New EME checking tool developed by the ACMA to provide information about electromagnetic energy levels emitted from a variety of mobile base stations in Victoria and New South Wales.
The new tool will use data from measurements completed by the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) from these mobile base stations collected in 2021 and 2022.
The ACMA also published audits into EME compliance including measurement data collected from 129 5G-enabled base stations across NSW.
The audits showed under the 2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code all telcos met their obligations
The compliance audit results have been published on the ACMA website, and the EME Checker is now live.
The ACMA monitors telcos carefully to ensure they respect the exposure limits for EME set by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (Arpansa).
According to results measurements recorded were less than 1.2 per cent of the Arpansa limit, with a majority of sites under 1 per cent of the limit.
The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) has praised ACMA’s report on EME audits. It noted that mobile base station emissions with 5G are low.
Every Australian mobile phone base station and telecommunications infrastructure that produces EME must comply with local standards.
The new EME checker tool allows people to view the average and maximum EME values measured at ACMA-monitored telecommunications sites. Users can also compare data across sites and check against Arpansa limits.
As the ACMA continues to monitor telecommunications sites across Australia, new locations will be added to the checking tool.
AMTA CEO Louise Hyland says the audit also compared the measured values to those reported by carriers in the Arpansa Environmental EMEM Report for all mobile base station sites in Australia.
According to Hyland the ACMA’s measurement results were lower than the telcos forecast values.
Hyland added the ACMA’s ongoing credible research is critical to maintaining public confidence in mobile communications and public health and safety, which is a top industry priority.
“New or upgraded mobile network infrastructure must be constructed in a manner that ensures that the local community, councils, property owners, occupants, and community members in sensitive locations are all notified and consulted,” says Hyland
In July the AMTA welcomed the ACMA’s decision on the reallocation of the 3.4 and 3.7GHz radiocommunications spectrum.
