Distance between mobile base station and outdoor box

Do mobile phones need a base station?

Mobile phones and other mobile devices require a network of base stations in order to function. The base station antennas transmit and receive RF (radio frequency) signals, or radio waves, to and from mobile phones near the base station. Without these radio waves, mobile communications would not be possible.

Where is a base station antenna located?

The base station antennas are usually placed on rooftops, in masts or on building walls. Antennas are sometimes also installed in shopping malls, airports, offices, and other places with many mobile phone users. Indoor antennas are usually placed on walls or on ceilings. Each base station can only serve a limited number of mobile devices at a time.

How does a base station antenna work?

Base station antennas direct the radio signals away from the building or mast to obtain coverage in a certain area. The intensity of the radio waves is drastically reduced as the distance increases from the base station antenna.

Can unauthorized people access a base station?

The antennas are installed in such a way that unauthorized people do not have access to the area where the limits may be exceeded. This holds true whether the base station is part of a 2G (GSM), a 3G, a 4G (LTE) or a 5G network.

How much exposure can a radio base station have?

On the ground, in houses, and other places where people reside, the exposure levels from radio base stations are normally below 1 percent of the limits. Only in the close vicinity of the antennas can the exposure limits sometimes be exceeded.

Are base stations harmful?

This holds true whether the base station is part of a 2G (GSM), a 3G, a 4G (LTE) or a 5G network. The WHO states: “From all evidence accumulated so far, no adverse short- or long-term health effects have been shown to occur from the RF signals produced by base stations.” (WHO fact sheet “Base stations and wireless technologies”)