Assessment of a non-ionizing radiation measuring system to be used by the Ecuadorian Agency for Regulation and Control of Telecommunications

The Ecuadorian Agency for Regulation and Control of Telecommunications (ARCOTEL) is a public entity in charge of supervision of telecommunications in Ecuador. One of its main duties is to assess the nonionizing radiation compliance. In that regard, ARCOTEL counts on a legal instrument called "Regulation for human protection against non-ionizing radiation caused by the use of the radioelectric spectrum" that states an EMF measurement procedure to be followed in order to evaluate electromagnetic emissions. The paper presents a study of the basic requirements to measure the electromagnetic fields focusing on the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz cellular bands and 2.4 and 5 GHz IEEE 802.11 bands, and evaluates and compares three different commercially available non-ionizing radiation measurement systems. Finally, it recommends selection of a system assessed to best fit the scope of the ARCOTEL's regulation.