Spark and Vodafone have commissioned independent monitoring of exposures to radiofrequency fields around their cellsites. The companies are not informed when the monitoring will take place, and generally have no say in the sites selected for monitoring (although Spark may request monitoring of specific sites).
The purpose of the tests is to evaluate exposures to radiofrequency fields near cellsites to determine the maximum exposure at the time the measurements were made, and the maximum possible exposure should all the equipment at the site (and any other transmitters nearby) operate at full power. Exposures are compared against the appropriate limits in New Zealand Standard 2772.1:1999 Radiofrequency Fields Part 1: Maximum exposure levels 3 kHz – 300 GHz, as required by the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Telecommunications Facilities) Regulations 2016.
These reports are provided on the Ministry of Health website to complement the other material on cellsites. For more information about the Vodafone monitoring, email the Vodafone Community Relations Manager. For more information about the Spark monitoring, use the Contact us page on their website.
How measurements are taken
Measurements are normally taken in public areas around a site (for example, on footpaths and parkland) but not on private property or in the middle of roads. The focus is on obtaining an overview of how exposures vary around a site, with special attention paid to the areas where exposures are expected to be highest.
The measurements are made with high quality instruments with a current calibration, following procedures recommended in relevant Standards.
Summary reports
Results are presented in the summary reports below. These describe how the measurements were made and summarise the results for each year, listing the sites tested and the measurement results.
Spark
Latest summary report
This report presents the results of measurements at 39 sites carried out between May 2021 and the end of May 2022.
Previous summary reports
- Compliance monitoring of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2020-21 (PDF, 335 KB)
- Compliance monitoring of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2019-20 (PDF, 330 KB)
- Compliance monitoring of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2018-19 (PDF, 324 KB)
- Compliance monitoring of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2017–18 (PDF, 324 KB)
- Compliance testing of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2016–17 (PDF, 819 KB)
- Compliance testing of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2015–16 (PDF, 790 KB)
- Compliance testing of Spark cellsites: annual summary 2014–15 (PDF, 698 KB)
Vodafone
Latest summary report
This report presents the results of measurements at 10 sites carried out during 2022.
Previous summary reports
- Monitoring of Vodafone cellsites: annual summary 2021 (PDF, 297 KB)
- Monitoring of Vodafone cellsites: annual summary 2020 (PDF, 297 KB)
- Monitoring of Vodafone cellsites: annual summary 2019 (PDF, 297 KB)
- Monitoring of Vodafone cellsites: annual summary 2018 (PDF, 298 KB)
- Monitoring of Vodafone cellsites: annual summary 2017 (PDF, 796 KB)
- Monitoring of Vodafone cellsites: annual summary 2016 (PDF, 855 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary September 2014 – February 2016 (PDF, 582 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary June 2013 – May 2014 (PDF, 1.4 MB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary June 2012 – May 2013 (PDF, 499 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary March 2011 – May 2012 (PDF, 501 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2010 – March 2011 (PDF, 767 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2009 – March 2010 (PDF, 676 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2008 – March 2009 (PDF, 133 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2007 – March 2008 (PDF, 151 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2006 – March 2007 (PDF, 212 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2005 – March 2006 (PDF, 270 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary April 2004 – March 2005 (PDF, 221 KB)
- Vodafone cellsite monitoring summary to March 2004 (PDF, 201 KB)