF EMF are related to local
or whole-body temperature elevations that high exposure levels for an extended period
of time can cause, known as thermal effects. Compliance with the limits ensures that the
real exposure that people may experience is always far below these levels and that radio
communication equipment, including 5G, is safe. The ICNIRP has also concluded that
no non-thermal health effects (that is, effects below the limits and not associated with
temperature elevations) have been established as being caused by RF EMF, including
cancer.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 9
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

Calculation of RF
EMF exposure
from 5G base
stations
The customer product information for radio products includes information about exclusion
zones to consider when installing base stations to ensure compliance with international
RF EMF exposure limits for the general public and workers. For 5G radios, the necessary
distance to keep to public areas varies from less than a few centimeters for low-power
indoor products to a few meters for outdoor micro products mounted on walls and poles,
and up to about 20m for macro products installed on rooftops, masts, and towers. The
exclusion zones are in most cases determined based on calculations, but measurements
may also be used, especially for radio products with very low output power levels.

Applicable limits and classic calculation methods

The RF EMF limits applicable for base stations are typically expressed in terms of power
density (unit W/m2) or electric field strength (unit V/m) levels. Figure 2 below shows the
power density limits for the general public that are prescribed in many countries globally
(from the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines). These so-called reference levels are frequency-
dependent, but from 2GHz defined at a constant level of 10W/m2 (or 61V/m expressed as
electric field strength). Importantly, they are also associated with an averaging time, for
example, 6 or 30 minutes, meaning that it is the averaged power density over the specified
time that is to be compared with the limit.

International standards such as IEC 62232 [3] from the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) describe the methodology to be used to evaluate the RF EMF exposure
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 10
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

from individual base stations and base station sites, based either on calculations or
measurements. With knowledge of the input power to the base station antenna P (W), the
antenna gain G (direction-dependent), and the power density limit Slim (W/m2), the RF EMF
compliance distance CD (in meters) in different directions can be calculated using the free-
space formula:

Figure 3 illustrates the RF EMF compliance distances for different values of PG, called
Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP), and for the ICNIRP general public power
density limit Slim of 10W/m2.

Calculations using the above formula are a common way to assess the RF EMF exposure
from base station antennas, specifically classic passive panel antennas. When adding 5G
radios and antennas to an existing base station site, the total RF EMF exposure from all
antennas and technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G) has to be considered for assessment of
compliance with limits and regulations.

12

10

8
Power density (W/m2)

0
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
Frequency (MHz)

Figure 2. ICNIRP (1998) RF EMF limits (reference level) for the general public in
the frequency range from 300MHz to 6GHz expressed as power density values
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 11
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

30

25

20
EMF compliance distance (m)

15

10

0
30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
EIRP (dBm)

Figure 3. EMF limit compliance distances for EIRP (PG) values between 30dBm and
80dBm calculated using the free-space formula and the general public reference level of
10W/m2 (30dBm = 1W, 40dBm = 10W, and so on)

Solutions to address RF EMF compliance assessment challenges for

5G massive MIMO base stations
Regulations typically require that the highest possible power and gain values are used when
calculating the RF EMF exposure to ensure conservative results. For classic base station
antennas with static antenna radiation patterns, the RF EMF evaluations are relatively
straightforward using the calculation method described above. However, for massive
multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) 5G radios some challenges need to be addressed.
These are:
• how to consider the dynamic change of antenna radiation patterns, that is, that the
base station can use a large number of different beam patterns to serve users located in
different places in the most efficient way
• how to consider that only a fraction of the total transmit power is contributing to the RF
EMF exposure in a certain direction, that is, that different beam patterns will be used for a
limited time, which is much lower than the EMF averaging time of 6 or 30 minutes

Solutions to these challenges are presented below.

Antenna beam pattern envelopes

Antenna pattern files are available for 5G massive MIMO radio products, for both individual
broadcast and traffic beams, and a combination of the maximum gain values of the traffic
beams, so-called envelope pattern files. Figure 4 shows examples of traffic beam envelope
patterns in the azimuthal and elevation planes for a mid band (3.5GHz) product with
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 12
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

the individual boresight traffic beam indicated. Envelope files are available for different
beamforming schemes, that is, reciprocity-based as well as codebook-based beamforming.

By applying such envelope beam patterns together with the configured transmit power, RF
EMF compliance boundaries (exclusion zones) can be created from calculations using the
free-space formula. In the case of time division duplex (TDD), the transmit power should
be scaled by the TDD duty cycle. For example, with a frame structure leading to 75 percent
downlink transmission, the configured power used should be multiplied by 0.75 (-1.2dB).
For 5G NR, the fraction of the power used for broadcast beam transmission is tiny (less than
one percent) meaning that only the traffic beam envelopes need to be considered in the
calculations.

