EMF norms: Telcos seek global standards

New Delhi: Telecom operators have urged the government to bring the current electromagnetic field (EMF) norms in line with global standards, failing which they would need to put up more towers, which will not only increase their capital and operating expenditures but also result in higher carbon footprint.

EMF norms in India are 10 times stricter than elsewhere in the world and may prove to be a hindrance in providing 5G services, especially to far-flung remote areas, industry executives said.

“We submit that while prevailing stringent EMF norms might have been implementable for 2G and 3G technologies, the same will not be feasible with 5G and beyond technologies, as these technologies will be primarily deployed in higher spectrum frequencies of C-Band and mmWave band,” the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said in a letter to telecom secretary K Rajaraman.