Table of Contents
Advertisement
A P P E N D I X
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
120
Advertisement
Table of Contents
