Indicator electrosmog

Mobile telecommunication installations

Thousands of base stations provide for practically whole area mobile telecommunication coverage in Switzerland. The downside is that exposure to high-frequency radiation from antennas is increasing throughout the country.

The intensity of this form of radiation depends on several factors, e.g. transmission power, volume of transmitted data, distance from the antenna, damping by walls and roofs. This means that, while the number of locations of mobile telecommunication installations does not provide direct information on the level of exposure to non-ionising radiation, it does provide an indication of the development of mobile phone networks. Since each transmitter can only handle a limited volume of calls and data, the number of transmitters has to be increased as the use of mobile telecommunications increases.

Assessment of the state
impossible to evaluate impossible to evaluate
Assessment of the trend
impossible to evaluate impossible to evaluate
Mobile telecommunication installations 2023: 22238 Mobile telecommunication installations 2022: 21497 Mobile telecommunication installations 2021: 23024 Mobile telecommunication installations 2020: 19492 Mobile telecommunication installations 2019: 19015 Mobile telecommunication installations 2018: 18934 Mobile telecommunication installations 2017: 18235 Mobile telecommunication installations 2016: 18021 Mobile telecommunication installations 2015: 18868 Mobile telecommunication installations 2014: 16650 Mobile telecommunication installations 2013: 16078 Mobile telecommunication installations 2012: 15683 Mobile telecommunication installations 2011: 14876 Mobile telecommunication installations 2010: 14280 Mobile telecommunication installations 2009: 12303 Mobile telecommunication installations 2008: 12039 Mobile telecommunication installations 2007: 11140 Mobile telecommunication installations 2006: 10459 Mobile telecommunication installations 2005: 10136 Mobile telecommunication installations 2004: 9617 Mobile telecommunication installations 2003: 8558 Mobile telecommunication installations 2002: 7200 Mobile telecommunication installations 2001: 5949 Mobile telecommunication installations 2000: 5280 Mobile telecommunication installations 1999: 2844

Data for the graph: Excel
Source: OFCOM
Comment

Since 1999, the number of mobile telecommunication installations has increased by almost a factor of ten. As before, new transmitters are being added to mobile phone networks because the capacity of each transmitter is limited.

Because the number of transmitters is not sufficient on its own to provide information about levels of electrosmog in the environment, this indicator is not evaluated. Levels of electrosmog depend on the factors cited above. As the density of mobile phone networks increases, especially in towns and cities, each transmitter covers a smaller area, and this means that the transmission power per unit tends to decrease.

International comparison

Comparing the number of installations makes little sense in view of the different sizes of the various countries.

Method

Mobile network operators supply the Federal Office of Communications with data.

 
Last updated on: 30.08.2024

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