I’m thinking about buying a DECT (digitally enhanced cordless telephone) for my daughter, after her current phone ceased to function after a lightning strike.<\/p>\n
I have concerns about FBS (fried brain syndrome) with any kind of cordless phone. The International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) recommended safety guidelines for the use of mobile phones, as outlined in an article by UK’s Health Protection Agency (link no longer available):<\/p>\n
\nThe energy absorption is measured in the quantity ‘specific energy absorption rate<\/strong>’ (SAR) which has the unit watt per kilogram<\/strong> (W kg-1<\/sup>). SAR is closely related to the electric field strength produced inside the body tissues.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
So the recommendation is:<\/p>\n
\nSAR should not exceed 2 W kg-1<\/sup> when averaged over any 10 g of tissue in the head and any 6 minute period for the general public.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
As for cordless phones, the conclusion is that they should pose \"little risk\", since the power required for a home or office-based cordless unit is significantly less than for an outdoor mobile phone situation.<\/p>\n
\nDECT cordless phone SAR values would be expected to be in the range 0.008−0.06 W kg-1<\/sup>, at least 30 times below the ICNIRP guidelines.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Interestingly, for mobile phones, it says:<\/p>\n
\n... the signals from modern digital cordless phones are in the form of 100 bursts every second, each of around 0.4 millisecond (ms) duration. The bursts are at a peak power level of 250 mW, but on average the phone only transmits for 1\/25 of the time and so the average power is 10 mW.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Wasn’t the HPA the same agency that told the UK people that there would be no risk to humans from mad cow disease?<\/p>\n
For an opposing view on DECT phones, see this TETRAWatch article<\/a>.<\/p>\n
As always, whom do you believe...?<\/p>\n