Characterization and Evaluation of the Visual Impact of Mobile Communication Base Stations in the Urban Environment

Abstract

Besides the increase of mobile communication services and providers in Peru, base stations (BS) have grown greatly without considering their visual impact. The characterization and evaluation of the visual impact from base stations to urban landscapes was carried out in the district of San Miguel, located in Lima, Peru. This district has a number of base stations suitable to conduct a pilot study. National and international regulations in force were reviewed, and the Manual for Camouflage of Radio Stations from Bogota DC, Colombia, was chosen as the basis for the visual impact evaluation. Then, a field study of mobile base stations located in the district of San Miguel was accomplished. After that, the matrices for evaluating the visual impact to each of the BS were applied. According to the evaluation, 12 BS (20.3 %) have a low visual impact, 42 BS (71.2 %) have a medium visual impact, and 5 BS (8.5 %) have a high visual impact. So, more than 90 % of the BS in San Miguel has low or medium visual impact.