Claim call quality will drop; DoT says public health is as important as coverage
Get ready for more call drops and a dip in quality of mobile services as operators are being forced to comply with the new radiation norms.
The norms, which will come into effect from September 1, require operators to reduce the electromagnetic radiation emanating from every tower by one-tenth of existing permissible limits.
Mobile companies have told the Government that they would have to reduce tower density in thickly populated urban areas if they have to meet the new norms. They claim that this will result in blank patches in networks where the coverage would be inadequate.
“The new radiation norm will lead to a lot of complications for operators as it will create large exclusion zones with deteriorated coverage. Operators may not be able to meet the TRAI-specified quality of service levels if this done,” said an industry representative. Both the Cellular Operators’ Association of India and the Association of Unified Telecom Services Providers of India have written to the Government seeking to trash the new norms.
DoT rejects claims
But the Department of Telecom is unlikely to buy the operators’ claims. An internal document on random tests done by the Telecom Engineering Centres, the technical wing of the DoT, shows that no more than 5 per cent of the existing towers could get impacted. According to experts in the DoT, the operators can easily plug the gaps in these limited locations through new technologies. “No relaxation should be provided to the operators on this count. Ensuring public health and safety is also as important for department as increasing mobile coverage,” an internal DoT note stated.
Handset-makers
But handset makers such as Nokia and Samsung could get some relief as the DoT may give one more year for them to comply with the norms. According to the new guidelines, radiation from mobile phones will have to be brought down by 50 per cent of the existing norms. The rules also make it mandatory for handset-makers to display the radiation level on the handset.
Phone makers, including Nokia, have told the Government that they would need more time to implement the norms as a large number of models are based on existing radiation levels. The DoT will give them time till September 2013 to comply with the revised radiation levels.
Keywords: Mobile firms, radiation norms, electromagnetic radiation, mobile services, DoT
Comments:
Effects of radiation from mobile towers as also the handsets have been discussed many times in the media. Telecom companies in India either avoid debate on the subject or argue that radiation risks are very low.
Of late the DoT has perhaps woken up to the hazards of mobile towers in thickly populated localities as also radiation risks form handsets. Bit very little serious research has been done to find out the number of cancer patients who can be directly linked to excessive use of mobile handsets or to convincingly prove that mobile towers are potential cancer carriers. There are a few questions for which concerned citizens want straight forward answers but they do not get them. First what is the risk for a user who uses a mobile handset for less than a few minutes at a time and say for a maximum of thirty minutes in a day? Secondly, what is the amount of radiation risk for those who live in the vicinity of mobile towers?
Sir
I refer to the news idem in Business Line dated 28/7/2012. We are
thankful for publishing such information
I would like to bring to your notice that the Mobile Operators Toweers
are situated in just less 100 metres in Mubai and has effecting many
people's health. For instance there are cases where doctors have
treaating paties for simple Acidity or Body paid problem for couple of
year and without any results. The infection concep of Acidity should
get cured with couple of treatment but is not happening and it is
perpetual problem. In addtion to this natural Birds flying in these
location are migrating or missing.
It is high time that the government set us a penel to study and take
good measures to elimiate the penetration further
regards
r shridharan
Even reduction by one tenth is nothing as required for health
standards. Pl see attached notes from Prof Girish Kumar.
My residential flat is on the last floor(7TH). Just on my terrace, right
above my flat the entire structure of cell towers and antennas is
mounted.
Also, on two walls of my master bedroom, three additional antennas are
mounted. I have got radiation measurements done by a private company who
find MY ENTIRE FLAT as having alarming radiations, highly contributed by
the bedroom wall antennas AND the opposite building tower with
antennas.
Additionally, our two bed rooms FACE a nearby building of same height
which
again has several cell towers and antennas on their terrace. The entire
complex has 15-20 cell towers and antennas.
I have taken partial precaution by providing transparent anti radiation
reflecting film and radiation absorbing electronic chips on the glass
windows.Also, I need to keep the windows closed.
My points for pondering are:
1 Is antenna mounting on wall not dangerous for health ? Children & old
people may be exposed 24x7.
2 How to have new rules & regulations to cover nearby buildings also NOT
having cell towers, antennas which are harmful not only for their own
building but also the residents of the nearby buildings?
Pl visit the site at Mulund, Mumbai and take this issue forward
It is generally observed that people complain of call dropping from BSNL and MTNL mobile connections. Is that leads to think only BSNL and MTNL is folling the radiation norms being govt. enterprises and others are interested in giving quality services adding subscribers for earning profits by violeting the radiatino norms thereby neglecting the health hazards of the people of this country?
In India, there is always a tendency of taking everthing lightly and not bothering until the things get worse. only then everybody will rise, jump and try to find the faults with others. I sincerely hope, that the Government and Telecom Enforcing authoritis atleast wake up now, take sincere precautionary measures before things get worst and not to take side with the big corporate operators who are always bent upon incresing their profits by fleecing their customers but least bother about their health and environment.
I happened to read your article on Radiation from cell towers. I have 2 cell towers next to my house in Calicut (under 50 meters) from my house. I always wanted to know if the radiation emitting from it was of any danger to me and my family. Could you please provide me with some information on whom I should contact to do this? Is TERM personnel operating in Calicut?
Karthik A Puthanveetil
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