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2.4 Wireless technology power and operating range

Table 1 provides a summary of the ICT wireless technologies, including typical peak transmitter
powers, equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and operating distances. The information is
relevant to city officials involved in the development of antenna siting policies or the approval of
site applications. It illustrates the low powers used by wireless network technologies in comparison
to broadcast services.

Table 1 – Summary of the ICT wireless technologies, transmitter powers and operating distances

Technology/Device Transmitter EIRPmax Operating Remarks
power range

Short Range Devices
Bluetooth 0.001 to 0.1 W 0.1 W up to 100 m Typical antenna gain is 0
Smart meter up to 0.1 W 0.1 W up to 100 m dBi
Radio frequency 0.001 – 1 W 4 W up to 500 m Antenna gain up to
identification (RF‐ID) 6 dBi
Wi‐Fi access point 0.1 – 1 W 4 W up to 500 m
DECT base station 0.25 W 0.25 W up to 100 m Typical antenna gain is
DECT phone 0.25 W 0.25 W up to 100 m 0 dBi

Radiocommunication services
Mobile phone Up to 0.25 W 2 W 1 – 30 km Antenna gain is 0 dBi
(time averaged)
WiMAX router up to 1 W 1 W ~5 km Typical antenna gain is 0
dBi
WiMAX network site 3 W 100 W ~35 km Typical antenna gain is
14 dBi
Mobile network base 1 – 10 W up to 100 W 100 m – 1 km Typical antenna gain is 5
station (small cells) – 10 dBi
Mobile network base 10 – 80 W 2,600 W 1 – 30 km Additional gain of about
station (macro site)* 18 dBi and feeder loss of
about 3 dB for base
station antennas
Typical FM radio 1 – 20 kW 197 kW < 100 km
station transmitter (ERP=120 kW) Additional gain of about
13 dBi and feeder losses
VHF TV transmitter** 1 – 30 kW 328 kW < 150 km 2 dB per antenna
(ERP=200 kW)
Typical UHF TV 1‐40 kW 1640 kW < 100 km
transmitter* (ERP=1000 kW) Additional gain about
UHF DVB‐T transmitter 1 – 5 kW 246 kW < 100 km 16 dBi
(ERP=150 kW)
Typical AM radio 50 – 1,200 kW 3,280 kW >300 km Additional gain about
station transmitter*** (ERP=2000 kW) 4 dBi
Source: Recommendation ITU‐T K.70, Appendix II; Recommendation ITU‐R BS.1698‐0, section 2.1.5.
* Per carrier.
** Nominal analogue TV transmitter power is peak power.
*** Nominal AM transmitter power is carrier power.
UHF = Ultra High Frequency; VHF = Very High Frequency
(see ITU Radio Regulations, Vol. 1, Article 2, 2008).

602 ITU‐T's Technical Reports and Specifications