Figure 5 shows an example of RF EMF compliance boundaries for the general public
and occupational exposure determined using traffic beam envelopes and the configured
power. This corresponds to the theoretical maximum, assuming that all the power can be
transmitted continuously in any direction within the steering range of the radio product.
However, this will not happen in a real 5G network.
90(y)

0(z)
-30
120

30
60

15 -60
0 30 60

180 ф=0(x) -90 Ѳ=90(xy)

-30 12
50 20 0
-1 -1
15
0
-60
0

-15
-12

0
180
-90

Envelope traffic beam

Boresight traffic beam

Figure 4. Example of traffic beam envelopes (blue curves) in azimuth (left) and
elevation (right). The individual boresight traffic beam with a maximum gain is
also indicated (yellow curves).
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 13
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

20m

9m

Figure 5. Example of RF EMF compliance boundaries for general public exposure

(yellow) and workers (red) for a mid band (3.5GHz) massive MIMO radio product
calculated using the traffic beam envelopes and assuming constant peak power
transmission of 200W in every beam direction.

Power reduction factors for accurate RF EMF exposure assessments

In a real 5G network with massive MIMO base stations, the antenna patterns are changing
rapidly, and beams are formed to optimize the transmission to the served devices. Since
the RF EMF limits are associated with an averaging time of 6 or 30 minutes, calculations
using time-averaged antenna patterns gives the most accurate RF EMF exclusion zones.
Figure 6 shows an example of an instantaneous traffic beam pattern (blue curve) and the
time-averaged pattern for six-minute periods (red curve) based on measurements in a live
commercial 5G 3.5GHz network using codebook-based beamforming [4]. The average
antenna gain in any direction is several dB lower than the instantaneous maximum. This
means that the actual maximum RF EMF exposure is significantly lower than the theoretical
maximum obtained by applying the traffic beam envelope and the configured maximum
power. A statistical model has been developed to determine the expected difference
between the theoretical and actual maximum RF EMF exposure levels from massive MIMO
antennas [5].

Based on these research studies it is recommended that a power reduction factor (PRF) of
0.25 is used when assessing the RF EMF exposure from mid band 16T, 32T, and 64T 5G
NR massive MIMO base stations. This means that the power or EIRP should be multiplied
by 0.25 (reduced by 6dB) in calculations of RF EMF compliance boundaries using traffic
beam envelopes. In this PRF, the power reduction due to a TDD duty cycle of 0.75 has been
included. Without this factor, the recommended PRF is 0.32.

This power reduction factor is valid for a traffic load of 100 percent. The real time-averaged
traffic load is typically well below 100 percent, which means that the actual RF EMF
exposure is even lower than what is obtained with the recommended PRF.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 14
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

Figure 7 shows the reduction of the size of the RF EMF exclusion zones when applying the
recommended power reduction factor of 0.25 for the same radio product as illustrated in
Figure 5.

90
12

60

dB 0
0

-10
150
30
-20

-30
180 0

0 33
21 0
0

30

Boresight beam
24

270 Average gain

Envelope of all beams

Figure 6. An instantaneous traffic beam antenna pattern (blue curve) and a

six-minute averaged pattern measured in a live 5G NR network (3.5GHz) using
Ericsson AIR6488 massive MIMO radios.

10m
4.5m

Figure 7. Example of RF EMF compliance boundaries for general public exposure

(yellow) and workers (red) for a mid band (3.5GHz) massive MIMO radio product
calculated using the traffic beam envelopes and with a power reduction factor of
0.25 to obtain accurate actual (time-averaged) results.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 15
Calculation of RF EMF exposure from 5G base stations
September 2021

The concept of actual maximum RF EMF exposure and the use of power reduction factors
has been introduced in IEC and ITU reports [5, 6] and will be covered in the next edition of
the international standard IEC 62232 that is expected to be published in 2022. Although the
established PRFs were derived based on very conservative assumptions, it is recommended
in these documents that software features are used to monitor and/or control the time-
averaged power when applying this concept. This may also be a regulatory requirement in
some countries.

Software features to control the power transmission

A set of software features is available that can be used to control the time-averaged power
transmission of massive MIMO radio products to ensure that it is not exceeding values
used to determine the size of actual maximum RF EMF exclusion zones or to limit the beam
steering range.

The EMF power lock mid band feature monitors and controls the sector carrier-wide,
time-averaged transmitted power of a 5G new radio advanced antenna systems (NR AAS)
radio. The purpose of this feature is to keep the time-averaged transmitted power below a
configurable level. This level as well as the averaging time are determined by the service
provider to meet EMF regulatory requirements when the radio is deployed at a site. Counters
are available for monitoring of the time-averaged power. A similar feature is also available
for LTE products (the intelligent power emission control feature). The functionalities of these
features are described in [8].

