Radio waves (or radio frequency - RF) are an invisible yet essential part of our modern life. Radio waves were discovered more than 100 years ago and we often take today's technology for granted. Scientists have been studying the health effects of radio waves for more than 50 years.
Radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum which also includes light and heat and is used by all electrical equipment including television and radio stations as well as mobile phones.
Radio waves are not radioactive. RF is a form of non-ionising radiation. It is not the same as radiation associated with X-rays or gamma-rays and its biological effect on humans is quite different. The energy emitted is insufficient to disrupt molecules in the body.
At high powers, RF can cause heating - exposure guidelines protect against heating and all other known health effects.
We always aim to inform our customers accurately on RF exposure and comply with international exposure limits.
The frequency of a radio wave is a measure of how many times the wave passes through the same point in its cycle in one second. This is the number of cycles per second, represented by the symbol Hz (Hertz). Millions of cycles per second are represented by the symbol MHz (Mega Hertz).
"O2 operates on the radio frequencies shown in the table below. These frequencies are very similar to those used by other radio systems. For example broadcast television operates between 470 MHz and 854 MHz; digital cordless telephones (DECT) between 1880 and 1900 MHz and wireless LANs or WiFi at 2400 MHz." Alan Freeman, Health and Environment Policy Manager at O2.
| 900MHz | 1800MHz | 2100MHz | |
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| Manx Telecom |  |
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| Telefónica O2 Ireland | |
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| Telefónica O2 Germany GmbH & Co OHG | |
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| Telefónica O2 UK | |
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| Telefónica O2 Czech Republic | |
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| Telefónica O2 Slovakia | |
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