NEW YORK-The Consumers’ Association of the United Kingdom is advising readers of its “Which?” report not to “waste your money” on radio-frequency shields or certain kinds of hands-free kits for cell phones.
The Association reported last week that it had tested on a “dummy head” two hands-free kits, one from BT Cellnet and one from Carphone Warehouse, the largest mobile phone retailer in the country.
“The two models we tested triple the radiation to the brain, although we still don’t know for certain whether that radiation is harmful,” said Graeme Jacobs, editor of Which?
The CA said the plug-in microphone and earpiece used in some hands-free kits actually channel the RF waves into the earphone.
“We are surprised by the Which? report, as are several of the industry bodies we have been speaking to, [because] all other research has contradicted their findings,” Charles Dunstone, head of Carphone Warehouse, said.
On its Web site, the Consumers’ Association also said it tested three RF shields, but it did not identify the manufacturers.
“Two of the three shields did reduce the radio waves picked up inside our dummy head, but as they reduced the signal, the transmitter would just instruct the phone to increase its radio wave output,” the organization said.
The group concluded that the shields it tested provided limited, if any, protection.
“Given that no one knows for sure whether there is a health risk, the only thing to do if you are worried is cut down on your phone use, especially if you have an analog phone,” the CA advised.
“And until more evidence is available, it might be prudent if the [United Kingdom] were to adopt the lower ICNIRP limits on permissible radiation levels.”
The Consumers’ Association said it has sent its research to the Stuart Commission, which the U.K. Department of Health recently commissioned to investigate mobile phone safety.
