The conditions will ensure that equipment operates within the international guidelines for electromagnetic field emissions.
A requirement to follow the ICNIRP guidelines: On 5 October 2020, Ofcom opened a consultation on the changes it is making to spectrum licences, in order to incorporate the limits to electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure set out in the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). This follows an initial consultation in February 2020, in which the regulator proposed to apply this requirement to all equipment which can transmit at powers above 10 Watts (including, for example, the licences of MNOs, TV and radio broadcasters).
Ofcom prepares an EMF calculator: In addition to changing the licence conditions, Ofcom is also making available an EMF calculator to help licensees and other spectrum users to demonstrate their compliance in a straightforward way. The regulator shared a trial version of the calculator as part of the new consultation, and invites stakeholders to provide feedback.
5G emissions are currently well below the limits: During Q1 2020, Ofcom measured EMF emissions at 22 5G sites across the UK, focusing on areas where mobile use is likely to be highest. It found that at every site, overall emissions (including 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G) were a small fraction of the levels in the ICNIRP guidelines. The maximum measured at any site was approximately 1.5% of those levels, and 5G contributed for a maximum of 0.04% of the relevant level.
