TATT Launches Surveillance Program for Radiofrequency Radiation

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) has initiated a surveillance program to measure radiofrequency radiation emissions from all sites located in the country. This effort will allow them to continuously monitor the radiation from all radio transmitting equipment and provide the results to the public for their knowledge.

Commitment to Strict Standards

Since January 2022, TATT has actively engaged in initiatives aimed at determining the strictest possible internationally acceptable limits for radiofrequency radiation from all radio transmitting equipment in Trinidad and Tobago. These efforts ensure that providers of telecommunications and broadcasting services comply with these strict limits, including those concerning cell sites, which also fall under the category of radio transmitting equipment.

Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) Limits

The Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) limit for RF radiation from radio transmitting sites to which the general population in Trinidad and Tobago should be exposed is 0.2 to 1.0 milliwatts per square centimeter (mW/cm). The latest measurement program took place between October 2020 and September 2021, encompassing RF field strength measurements from cell sites for general population exposure.

Measurements were recorded for a total of 163 cell sites, all of which were in compliance with the maximum permissible limits determined by TATT.

Compliance Across Trinidad and Tobago

According to the service provider from Northwest Trinidad, East Trinidad, Northeast Trinidad, Central Trinidad, South Trinidad, and Tobago, the parameters are within the limits. The maximum power density recorded is 0.00159 mW/cm, indicating that all the RF radiation test results meet the established parameters.

Annual Audits and Future Reference

The audit will be conducted on a yearly basis, and antenna manufacturers can use this study as a reference for future antenna installations and approvals.