Exposure From Mobiles

Exposure From Mobiles

Exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields from mobile devices is measured using the specific absorption rate (SAR) – the amount of energy from an RF field absorbed by the human body, expressed as watts per kilogram (W/kg).

SAR is the accepted international measure of exposure to electromagnetic fields, and the SAR value determined under standardised test conditions for a particular mobile is provided in the product safety information when it is bought. Many manufacturers also make this information available on their own website or the Mobile Manufacturers Forum website.

The International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines recommend a maximum SAR value of 2W/kg for a mobile. All mobiles operating below this level are considered safe to use. Some countries such as Canada, South Korea and the United States have adopted slightly lower SAR limits of 1.6W/kg for the head and the trunk. Mobiles are tested to ensure compliance with the SAR limit for the countries where they are sold.

The United States' Federal Communications Commission (FCC) explains what SAR values mean in its consumer factsheet. This factsheet states that: “While SAR values are an important tool in judging the maximum possible exposure to RF energy from a particular model of cell phone, a single SAR value does not provide sufficient information about the amount of RF exposure under typical usage conditions to reliably compare individual cell phone models.”