[LINK] Wireless advances could mean no more mobile towers

[Kim Holburn]

On 2011/Feb/14, at 4:15 PM, Roger Clarke wrote:

> At 15:55 +1100 14/2/11, Kim Holburn wrote:
>>> Wireless advances could mean no more mobile towers
>>> Peter Svensson
>>> February 14, 2011 - 9:24AM
>> http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/wireless-advances-could-mean-no-more-mobile-towers-20110214-1asij.html
> ...
>>> Alcatel-Lucent will be at the show to demonstrate its "lightRadio 
>>> cube", a cellular antenna about the size and shape of a Rubik's 
>>> cube ...
>>> In Alcatel-Lucent's vision, these little cubes could soon begin 
>>> replacing conventional mobile towers. Single cubes or clusters of 
>>> them could be placed indoors or out and be easily hidden from view 
>>> ...
> 
> What's the intensity of signals coming out of such 5cm-square devices?

I don't know the details but the more "cells" you have and the smaller they are the less power each cell needs.  
 
> Are there health implications?

Putting a transmitter to your head has health implications.  The power density in your head from a cellphone transmitter is of concern.  Since power density goes down with an inverse square law, even a couple of meters away from the cell transmitter the power from the cell transmitter is going to be insignificant and insignificant compared to the power transmitted by the phone.

> Should I have my wifi-router sitting 3 inches from the cat's head, etc.?

wifi is a different frequency and different power levels.  wifi uses the same frequencies as that of microwave ovens.  A normal wifi AP or laptop puts has a maximum power rating certified for Australia.  And AFAIK a client puts out the same power as the router.  I vaguely remember it is around a quarter of a watt and with a normal antenna radiates roughly equally in all directions.   A microwave oven puts out what 600 watts and in a small confined space.

Maybe your cat likes it because it can feel the warmth?  Just kidding!

-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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