Country Case Study - Hungary

Electromagnetic Field Level and 5G Roll-

Out Expert Meeting

technological engineerMr József Krausz

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• Background

• EMF Regulation• Licensing construction and radio license

• Stakeholders • Information activities

• Prepare for 5G

Table of contents

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• All of the 3 operators has more than 95 % population coverage

• 2 operators network sharing: divide the country into 2 parts

• New competitor: 4th mobile operator (starts in 2018)

Digital Dividend 800 MHz: Tender for new mobile frequency band (2014)

Background – Beyond 4G

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Background - Indoor RF exposure assessment (2015)

Reference: Department of Non-Ionizing Radiation, National Public Helath Institute www.osski.hu

In urban area the exposure coming from base stations

was higher (0.25 V/m average) than the RF exposure emitted

by indoor sources.

The GSM 900 was the highest, probably due to the new LTE

technology which works also in the 900 MHz frequency band.

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Measurement mandatory made by an accredited lab in 30 days

EIRP > 1kW (5kW ERP before 2017 ) in residential area

New base stations installation administration costs higher -> operators resist

Health Reference Level: ICNIRP, accepted EU recommendation

Since Hungary joined the EU 2004

Earlier: frequency independent constant value (higher at certain frequencies)

EMF regulations

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Local municipality can apply additional

requirements (eg. due to cityscape)

Necessary if: height of supporting structure > 6m; or antenna size > 4m

So neighbours aren’t often informed about the construction

Antenna construction licenses

NMIAH issues construction licenses based on other government authorities permission(eg. environmental and heritage protections

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• Mobile base stations

• Operators obtain a special „frame permission” for each frequency

block instead of individual radio license for each station

• Low power transmitters

• Planner declares compliance with health reference level

• NMIAH checks compliance with calculations

• High power transmitters

• EIRP ≥ 1 kW (before 2017 ERP ≥ 5kW) - without taking into

consideration the sites in use and EMF generated by competitors in

the neighborhood

• Expert report from an accredited lab is required (justified by

measurements)

Radiolicense

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Wide range of stakeholders of wireless services

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• Increasing interest and concern about the topic

• People should be properly informed

Public concern

„This high fieldstrength coming from mobile base station

can be used for rosting oxens”

„People in fear – hundreds are going to sue the mobile giant”

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Court issues and Mobile service providers

Court issues – compensations due to mobile base stations

Constitutional Court (2015):

Despite compliance with ICNIRP level and other regulations,

more factor can cause depreciation of a real estate near a mobile

base station and neighbours may obtain compensation

More suits against mobile operators

Mobile service providers

• Common EMF portal (not updated for years) www.emf-portal.hu

• Hidden EMF information on their own websites (if exists)

• Required efficient governmental communication

due to lawsuits initialized by inhabitants

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Local offices of the central government

• Collect EMF test reports

• Control measurement in cooperation with NMIAH (Officially handle

request coming from inhabitants)

NMIAH

• Issues radio licenses and construction permits (infrastructure

database)

• Carries out informative EMF measurements (along programs, and

individual requests)

• Other wireless measurements (e.g. coverage, mobile internet speed)

Authorities

Accredited labs and radiobiology research institute

• Tests of all the new/modified station above 1kW (earlier 5kW) EIRP

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• Continuous programs in public places (educational institutes, block of flats)

• Testing exposition effect of new technologies: DVB-T, 4G, …

• Along the route measurements

From 2017: Application form for programs

Further aims:

• Statistics based on individual measurements

• Top10 results (based on field strength)

Aims and role of NMIAH in relation to EMF (RF) measurement

Informative video with English subtitlehttp://nmhh.hu/elektroszmog

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Publication on website – individual test sites

maps with

emission

source

site

information

test report

statistical distribution of the

measured field strength levels

time diagram of

electric field

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EMF map 2015,

Budapest, Gellért hill,

(broadcast stations

near city center)

Aim: to be informed wider

by maps to overview

histogram

Publication on website – „heatmaps”

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National 5G coalition (46 participants):

Planned to be among the first country

in the world to introduce 5G after 2020.

2019-:

Tender for 5G mobile frequency bands

(eg. Digital Dividend 2.: 700 MHz,

1.5GHz, 2.1GHz, 2.6GHz, 3.5GHz, 26GHz)

Prepare to 5G

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• New perspectives, roles, functions (M2M, IoT, smart eqipment, etc.)

• More technology -> Ultra Dense Network -> small cells (micro, pico, femto) results more antennas, sensors even closer to humans -> increasing radiation level

• 5G -> paradigm shift: new approach in regulations

Expectations

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Changing the attitude of people?Communication strategy?

Questions?!

Distributed sensor network for measurements?

EMF informative applications mobile phone?

Thank you for your attention.

Contact:

József Krausz

krausz.jozsef@nmhh.

hu