Nokia 6638 User Manual page 132

teenagers using wireless phones. Reducing the time of wireless
phone use and increasing the distance between the user and
the RF source will reduce RF exposure. Some groups sponsored
by other national governments have advised that children be
discouraged from using wireless phones at all. For example,
the government in the United Kingdom distributed leaflets
containing such a recommendation in December 2000. They
noted that no evidence exists that using a wireless phone
causes brain tumors or other ill effects. Their recommendation
to limit wireless phone use by children was strictly
precautionary; it was not based on scientific evidence that any
health hazard exists.
Do hands-free kits for wireless phones reduce risks from
exposure to RF emissions?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions
from wireless phones, there is no reason to believe that hands-
free kits reduce risks. Hands-free kits can be used with wireless
phones for convenience and comfort. These systems reduce
the absorption of RF energy in the head because the phone,
which is the source of the RF emissions, will not be placed
against the head. On the other hand, if the phone is mounted
against the waist or other part of the body during use, then
that part of the body will absorb more RF energy. Wireless
phones marketed in the U.S. are required to meet safety
requirements regardless of whether they are used against the
head or against the body. Either configuration should result in
compliance with the safety limit.
Do wireless phone accessories that claim to shield the head
from RF radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions
from wireless phones, there is no reason to believe that
accessories that claim to shield the head from those emissions
reduce risks. Some products that claim to shield the user from
RF absorption use special phone cases, while others involve
nothing more than a metallic accessory attached to the
phone. Studies have shown that these products generally do
not work as advertised. Unlike "hand-free" kits, these so-
called "shields" may interfere with proper operation of the
phone. The phone may be forced to boost its power to
compensate, leading to an increase in RF absorption. In
February 2002, the Federal trade Commission (FTC) charged
two companies that sold devices that claimed to protect
wireless phone users from radiation with making false and
unsubstantiated claims. According to FTC, these defendants
lacked a reasonable basis to substantiate their claim.
How does FCC Audit Cell Phone RF?
After FCC grants permission for a particular cellular telephone
to be marketed, FCC will occasionally conduct "post-grant"
testing to determine whether production versions of the
phone are being produced to conform with FCC regulatory
requirements. The manufacturer of a cell phone that does not
meet FCC's regulatory requirements may be required to
remove the cell phone from use and to refund the purchase
price or provide a replacement phone, and may be subject to
civil or criminal penalties. In addition, if the cell phone
presents a risk of injury to the user, FDA may also take
regulatory action. The most important post-grant test, from a
consumer's perspective, is testing of the RF emissions of the
phone. FCC measures the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of
the phone, following a very rigorous testing protocol. As is
true for nearly any scientific measurement, there is a
possibility that the test measurement may be less than or
greater than the actual RF emitted by the phone. This
difference between the RF test measurement and actual RF
emission is because test measurements are limited by
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