India Govt Now Requires Cell Phone Radiation Info on Phones
The government of India recently issued a directive requiring mobile phone manufacturers to display the radiation information of their phones on the handsets starting September of 2012. This will allow consumers who are concerned about the radiation effects on their health to make informed decisions about their purchase.
A cell phone’s radiation level is measured in terms of Specific Absorption Rate (or SAR), which is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body when exposed to the phone’s radio frequency (RF). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. currently sets the SAR limit to a maximum of less than 1.6 W/Kg, while Europe has it set at 2.0 W/kg. India recently changed its SAR limit from 2.0 W/kg to 1.6 W/kg as well.
While the scientific community is still trying to determine how the mobile phone radiation affects human biology, it is commonly agreed that the lower the radiation one is exposed to, the lower the potential risk. This has given rise to the demand for phones with low SAR levels.
Here’s more of the story on the government of India’s directive:
Summary: The government of India has directed mobile handset manufacturers to mention the radiation levels on the handsets starting September of this year.
Summary: The government of India has directed mobile handset manufacturers to mention the radiation levels on the handsets starting September of this year.
The debate on whether cell phones and cell towers are injurious to health has no decisive winner. The companies say it’s all good; the skeptics say these companies have deep pockets that make it appear all good. The role of a government in this discussion therefore becomes more important and the Indian government has decided not to sit quite on this topic. The government has directed cell phone manufacturers to display radiation information on the cell phones.
Earlier this year, the government came out strong on the topic of cell phone radiation and instructed all phone manufacturers to limit the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) to 1.6 Watt/Kg. SAR is the rate at which a human body absorbs energy due to an electromagnetic field. The rate set by the government of India is 1.6 Watt/Kg per 1 g of human tissue. The Federal Communications Commission in the US has prescribed the same levels for cell phone manufacturers in the US; the EU, however, is different. The new SAR levels will be in effect starting September of this year and OEMs are expected to have the SAR mentioned on the handsets going forward. The rule applies to all handsets sold in India irrespective of where they are manufactured.
Read the full story at zdnet.com
*Image courtesy of sippakorn/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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The CTIA is so powerful in this country that it will be an uphill battle getting a similar law passed. Anything that will jeopardize their profits they can easily pour millions of dollars to fight against.