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r • r FCC <br /> Consumer Facts <br /> Background Background (cont'd.) <br /> Primary antennas for transmitting wireless Consequently, normal ground-level exposure is <br /> telephone service, including cellular and Personal much less than the exposure that might be <br /> Communications Service (PCS), are usually encountered if one were very close to the <br /> located outdoors on towers, water tanks and other antenna and in its main transmitted beam. <br /> elevated structures like rooftops and sides of Measurements made near typical cellular and <br /> buildings. The combination of antenna towers PCS cell sites have shown that ground-level <br /> and associated electronic equipment is referred to power densities are well below the exposure <br /> as a "cellular or PCS cell site" or "base station." limits recommended by RF/microwave safety <br /> Cellular or PCS cell site towers are typically 50- standards used by the FCC. <br /> 200 feet high. Antennas are usually arranged in <br /> groups of three, with one antenna in each group Guidelines <br /> used to transmit signals to mobile units, and the <br /> other two antennas used to receive signals from In 1996, the FCC adopted updated guidelines <br /> mobile units. for evaluating human exposure to RF fields <br /> from fixed transmitting antennas such as those <br /> At a cell site, the total radio frequency (RF) used for cellular and PCS cell sites. The <br /> power that can be transmitted from each FCC's guidelines are identical to those <br /> transmitting antenna depends on the number recommended by the National Council on <br /> of radio channels (transmitters) that have Radiation Protection and Measurements <br /> been authorized by the Federal Communications (NCRP), a non-profit corporation chartered by <br /> Commission (FCC) and the power of each Congress to develop information and <br /> transmitter. Although the FCC permits an recommendations concerning radiation <br /> effective radiated power (ERP) of up to 500 watts protection. The FCC's guidelines also <br /> per channel (depending on the tower height), the resemble the 1992 guidelines recommended <br /> majority of cellular or PCS cell sites in urban and by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics <br /> suburban areas operate at an ERP of 100 watts Engineers (IEEE), a non-profit technical and <br /> per channel or less. professional engineering society, and <br /> endorsed by the American National Standards <br /> An ERP of 100 watts corresponds to an actual Institute (ANSI), a nonprofit, privately-funded <br /> radiated power of 5-10 watts, depending on the membership organization that coordinates <br /> type of antenna used. In urban areas, cell sites development of voluntary national standards in <br /> commonly emit an ERP of 10 watts per channel or the United States. <br /> less. For PCS cell sites, even lower ERPs are <br /> typical. As with all forms of electromagnetic <br /> energy, the power density from a cellular or PCS <br /> transmitter rapidly decreases as distance from the <br /> antenna increases. <br /> (More) <br /> CFCC Federal Communications Commission . Consumer& Governmental Affairs Bureau 445 12th St.,SW • Washington,DC 20554 <br /> 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) • Fax 1-866-418-0232 . www.fcc.gov/cgb <br /> _ <br />