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FCC Only Tested Cell Phone Radiation in Holsters, Not Pockets

by Lee Bains on October 27, 2010 at 06:30 AM

cell phone holstersTalk of cell phones' carcinogenic properties has been around since cell phones themselves, it seems. But, while the gadgets have skyrocketed in popularity, discussions about their health effects have remained contentious and undecided. According to Time, though, the public may have put those concerns to bed too soon.

Although you may not know it (and we certainly didn't), it's more than likely that your cell phone's manufacturer has explicitly told you not to put that phone in your pocket. Instead, Apple instructs its users to keep their iPhone 4s "at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) away from the body," and RIM tells BlackBerry owners that -- unless they're using holsters, and keeping the phones at a distance of 0.98 inches -- they may be violating FCC guidelines. So, what gives? Are we doing ourselves bodily harm by keeping our phones in our pockets? The answer, most unfortunately, is that the FCC doesn't really know.

Back in 2001, the FCC concluded that any phone emitting 1.6 watts of radio-frequency energy or less was safe for public use. However, the FCC came to that conclusion only after testing phones that were contained in holsters. It is plausible, then, that 1.6 watts is okay from an inch away, but that it's hazardous from a shorter distance. While all of this is admittedly a little unsettling, the FCC does have these words of comfort to offer: studies examining radio-frequency exposure's relationship to cancer "have been inconclusive." Gulp. We might soon regret all the trash-talking we've done about those dudes who wear their Nokias on their belts.

Tags: cancer, cellphones, cellphonesandcancer, fcc, health, radiation, science, top

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