EMF definition and requirement in Telecom operator context

Safeguarding Public Health Steps taken for Regulating EMF Radiation from BTS towers

For providing the mobile services in the country, the telecom service providers have to
establish Base Transmitting Stations (BTS), at suitable locations, as per their Radio Frequency
(RF) Network Planning for proper coverage of the area. Prior to installation of mobile towers,
the telecom service providers have to obtain Site clearance from Standing Advisory
Committee on Frequency Allocation (SACFA) of DoT for every site from the point of view of
interference with other wireless users, aviation hazards and obstruction to any other existing
microwave links. The telecom service providers have also to obtain necessary clearances
from concerned local authorities such as municipal corporation, Gram Panchayat etc before
installation of tower. Accordingly, DoT is responsible for regulating the EMF radiation from
BTS towers and State Government, Municipal Corporations, Local Bodies regulate the
installation of towers as per their building bylaws. DoT has taken the following steps for
regulating the EMF radiation from BTS towers to safeguard the public health:

1. Adoption of ICNIRP Guidelines for EMF Radiation:

In 2008, Government of India adopted the Guidelines developed by the International

Commission on Non-lionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for Electromagnetic
radiation from mobile towers, which are as follows: Frequency Range Power Density
(Watt/Sq.Meter) 400MHz to 2000MHz f/200 (f : is the frequency of operation in
MHz) Since, the cellular GSM services are being operated at 900 MHz and 1800 MHz
frequency band in India, the permissible Power Density is 4.5 W/Sqm for 900 MHz
and 9 W/Sqm. for 1800 MHz.

2. Amendment in Licence Agreement of Telecom Service Providers:

The licence agreement of the Telecom service providers was amended for adhering
to ICNIRP guidelines vide DoT letter 842-998/2008-AS-IV/13 dated 4/11/2008.

3. Issuance of Test Procedure by TEC for EMF Testing

TEC, the Technical arm of the DoT, prepared and issued Standard Test Procedure for
measurement of EMF level from BTSs vide document no. TEC/TP/EMF/001/01 SEP 2009. 4.0
 4. Directions for Submission of self Certification

Instructions were issued to all Telecom service providers vide letter No. 800-
15/2010-VAS dated 8th April 2010, for compliance of ICNIRP guidelines by way of
submission of self certification of all the Base Transmitting Stations (BTS) to
respective TERM Cells, the field units of DoT, for meeting the above EMF radiation
norms. All new BTS sites should start radiating only after submission of selfcertificate
to respective TERM Cells.

5. EMF Audit by TERM Cell:

The TERM Cells test up to 10% of BTS sites randomly at their discretion. Additionally,
the BTS sites against which there are public complaints, are also tested by TERM
Cells. The testing is done as per procedures prescribed by Telecom Engineering
Centre (TEC). TERM Cells have tested more than 19,658 BTSs so far and all are found
to be conforming to the prescribed EMF norms.

6. Provision of Penalty

If a site fails to meet the EMR criterion on testing, there is provision of levying a
penalty of Rs. 5 lakh per BTS per service provider. Service providers must meet the
criterion within one month of the report of TERM cell in such cases, after which the
site will be shut down.

7. Constitution of Inter Ministerial Committee

Based on media reports and public concerns, an Inter-Ministerial Committee

(IMC) consisting of officers from DoT, Indian Council of Medical Research
(Ministry of Health), Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of
Environment and Forest was constituted on 24.08.2010 to examine the
effect of EMF Radiation from base stations and mobile phones. Inter-
ministerial committee (IMC) in its report, examined the environmental and
health related concerns and indicated that most of the laboratory studies
were unable to find a direct link between exposure to radio frequency
radiation and health; and the scientific studies as yet have not been able to
confirm a cause and effect relationship between radio frequency radiation
and health. The effect of emission from cell phone towers is not known yet
with certainty. Inter-ministerial committee (IMC) has examined 90
international and national studies/reference papers, related with the EMF
radiation, before finalizing the report. However, IMC recommended for
lowering the mobile towers’ EMF exposure limits to 1/10th of the existing
prescribed limit as a matter of abundance precaution and recommended the
 following limits: Type of exposure Frequency Range Power Density (Watt/Sq.
mtr.) General Public 400-2000 MHz f/2000 2-300 GHz 1 f :frequency in MHz.

