Electromagnetic Field Strength Measurements in a Private 5G Campus Network

Abstract

The deployment of fifth generation (5G) networks in Germany has been on the rise since 2019 and continues to expand rapidly. Unlike earlier generations, 5G technology supports the deployment of private campus networks that enables users to configure and customise their networks based on their needs and independently from public operators. The Technische Universität Kaiserslautern (TUK) is one of few research campuses in Germany that operate their own 5G stand-alone (SA) campus networks. We study in this work mainly the electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure levels on campus by carrying out an EMF measurement campaign for an indoor environment in the 5G Kaiserslautern private campus network. This work also provides an overview of the structure of our 5G campus network at TUK as well as reviews and compares the latest International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) EMF guidelines released in 2020 to the 26th Ordnance on the implementation of the Federal Emission Control Act (26. BImSchV) within the context of 5G. It also states the current approach and challenges in EMF measurements with special interest in 5G networks.