Mobile Network Exposure Rises and Falls With Human Activity

Mobile network exposure measurements across 10 European countries revealed significant daily variation in RF-EMF exposure levels, with nighttime values decreasing by up to 48.4%, reflecting daily patterns in mobile network activity.

Published by EMFSA | 19th July 2026

Research Reveals Daily Patterns

This finding comes from a pilot study deploying 20 sensors across four frequency bands (806, 942, 1842 and 3625 MHz). These bands were selected because they were used by mobile operators in all participating countries and span technologies from 2G through 5G.

The study, published in Science of the Total Environment in July 2026, documents that environmental RF-EMF levels are far from constant, rising and falling in predictable daily cycles that are consistent with changes in mobile network traffic associated with human activity.

Reference

Han Van Bladel, Adriana Fernandes Veludo, Nicolas Loizeau, Martin Röösli, Milena Maule, Zsuzsanna Vecsei, Orsolya Molnár, Tanja Vrijkotte, Kinga Polanska, Piotr Politański, Paweł Mamrot, Shanshan Wang, Joe Wiart, James Grellier, Anastasiia Kovalenko, Paige M. Hulls, Frank De Vocht, Nina Vaupotiĉ, Mònica Guxens, Wout Joseph, Temporal 2G–5G RF-EMF exposure assessment in ten European countries during one year, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 1047, 2026, 182037, ISSN 0048-9697

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.182037

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969726007023)

License: CC BY 4.0 (Open Access)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.182037

Read the full paper free at ScienceDirect under CC BY 4.0 license.

This summary was prepared from an open access publication licensed under  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may freely  share and adapt this material with proper attribution to the original  authors and journal. For full technical details, figures, and data tables, please consult the original peer-reviewed article.

What the Researchers Did

• Countries Monitored: 10 European nations (Austria, Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom)
• Sensors Deployed: 20 installed, 1 failed (France — RF013 all N/A)
• Duration: ~17 months (1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025)
• Data Points: 1 measurement per second per sensor per frequency band

Key Findings

1. Clear Daily Patterns

All frequency bands showed consistent daily cycles tied to human activity. The observed temporal patterns are consistent with changes in network traffic associated with daily human activity, including lower overnight mobile network traffic and increasing exposure levels as daytime activity resumes.

• Notably, the highest day-night contrasts occurred in the 806 MHz and 1842 MHz bands, where nighttime values decreased by 35.1% and 48.4% respectively compared to daytime values.
• Daily minima consistently occurred around 04:00 across all four frequency bands. Smaller day-night contrasts were observed for 942 MHz (11.9%) and 3625 MHz (12.1%).

2. Small Weekend Effects

• Levels were generally lower on weekends, although the effect was much weaker than the daily cycle.
• The most pronounced weekday–weekend contrast was 16.6% for the 1842 MHz band.

3. High-Frequency Band Variability

Higher-frequency bands showed greater temporal variability. The 3625 MHz band showed:

• The highest measured electric field strengths among the monitored bands.
• Broad temporal variability (median R-factor of 0.45; note: 1842 MHz had a similar median R-factor of 0.43)
• Peak measurements up to 10.2 V/m

The researchers observed no monotonic long-term increase or decrease over the study period.

What are some of the factors that influence human exposure to RF radiation?

• Network traffic demand
• Base station (BS) configuration
• Propagation conditions
• Building characteristics
• The geometric relationships between the user, the device, and the base station
• User behaviours

Importantly, the authors state that assessing RF exposure among the general population requires measurement strategies that capture both spatial variability (differences across locations) and long-term temporal dynamics (changes over time).

Important Limitations

Readers should note several constraints in this study:

• Limited sensors per country: Only 2 sensors per nation—not nationally representative.
• Data loss: One sensor (France) experienced complete failure and was excluded from analysis.
• Geographic scope: European countries only; no data from Africa, the Americas, Asia, or lower-income nations.
• Frequency coverage: Only 4 bands monitored; many countries use additional frequencies simultaneously (e.g., 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz); therefore, these four bands do not represent total RF-EMF exposure.
• Uniaxial sensors: The sensors use uniaxial antennas, which provide valuable relative and temporal data but lead to an underestimation of absolute E-field values.
• Environment type: Home, office and outdoor environments showed some visual differences, but these differences were not statistically significant within this dataset. The authors recommend further investigation.
• Confidential data: The underlying raw dataset and precise deployment information were not made publicly available, limiting independent reanalysis.

Why These Findings Are Relevant

The following section is an editorial commentary by EMFSA and represents our interpretation of the study’s significance. It does not represent findings or statements from the original authors. The observations below are editorial interpretations and hypotheses rather than conclusions established by the study.

General Public

• In the European countries included in the study, mobile network exposure varies predictably throughout the day.
• Levels generally decrease overnight and, to a lesser extent, during weekends.
• Many factors influence human exposure to RF radiation.

Regulators and Policymakers

• Continuous monitoring networks are technically feasible at scale.
• Short-term spot measurements miss important temporal dynamics.
• Future assessments should track both spatial and temporal variations.
• This pilot study supports further evaluation and development of long-term fixed RF-EMF monitoring networks.

Researchers

• Provides a methodological foundation for future larger-scale, multi-country RF-EMF monitoring studies.
• Provides baseline data for epidemiological health research.
• Proposes next-gen sensors with modular design to expand frequency coverage beyond 4 bands.
• Highlights need for open data policies in environmental monitoring.

Global Context

While the physics of radio-wave propagation are universal, observed exposure patterns may differ because of network deployment, spectrum allocation, population behaviour and regulatory environments. This study was conducted exclusively in Europe with modern infrastructure. How might results differ in other contexts?

• Rural deployment patterns and lower network densities could produce different temporal exposure profiles.
• Different network architectures and deployment strategies could influence temporal exposure patterns. 
• Different regulatory frameworks and enforcement vary worldwide.

This gap highlights why global diversity in environmental monitoring matters.

Related: Legal Accountability of a Guideline versus a Standard

*Photo by Charlie Fitzgerald on Unsplash