8. Acceptance of Recommendation of the Committee

The recommendations made by Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) were

accepted by Government and directions in this regard were issued to the
Mobile Operators vide DoT letter no. 800-15/2010-VAS (pt.) dated
10.04.2012 making the new norms applicable from 01.09.2012, so that the
Telecom Service Providers may adjust their networks to comply with the new
norms.

9. Action On Structural Safety of Towers

Some State Government / Municipal Corporations have formulated their

guideline and issued instructions to regulate erection of mobile towers. As a
proactive step, Central Government has constituted a committee to propose
model guidelines for uniformity in setting up of towers on land and rooftops
as well as their structural safety, which may be suitably adopted by various
State Government.

The present limits/levels for antennae (Base Station) EMF emissions for general public
exposure are detail below –

E-Field Strength
Frequency Range H-Field Strength (Amp/Meter (A/m)) Power Density (Watt/Sq.Meter (W/Sq.m))
(Volt/Meter (V/m))

400MHz  to
0.434f ½ 0.0011f ½ f/2000
2000MHz

2GHz to 300GHz 19.29 0.05 1

                                                                                (f is frequency in MHz)

Scope of Work for EMF Self Certification

Conducting site survey for collecting adjacent building data, roof layout and photographs
Scope of Work:

Site Layout:

 Create a to scale site layout diagram on paper and mark the location of
Tower/DG/Shelter (Outdoor – as the case may be) BTS and Antennae with respect to North
Direction for all the operators. The layout should be on CAD / ppt.
 Mark all the corners of the building (C1, C2, C3, C4) with distance from the antennae
for all operators.
 Depict the building outline for all buildings falling within 20m radius on the layout as
per orientation and distance from site.
 Depict the publicly accessible points identified for each antenna where relevant.
 Laser distance meter to be used for measuring building heights & distances
 Magnetic Compass to be used to measure azimuths
 Provide a hard and soft copy of the site layout.

Scope of Work:

Photograph:
 Photograph of Rooftop/GBT depicting site layout (Tower Location/BTS Shelter
Location/ Water Tank/Antennae).
 Photograph of Roof top Tower / Roof top Pole / Ground based Towers showing the
antennas installed & points C1, C2, C3, C4.
 Panoramic photographs starting from 0º N with a spacing of 30º.
 Photograph of the clutter in the direction of radiating antenna for all the sectors.
 Photograph of surrounding buildings within 20Mtr radius to be marked in
photograph as B1, B2, B3, B4…
 Camera with image resolution of 5MP or above should be used to take photographs
 Provide a hard and soft copy of the photograph.

Measurements

e mobile phone base stations, Radio antennas, Access points etc.

   Types of Measurement

As per the TEC recommendations for Cellular operators and customized measurements for
general public as per requirements.

 Broadband measurements
 o Contributions by overall radiation level – FM, TV, GSM-900 , GSM- 1800 &

3G, WLAN, WiFi

 Frequency Selective Measurements

o Done when broadband measurements are greater than 10 % of the

prescribed ICNIRP values.

o Operator specific and Channel specific measurements

 Measured Parameters 

 Peak E field strengths with the corresponding frequencies.

 Graphs of Peak E fields over entire frequency range from 30 MHz to 3 GHz.

 Peak Power Density values with the corresponding frequencies.

 Log data of Maximum field strength over 6 minute time period.

 Combined E and H field strengths for multi-operator.  

 Measurement Reports 

A well analyzed report will be generated after the survey and testing are completed which will

comply with the standards.The report will specify,

 All the numerical data pertaining to the technical parameters taken into consideration

for measuring the EMF exposure from the specified BTS.

 List of all the standards based on which measurements of EMF exposure was carried

out.

 The plots of the peak values and the images of different locations where EMF survey

have been conducted.The plots of the peak values and the images of different locations

where EMF survey have been conducted.