Is the 4G internet tower harmful for health?

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    Health Internet Tower
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around concerns regarding the health implications of installing a 4G internet tower on a residential building. Participants explore the potential risks associated with microwave and radio wave radiation, particularly in relation to families, children, and pregnant individuals living nearby. The conversation encompasses various viewpoints on health studies, public perception, and the technical aspects of radio frequency exposure.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern about the health risks posed by microwave and radio wave radiation from a 4G tower, especially given the proximity to residents.
  • Others reference health reports indicating no conclusive evidence of harm from low-level electromagnetic fields, but acknowledge ongoing public fears.
  • A participant mentions that while there may be no immediate health risks, the perception of danger could affect property values due to irrational fears from potential tenants or buyers.
  • There is a discussion about the differences between personal RF devices and high-power transmitting antennas, with some arguing that the latter could pose more significant risks.
  • Some participants highlight that 4G frequencies are in the microwave band, raising concerns about the appropriateness of placing such antennas on residential buildings.
  • One participant suggests that the energy levels from 4G antennas are not sufficient to cause harm to DNA, comparing it to other environmental risks.
  • Another participant emphasizes the need for more research on the biological effects of exposure to high-power RF transmitters in close proximity to living spaces.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the health implications of 4G towers. While some argue there is no evidence of harm, others express significant concerns about the potential risks associated with high-power antennas near residences.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes references to various health studies and reports, but acknowledges gaps in knowledge regarding long-term effects and the influence of industry on research outcomes. There is also a distinction made between different types of RF exposure, which may affect the interpretation of health risks.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering the installation of telecommunications infrastructure near residential areas, health professionals interested in the effects of electromagnetic fields, and residents concerned about the implications of living near such installations.

arunkumarmna
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Hi Friends,

One of the ISP from India is requesting my permission to place the 4G wifi broadband tower on my building [Residence]. I got families, kids and a pregnant lady staying in the building. I am worried will the microwave or radio wave radiation may question their health.

Could you please suggest?

Thank you
Arunkumar
 
Biology news on Phys.org
Here's a health and wifi report from Canada:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/prod/wifi-eng.php

basically there's no conclusive evidence that they are harmful, but people will still fear being nearthem.

Some years ago there was similar concern with high voltage wires. Farmers knew that you could get a static discharge near them and so didn't want them too close.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5436427_effects-near-power-lines-towers.html
 
Thank you Jedishrfu, ...wifi-eng.php link states no harm with the wifi devices used in the public areas like in-house transmitters like routers with small radius antena but gives the generic statement from the closed thread "https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=419790&highlight=Wifi+Sector+antenna+health+hazard" there is a possibility of generic/serious health issues depends on the distance from the source.

i am worried because it will be like a base station with tower of multiple sector antennas right above the roof [less than 1 meter if i am not wrong].
 
arunkumarmna said:
Thank you Jedishrfu, ...wifi-eng.php link states no harm with the wifi devices used in the public areas like in-house transmitters like routers with small radius antena but gives the generic statement from the closed thread "https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=419790&highlight=Wifi+Sector+antenna+health+hazard" there is a possibility of generic/serious health issues depends on the distance from the source.

i am worried because it will be like a base station with tower of multiple sector antennas right above the roof [less than 1 meter if i am not wrong].

Personally, I don't think there's a problem because the energy emanated is too low in frequency and in strength to be able to affect any chemical bonds in your body unlike nuclear radiation and that there may be a lot of other external factors in your own environment that could be more harmful such as cleaning agents or rugs made from formaldihyde, certain kinds of plastics like BPA...

Also these health studies are fraught with politics as the industry tries to influence them and the science is so longterm and statistics based that we just don't know what to think so we fear new things.
 
Do television towers cause cancer? Radio stations?

These RF bands are extremely low, the average phone might transmit approximately one watt of energy at most. No where near enough to break those delicate strands of DNA.
 
No, there is no evidence of any risk of health problems from such a station.

The risk you should be worried about is the perception of uneducated people, who may avoid your building because of irrational fears of such things, thus lowering the value of your property.
 
This would be of interest to you: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/index1.html
Conclusions from scientific research
In the area of biological effects and medical applications of non-ionizing radiation approximately 25,000 articles have been published over the past 30 years. Despite the feeling of some people that more research needs to be done, scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals. Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields. However, some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research.
 
arunkumarmna said:
Hi Friends,

One of the ISP from India is requesting my permission to place the 4G wifi broadband tower on my building [Residence]. I got families, kids and a pregnant lady staying in the building. I am worried will the microwave or radio wave radiation may question their health.

Could you please suggest?

Thank you
Arunkumar

arunkumarmna said:
Thank you Jedishrfu, ...wifi-eng.php link states no harm with the wifi devices used in the public areas like in-house transmitters like routers with small radius antena but gives the generic statement from the closed thread "https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=419790&highlight=Wifi+Sector+antenna+health+hazard" there is a possibility of generic/serious health issues depends on the distance from the source.

i am worried because it will be like a base station with tower of multiple sector antennas right above the roof [less than 1 meter if i am not wrong].

phion said:
Do television towers cause cancer? Radio stations?

These RF bands are extremely low, the average phone might transmit approximately one watt of energy at most. No where near enough to break those delicate strands of DNA.

Monique said:
This would be of interest to you: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/index1.html

There is a general confusion in this thread that needs to be cleared up. The OP is asking about a high-power transmitting antenna farm being put on the roof of a residence, not about 1W cell phones.

Monique -- Unless I missed it, the article that you linked to seems to only address the use of personal RF devices and HV power transmission lines, not exposure to high-power RF transmitters in close proximity. (I may have missed it though, if so please correct me)

I personally would not go for the high-power cell phone antennas on top of my residence. I will try to do a bit more reading to see what frequency bands are in the picture and get back to this thread. Please let us confine our posts in this thread to the question of high-power transmitting antennas in the 4G frequency band in close proximity to people living in a residence.
 
Last edited:
Looks like the 4G frequencies are in the microwave oven band. No, I absolutely would not put a high-power antenna farm on the roof of my residence in the microwave band.

http://vspages.com/4g-vs-wifi-the-difference-between-4g-and-wifi-902/
What is Wifi?

Wifi stands for Wireless Facility and it is a LAN network with a short range of connectivity. This is the type of wireless service that is commonly used in homes. It usually operates in an unallocated frequency band at 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz. There are also several varieties of Wifi, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11n. All have the same number. 802.11, but those followed by the letters a, b and g operate on a 2.4Ghz and those followed by n operate on a 5Ghz.
 
  • #10
As a follow-up... It would be much worse to be the next-door-neighbor to a house with a WiFi antenna farm on its roof, compared to being the house right underneath it.

Quiz Quesion -- Why?

Cell phone / Wifi antenna farms should be on masts, located well above ground level. That helps to keep the ground-level RF exposure (to microwave oven frequencies) more safe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_site

.
 
  • #11
A clarification: WiFi is not 4G, but WiMax is and so is GSM/LTE. In India, 4G is being rolled out at 2300 MHz which is very close to the microwave oven band.
 
  • #12
I have a terrible habit of not reading the OP, however I can safely say after using 4G via Sprint for over a year nothing detrimental happened.

Other than causing TV interference, I'm not convinced the higher frequency of 4G is of much concern with an antenna on top of the building. At least there just simply isn't enough research out there right now to convince me otherwise.
 

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