The codebook subset restriction function (as part of the massive MIMO mid band feature for
NR), provides the possibility to limit the directions used for beamforming. In that way, the
vertical or horizontal extension of the RF EMF exclusion zones can be limited if needed.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 16
Typical RF EMF exposure levels from 5G base stations
September 2021

Typical RF EMF
exposure levels
from 5G base
stations

Ensuring compliance with RF EMF limits and regulations is a necessity when rolling out
5G, but understanding what the typical levels of exposure are and will be is also important,
especially from the perspective of communicating with stakeholders. Measurements
were recently taken in a large number of street-level locations around base stations in a
commercial 5G network with massive MIMO base stations operating in the 3.5GHz band
[9]. It was found that the contribution from the 5G network to the total environmental RF
EMF exposure was less than 10 percent even in the case of 100 percent induced traffic and
that the maximum exposure levels from the 5G base stations were 150 to 200 times below
the international limits set by the ICNIRP.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 17
Conclusion
September 2021

Conclusion

The high spectrum efficiency and the advanced antenna technologies used by 5G NR lead
to lower levels of RF EMF exposure than from earlier generations of mobile networks for
comparable services. The base stations in 5G NR networks need to comply with the same
RF EMF safety regulations as other radio equipment, and the limits cover all frequency
bands used by 5G, including those in the millimeter-wave range. International RF EMF
exposure guidelines have recently been published based on the latest available scientific
research, with conservative limits that have been or will be adopted in national regulations.
Assessing compliance with RF EMF limits may be a challenge for massive MIMO 5G base
stations due to dynamic beam steering, but solutions such as envelope beam pattern files
together with recommended power reduction factors are available to enable accurate
evaluations. The typical overall environmental RF EMF exposure will remain at a small
fraction of international limits even with 5G being deployed since the contribution from 5G
is relatively small.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 18
References
September 2021

References
1. ICNIRP (1998), “Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic,
and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz), International Commission on Non-Ionizing
Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)”, Health Physics, 74(4):494-522, April 1998.
2. ICNIRP (2020), “Guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to
300 GHz)”, Health Physics, 118(5):483-524, March 2020.
3. IEC 62232, “Determination of RF field strength, power density and SAR in the vicinity
of radiocommunication base stations for the purpose of evaluating human exposure”,
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), 2017.
4. Colombi, D.; Joshi, P.; Xu, B.; Ghasemifard, F.; Narasaraju, V.; Törnevik, C. “Analysis of
the Actual Power and EMF Exposure from Base Stations in a Commercial 5G Network”.
Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 5280.
5. Thors, B.; Furuskär, A.; Colombi, D.; Törnevik, C. “Time-averaged realistic maximum
power levels for the assessment of radio frequency exposure for 5G radio base stations
using Massive MIMO”. IEEE Access 2017, 5, 19711–19719.
6. IEC TR 62669, “Case studies supporting IEC 62232”, International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC), 2019.
7. ITU-T Series K, Supplement 16, “Electromagnetic field compliance assessments for 5G
wireless networks”, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 2018.
8. Törnevik, C.; Wigren, T.; Guo, S.; Huisman, K. “Time Averaged Power Control of a 4G or a
5G Radio Base Station for RF EMF Compliance”. IEEE Access 2020, 8, 211937–211950.
9. Aerts, S.; Deprez, K.; Colombi, D.; Van den Bossche, M.; Verloock, L.; Martens, L.; Törnevik,
C.; Joseph, W. “In Situ Assessment of 5G NR Massive MIMO Base Station Exposure in a
Commercial Network in Bern, Switzerland”. Applied Sciences 2021, 11, 3592.
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 19
Glossary
September 2021

Glossary

5G NR AAS New radio advanced antenna systems

TEIRP Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power
NR New radio
PRF Power reduction factor
RF EMF Radio frequency electromagnetic fields
TDD Time division duplex
Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 20
Authors
September 2021

Authors

Christer Törnevik is a Senior Expert in Ericsson Research and Head of EMF and Health
within Ericsson. He received an M.Sc. degree in applied physics from Linköping University,
Linköping, Sweden, in 1986, and a licentiate degree in materials science from the Royal
Institute of Technology, Stockholm, in 1991. He joined Ericsson that same year. Since 1993,
he has been involved in research activities related to radio frequency exposure
from wireless communication equipment. From 2003 to 2005, he was the Chairman of
the Mobile and Wireless Forum, where he is currently Secretary of the Board. Since 2006,
he has been leading the technical committee on electromagnetic fields of the Swedish
Electrotechnical Standardization Organization, SEK, and he has contributed as an expert to
the development of several CENELEC, IEC, ITU, and IEEE standards on the assessment of
RF exposure from wireless equipment. He is the author of several papers in the area of EMF
and health.
 Accurately assessing exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 5G networks 21
Authors
September 2021

Davide Colombi holds the position of Master Researcher in Ericsson Research. He received
his M.Sc. degree in telecommunication engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan
in 2009. Since then, he has been working with Ericsson in Stockholm, where he is currently
working on research and standardization related to radio frequency exposure from wireless
communication equipment. Since 2014, he has been involved in activities related to EMF
compliance of 5G wireless equipment. He was a recipient of the 2018 IEC 1906 Award.
He was also convener of IEC TC106 AHG 10 and co-chair of the standardization working
group within the Mobile and Wireless Forum (MWF).