We have all heard stories about the overuse of mobile phones being a possible cause of ill health. Regulators and phone manufacturers alike have been at pains to ensure that the mobile phone revolution did not emerge as a springboard for a mobile health epidemic. Over the past years, mobile phone manufacturers have invested heavily in research and development to deliver the high performance, low powered phones available today. Research is yet to establish any link between the Radio Frequency (RF) energy emitted by mobile phones and health issues.
As mobile phones and devices increase by the thousands daily, telecommunications companies around the globe have been upgrading their facilities and technology to meet demand. Trinidad and Tobago is no exception. TSTT's mobile customer subscription is approximately 400,000 and currently, there are 106 TDMA sites and over 100 GSM sites. With that many mobiles and cell sites around, you may be a little concerned about being immersed in radio waves, but lay your worries to rest.
" Mobile networks and phones are developed to minimise the risks to mobile users and the public. Since the introduction of digital technology, RF energy from mobile phones has decreased by 50%." noted Mr. Michael Barrow - TSTT's General Manager of Mobile Services.
Analog phones radiate between 600 to 1,000 milliwatts of power while digital phones radiate between 250 to 300 milliwatts of power. It should be noted that mobile phones are designed to operate within stringent limits governing the exposure to RF energy. These guidelines include limits on SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) which is the unit of measurement for the amount of radio frequency absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone. The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted these comprehensive international safety guidelines which were developed by independent scientific organisations. Indeed, manufacturers must also comply with these standards for their equipment to be accepted into markets like the USA. This means that all mobile phones must go through testing before they are shipped from wherever they were manufactured.
Another consideration for minimising health risks to you, the mobile user, is the strategic placement of cellular base stations. All of TSTT's cellular base stations in the country comply with the United States' FCC standards for the minimum level of radiation permitted per cellular station. According to Mr. Burris Pierre, TSTT's Acting Manager for Safety, Health and the Environment, TSTT meets these standards and the company works closely with Cable and Wireless in researching safety procedures.
"Public safety is extremely important to TSTT. Before constructing a cell site/base station, the company must get approval from the Town and Country Planning Division and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). In addition, independent testing of base stations is conducted after commissioning to ensure that RF energy is well within the accepted standards" noted Mr. Pierre.
Notwithstanding the precautions taken by the regulatory bodies, equipment manufacturers and service providers, you still need to personally guard against uninterrupted extended use of your mobile phone. You should not continuously use your mobile phone for long periods of time without using a headset. It is also recommended that you make brief calls.
As research continues into the impact of mobile technology on human health, you should observe the measures being recommended by TSTT and mobile phone manufacturers to ensure that you can safely enjoy the use of your mobile devices.
(source: wow-com.com)
Wireless phones are tested extensively for safety. The tests for SAR levels are conducted at the phone's highest certified power level in laboratory conditions. When in operation, however, the SAR of a phone is often well below the maximum level. This is because the phone is designed to use only the power required to reach the network. Simply put, the closer you are to the base station the less power needed to reach the network and therefore the lower the SAR level.
The SAR levels may vary among phone models, but all phones must meet the safety guidelines. These guidelines include a significant margin of safety so even when phones are operating at the SAR limit the SAR will remain within the FCC RF exposure guidelines.
Back to the You and Your Mobile Series
Products & Services