Cellphone industry says GPRS phones will be safe

Letters Editor

New Zealand Herald

The cellphone industry would like to clarify some misconceptions that arose from your article (Surfing by cellphones may require patience, February 27), regarding the safety of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) cellphones.

There is no substantiated scientific evidence of any health risk from cellphone use. This is the view of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other leading experts and health authorities internationally.

As recently as June 2000 the WHO stated: None of the recent reviews have concluded that exposure to the RF (radio frequency) fields from mobile phones and their base stations cause any adverse health consequences.

Future GPRS handsets, like all other cellphones sold in New Zealand, will be designed, built and tested to meet the science-based safety standards. Just like current generation phones, they will vary in Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) due to design and other factors, but will continue to operate within the safety standards.

In New Zealand, manufacturers are required to test each phone model using maximum power outputs to ensure their phones operate within the science-based mandatory standard. Therefore, a phone that operates at maximum power above the safety standard cannot be sold in New Zealand.

There is no sound basis to assert concern about the safety of these products or to suggest future phones may not meet the SAR limits.

As with any new technology, product capabilities are enhanced by manufacturers over time. The challenges faced in delivering GPRS technology are similar to those faced in other new technology areas and are in no way insurmountable.

A number of cellphone manufacturers market GPRS handsets and the industry is confident manufacturers will meet the challenge of developing future handsets which operate at significantly higher data rates and within science-based safety standards.

For information on cellphone health/safety issues see the WHO website: www.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact193.

Keith Anderson

Communications Director

"Lonsdale Centre"

6 Lonsdale Street

BRADDON ACT 2612

GPO BOX 1966, CANBERRA CITY, ACT 2601

TELEPHONE: (02) 6230 6055

FACSIMILE: (02) 6262 7062

www.amta.org.au