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Uppgjord Prepared Datum Date Rev Dokumentnr Document no

ERA/TFF Nina Lvehagen 2002-06-27 A TF 02:073

Godknd Approved Kontr Checked Ert datum Your date Tillhr reference File/reference

ERA/TF (Christer Trnevik)

Radio frequency exposure from WCDMA indoor systems

Very high levels of radio frequency (RF) exposure can induce heating in body tissues and
result in adverse health effects. In order to protect all people against such effects, RF exposure
limits have been specified by national and international health authorities. The limits include
safety margins and are usually based on the guidelines from the International Commission on
Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection1 (ICNIRP), itself recognized by the World Health
Organization (WHO). The ICNIRP guidelines have for example been adopted in the European
Council recommendation, 1999/519/EC.

In the frequency range between 10 MHz and 10 GHz, the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is
used to specify the basic restrictions for both general public and occupational exposure. The
SAR is a measure of the rate of RF energy absorption in the body expressed in units of watt per
kilogram of tissue (W/kg).

In WCDMA indoor solutions either a distributed antenna system or pico base stations are used.
There are several types of external antennas that may be used, omni-directional (typically 2 dBi
gain), b i-directional (typically 5 dBi gain) and directional (typically 7 dBi gain). The maximum
output power from the antennas is less than 1 W. For such configurations, the maximum SAR
levels are below the basic restrictions for general public exposure at distances shorter than
10 cm from the surface of the antenna. The occupational exposure limits are met at even
shorter distances. Therefore, there is no need of any special RF exposure safety instructions for
these antennas. Installation and maintenance personnel can work close to the antennas in
operation without being exposed to levels exceeding the basic restrictions. Touching the
antennas for short times will not lead to exposure levels exceeding the SAR limits. However, it
is advisable to place the antenna where it cannot be easily touched by the general public.

1
ICNIRP, 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, vol. 74, pp
494-522, April 1998.