What exactly is cell phone radiation?
For most of us, the smartphone has become an indispensable part of everyday life.
We always have it with us to make calls and surf the internet.
We write WhatsApp messages, send photos and check the latest posts on Facebook.
High-performance mobile networks are needed to meet these demands.
But how is it possible to make phone calls and connect to the Internet from almost anywhere in the world?
Cell phones use high-frequency electromagnetic radio waves to transmit data and voice.
This enables information to be transported from the cell phone to the nearest base station.
Voice and data are digitized and converted into radio waves.
These radio waves, which are generated directly at the ear when making calls with cell phones, are also known colloquially as cell phone radiation.
What frequencies are used by cell phones and mobile phone networks and what kind of radiation occurs?
As can be seen from the website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)*, most cell phones transmit in the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), UTMS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) and LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard.
GSM is referred to as the
2nd generation (2G), UMTS as the
3rd and LTE as
4th generation.
The main difference lies in the transmission rates, which increase from generation to generation.
In addition, the new 5G mobile communications standard has been in planning for several months.
This is not yet available nationwide and is being gradually expanded.
Mobile phone masts or base stations, all of which are equipped with GSM, UMTS, LTE and 5G technology, are required to ensure nationwide networking.
Voice and data are transmitted from the cell phone to the surrounding base stations, which forward the signals to the receiver.
In order to ensure nationwide 5G reception, distribution antennas will be set up approximately every 100 meters in city centres in the future, for example.
The four mobile networks use the following frequency ranges:
– GSM: 900 and 1,800 MHz
– UMTS: 1,900 – 2,170 MHz
– LTE: 800 and 2,600 MHz
– 5G: 2,000 – 3,700 MHz, prospectively up to 60,000 MHz
The expansion of mobile networks into other frequency ranges is planned.
The first conferences on 6G have already been held.
What measures are politicians and state institutions taking to protect us?
The 26th Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (26. BImSchV) defines limit values to protect the public from health hazards caused by electric and magnetic fields from low-frequency and direct current systems. The so-called SAR value (specific absorption rate) is used as the basis for defining limit values in this area. It is a measure of the absorption of electromagnetic fields in a body or material. The absorption of electromagnetic energy always leads to a warming of a body. The limit values for cell phones are therefore only based on the thermal effect of electromagnetic radiation. Other influences of radiation, such as possible damage to the genetic material of the cell or similar, are not taken into account. There are currently no long-term studies on these effects.
The maximum values recommended for health protection are
– 0.08 watts per kilogram (W/kg) averaged over the whole body and
– 2 W/kg averaged locally over parts of the body, for example in the head.
What precautionary measures should be taken?
Cell phones offer many advantages and it is important to use this technology responsibly.
Everyone should decide for themselves what protective measures they consider appropriate.
According to the recommendations of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, a low SAR value should be taken into account when purchasing a cell phone.
A list of the SAR values of mobile devices from different manufacturers can be found on the BfS website.
If possible, calls should be made using the
landline phone rather than a cell phone.
Calls with a cell phone should be as short as possible and ideally made with a headset or hands-free system in the car so that the cell phone radiation is not emitted directly at the head.
If reception is poor, you should avoid making calls if possible, as the cell phone has to transmit at a higher power level, which increases exposure to electromagnetic fields.
Some cell phone manufacturers even explicitly state in the operating instructions of their devices that a headset or the loudspeaker should be used when making calls in order to ensure sufficient distance from the ear and thus keep the influence of cell phone radiation as low as possible.
