As the debate rages on in Britain over the possible health effects cellular phones may have on children, a recent survey from London-based NOP Research Group showed that one in 10 British adults planned to give a mobile phone as a present for Christmas, with almost half of those 4.7 million handsets going to people under the age of 18.
“Amid the continuing debate over the possible health risks, the British love affair with the mobile phone continues apace,” said Colin Strong, director of NOP Business. “The young in particular see the mobile phone as the `must-have’ and we can expect to see further growth in this area due to the immense pester power from kids.”
The survey comes on the heels of the British government earmarking $10 million to research the effects of wireless phones on the health of children and teens. The government action includes the distribution of leaflets with every new wireless handset advising that children avoid prolonged use of the handset.
The leaflets, which will be distributed through phone retailers, doctors offices, libraries, electronics retailers, post offices and supermarkets, state: “If parents want to avoid their children being subject to any possible risk that might be identified in the future, the way to do so is to exercise their choice not to let their children use mobile phones.”
In addition, the government has mandated that handset manufacturers disclose the radiation levels emitted by every mobile-phone model on the phone’s box by January.
Even though a British government-sponsored panel recently reported that mobile phones operating within safety guidelines likely do not cause any health problems, the government recommended that children keep their wireless phone usage to a minimum.
A previous survey from NOP showed that 66 percent of 14- to 16-year-olds in England had access to a mobile phone, including 71 percent of girls and 60 percent of boys in that age group.
One option being looked at to reduce the radio emission levels absorbed by children is the use of short message services. These services, which have a strong teen following in Europe, allow children and teens the freedom of wireless communications without having a cell-phone antenna inches from their heads.
But SMS services are not seen as a revenue-generating service.
“I don’t see SMS as an answer for wireless carriers financially,” said Elizabeth Harr Brisksin, vice president and director of international wireless publications at the Strategis Group. “[Wireless carriers] want to do everything they can to generate revenues to pay for their 3G licenses, and SMS is not a strong revenue generator for them.” Wireless operators recently spent almost $36 billion on third-generation wireless spectrum licenses from the British government.
Brisksin added that the British government’s attempts to limit the use of cellular phones by children and teens may backfire.
“It is pretty hard to tell teens not to do something,” Brisksin added. “Especially if the government is telling them not to do something, it will just make them want to do it more.”
