Base stations - location and roll-out

O2 base stations fully comply with the radio frequency public exposure guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

These guidelines protect against all identified hazards of radio frequency energy with large safety margins. Radio wave energy, unlike the kind associated with X-rays or Gamma rays, is non-ionising.

Our base stations are designed to blend in with surrounding landscapes and to prevent the public accessing the transmission antennas. To ensure there can be no inadvertent exposure to any radio waves above the international guideline limits our antennas have clear safety signs and are cordoned off where necessary.

When access close to antennas is needed we employ safe working practices and best practice guidance to ensure that no one is at risk from exposure to radio waves above the guideline limits.

Why do we need more?

If there are too few base stations in the right locations, mobile phones simply won’t work. Calls will be ‘dropped’ or cut off. 

Radio spectrum – or the range of radio wave frequencies available – is a limited resource. The radio spectrum is used for many applications by a wide range of operators, including radio and TV broadcasters, telecommunication businesses, taxi companies and the military.

The capacity of our base stations is limited by our radio spectrum allocation – typically each base station can handle around a maximum of 100 to 150 calls at any one time. So, to give customers the service they expect, we use the limited number of radio frequencies to maximum efficiency. Therefore, more base stations often means not just better coverage but also a better quality of service.

To provide the new generation of mobile phones, 3G, we need more base stations to deliver fast data services. But, wherever possible for this developing service, we use existing base station sites and share masts with other mobile phone companies.

Find out more:

• What are radio waves?
• What is Specific Absorption Rate?
• What are cell sites?
• Network roll-out - best practice