Network-based Assessment of Actual EIRP of 5G Base Stations in a Stadium with 100,000 People and Implications on EMF Compliance

In this study, the actual time-averaged equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) levels of nine 5G massive multiple-input multiple-output base stations (BSs) located inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground were assessed. Measurements were conducted during the 2023 Australian Football League Grand Final with full stadium capacity of over 100,000 attendees, under extreme mobile traffic and user density conditions. Precoding matrix indicator and time-averaged output power data of the BSs were collected using a network monitoring tool to obtain actual time-averaged EIRP statistics corresponding to the spatial distribution of power transmission in different beam directions. The results show that, even under exceptional traffic conditions, the actual time-averaged EIRP levels were significantly below the maximum, with the mean and 95
$^\rm{th}$
percentile values being 7.6% and 9.5% of it, respectively. This corresponds to a reduction of the EMF compliance distance by about 60% compared to the theoretical maximum exposure scenario.