WASHINGTON-A British consumer group in November said new tests reaffirm earlier findings that hands-free devices can increase RF radiation emitted by mobile phones, but the organization stopped short of claiming that earpieces pose a health risk.
“Our latest tests confirm that hands-free kits can indeed increase the radiation from mobile phones. Following the tests in this controversial area, our conclusion and message to consumers remains: Don’t rely on a hands-free kit to reduce the amount of radiation emitted from a mobile phone,” stated Which?
Which?, a consumer research magazine affiliated with the Consumers’ Association, said the level of increased RF radiation to the head from hands-free kits ranged from 50 percent to 250 percent. At the same time, Which? said higher phone radiation readings were within government safety guides.
In April, Which? caused a storm of controversy by publishing test results it said showed an increase in RF radiation from hands-free mobile-phone accessories. In response, the British government conducted its own test and released findings in August that contradicted the Which? experiment. An Australian consumer group also failed to find an increase in RF radiation from mobile phones equipped with hands-free devices.
