Geneva, Switzerland, 10 April 2019 — The IEC has published a new Technical Report (TR) on evaluating human exposure to radio frequency fields in the vicinity of base stations. For the first time, it includes 5G base stations and small cells.
The IEC TR will provide a vital resource for network operators deploying 5G, as it illustrates test methods and worked examples on 5G trial sites. It will benefit many stakeholders, including facility managers, building owners and governments and local communities by helping them to ensure that they are testing their own networks and base stations correctly.
The IEC TR delivers three key benefits:
- Demonstrates new testing methods for 5G
- Improves global consistency and accuracy for base station and small cell tests
- Simplifies the implementation of site RF safety assessments through worked examples
The report is the work of IEC Technical Committee (TC) 106, which prepares International Standards on measurement and calculation methods to assess human exposure to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields. TC 106 members include global experts from mobile operators, mobile manufacturers, academia, government regulators and testing laboratories.
“As 5G advances at a rapid rate and networks are deployed, testing base stations to ensure they meet the radio frequency (RF) exposure standards is an essential step for operators, regulators and the community, providing a reassurance on safety,” said TC 106 Chair Mike Wood.
“Knowing the importance of 5G and wireless communications on a global scale is what drives our experts, who dedicate many hours including significant personal time to work on international standardization,” he continued.
5G is set to revolutionise wireless communications and play a major role in our future connected society and facilitate the road towards a more advanced Internet of Things (IoT). The technology promises not only to increase downloading and uploading speeds over the mobile network, but also to add significant capacity and reduce latency (the time taken by networks to respond).
About the IEC
The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together 171 countries and coordinates the work of 20 000 experts globally. IEC International Standards and conformity assessment work underpins international trade in electrical and electronic goods, facilitates electricity access, and ensures the safety, performance and interoperability of electric and electronic devices and systems.
The IEC covers a vast range of technologies including for example energy generation, transmission and distribution; consumer appliances, motors, office and medical equipment, sensors, fibre optics, nanotechnology or information technology.
