GSM stands for “Global System for Mobile Communication”. This technology provides the means for wireless communication and is thus used in mobile telephone networks and radio frequencies.
Data packets are transmitted at a speed of 9.6 kbit/s (e.g. for telephony and SMS). GSM technology is part of the second generation of communication networks (2G) that replaced the first generation of analogue systems. Base stations are distributed on the basis of a highly sophisticated system in such a way as to ensure gapless communication over wide areas. The base station provides the link between participating terminal units. Larger or smaller numbers of such stations must be erected, depending on topographic conditions and levels of building development, in order to guarantee optimum network coverage.A GSM network consists of four system components. The mobile telephone is the only component that is visible to end-users of the network. The BBS (Base Station Subsystem) encodes communication data, distributes calls to various base stations, administers frequencies and analyzes network information. As the third component, the Network Subsystem (NSS) or Core Network System (CSS) represents the interface between mobile tele-
phone and land-line networks. The fourth component, the Operation Maintenance Centre (OMC) or Network Management Centre ), is responsible for monitoring the mobile telephone network.
Electromagnetic radiation: a health hazard?
Radiation increases
Every piece of technical equipment emits electromagnetic radiation. As the distribution density of mobile telephones increases, the level of electromagnetic radiation to which we are exposed on a daily basis rises as well. The question of potential hazards to health is frequently posed.The use of GSM technology is expanding at a rapid pace. According to the GSM Association, there were more than 2.5 billion GSM users in August 2007 – over 85% of the global mobile telephone market. The number of mobile telephone users is increasing steadily, which means that more and more electromagnetic waves can be measured in our environment every day. In view of this trend, the scientific community has begun to investigate the potential health hazards that may be posed by electromagnetic radiation in general and electromagnetic emissions from mobile telephones in particular.
No definitive findings to date
Up to now, researchers have not arrived at a definitive opinion on the question of whether electromagnetic fields are harmful to the human organism. Various studies have produced conflicting results. A comparison of electromagnetic fields with x-rays or gamma rays reveals that the fields are too weak to cause genetic damage. Still, various countries have set limits that may not be exceeded in order to minimize the potential health risk.Activities of Tunc Holding
Tunc Holding places strong emphasis on the need to keep levels of electromagnetic radiation as low as possible. As a testing lab, the Tunc Telekomünikasyon EM Field Measurement Centre performs the required measurements and issues certificates documenting compliance with guidelines for implemented GSM systems. The base stations now in use in mobile telephone networks are low-power transmitters. The antennae of this transmission stations emit waves that are typically very narrow in the vertical plane and very broad in the horizontal. Due to this narrow vertical reach, the intensity of radiation directly beneath the antenna is very low, and the strength of the magnetic field decreases as one moves farther away from the antenna.Important questions about electromagnetic radiation:
How is electromagnetic radiation generated?
In the interest of precision, it is appropriate to speak of electromagnetic waves. These waves consist of coupled electrical and magnetic fields. The fields are created when, for example, alternating current flows through an antenna. The antenna emits the electromagnetic radiation into its surroundings at the speed of light. Waves differ in terms of energy level, which is referred to as frequency. The category of electromagnetic waves includes radio waves, microwaves and the entire spectrum of light waves as well as x-rays and gamma radiation.Where might I come in contact with electromagnetic radiation?
We are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic waves. Even the human body and the earth have their own electromagnetic fields. In today’s world, a substantial amount of radiation is emitted by the equipment and appliances we use every day. We are continuously exposed to electromagnetic radiation in the office (compu-ters, printers, fax machines), at home (washing machines, microwaves ovens, electric razors) and while travelling (mobile telephones, radio masts).
