3G
Third-generation mobile telecommunications that supports applications such as web-browsing, videoconferencing and location-based services.
4G
Fourth-generation mobile telecommunications that provides increased bandwidth to support voice, video, data and high-quality streaming multimedia content over an all-internet-protocol network.
5G
Fifth-generation mobile telecommunications that provides increased data rates and reduced latency to support greater connectivity and enables machine-to-machine services and the Internet of Things. Radiofrequency beamforming technology is often used to improve performance and efficiency.
Active beamformed EME
The 5G EME directed at a mobile user's handset when the handset is actively communicating on 5G.
ARPANSA
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
ARPANSA Standard
The Radiation Protection Standard for Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields—100 kHz to 300 GHz, published by ARPANSA.
ARPANSA safety limit
The general public limit for human exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, as specified by the ARPANSA Standard.
Beamforming
A technology where an array of antennas can direct radiofrequency energy in a specific direction resulting in a more efficient use of the energy.
Carrier
Refers to Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom Limited (Vodafone)
Cumulative EME
The total of all EME emissions between 420 MHz and 6 GHz at a site. It includes all of the carriers’ phone services, such as 3G, 4G and 5G.
EME
Electromagnetic energy.
Environmental EME
A measurement of electromagnetic energy from radiocommunications sources. It does not include EME sources outside of the radiofrequency spectrum, such as solar, thermal or cosmic radiation.
Environmental EME report
Provides calculations of the maximum levels of EME around an existing and/or proposed wireless base station that may include mobile telephony, broadband and data services. The EME report shows the maximum calculated levels for a specific installation and compares them against the exposure limits in the ARPANSA Standard.
File
The data file containing measurements from a specific site measurement.
Frequency
A property of a wave that describes how many wave patterns or cycles pass by in a period of time. Frequency is measured in Hertz, where a wave with a frequency of 1 Hertz will pass by at 1 cycle per second.
General public exposure limit
The limit for the general public to be exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation outside of a controlled area, as specified by the ARPANSA Standard.
GHz
Gigahertz.
kHz
Kilohertz.
LIPD
Low interference potential devices.
LMRS
Land mobile radio system.
Logarithmic scale
A logarithmic scale is a non-linear scale often used when analysing a large range of quantities. Instead of increasing in equal increments, each interval is increased by a factor of the base of the logarithm.
Macro cell
A cellular base station typically consisting of a concrete or steel tower or located on the rooftop of a building.
MHz
Megahertz.
Mid-band
Electromagnetic Energy emissions within the frequency range of 1 GHz to 6 GHz
mmWave
Electromagnetic Energy emissions within the frequency range of 26 GHz to 300 GHz.
Mobile base station
A mobile phone telecommunications facility typically consisting of an equipment shelter, a mast or tower and antennas.
Mobile phone tower
See mobile base station.
NR
New Radio. A term used in the telco industry that defines 5G, that is, NR3500 means a 3500 MHz 5G service, NR26000 means a 26 GHz 5G service.
Predicted EME
The maximum predicted EME levels for a site as set out in the environmental EME report.
RFNSA
Radio Frequency National Site Archive website and mobile app.
Root mean square electric field (RMS E-Field)
A measurement that closely represents the average level of the magnitude of electromagnetic waves.
Site
A location used for measurement of EME by ACMA, generally located near a mobile base station.
Small cell
A small telecommunications facility typically installed on structures such as light poles, bus shelters and the sides of buildings.
Trunk
A radio system using several radio channels or frequencies that allows those channels to be shared by a large number of users.
UHF
Ultra-high frequency.
UHF TV
Ultra-high frequency television.
V/m
Volts per metre.
W/m
Watts per metre.