User Guide

310 Section 5A: Safety
information available on their own Websites. In addition, some non-government Websites
provide SARs for specific models of wireless phones. However, the FCC has not reviewed
these sites and makes no guarantees of their accuracy. Finally, phones certified by the
Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) are required to provide SAR
information to consumers in the instructional materials that come with the phones.
Do hands-free kits for wireless phones reduce risks from exposure to RF emissions?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions from wireless phones, there is
no reason to believe that hands-free kits reduce risks. Hands-free kits can be used with
wireless phones for convenience and comfort. These systems reduce the absorption of RF
energy in the head because the phone, which is the source of the RF emissions, will not be
placed against the head. On the other hand, if the phone is mounted against the waist or
other part of the body during use, then that part of the body will absorb more RF energy.
Wireless phones marketed in the U.S. are required to meet safety requirements regardless of
whether they are used against the head or against the body. Either configuration should
result in compliance with the safety limit.
Do wireless phone accessories that claim to shield the head from RF radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions from wireless phones, there is
no reason to believe that accessories that claim to shield the head from those emissions
reduce risks. Some products that claim to shield the user from RF absorption use special
phone cases, while others involve nothing more than a metallic accessory attached to the
phone. Studies have shown that these products generally do not work as advertised. Unlike
“hand-free” kits, these so-called “shields” may interfere with proper operation of the phone.
The phone may be forced to boost its power to compensate, leading to an increase in RF
absorption. In February 2002, the Federal trade Commission (FTC) charged two companies
that sold devices that claimed to protect wireless phone users from radiation with making
false and unsubstantiated claims. According to FTC, these defendants lacked a reasonable
basis to substantiate their claim.