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Cynthia Wan

Residents of a Kowloon Tong tower block say they fear for their health after discovering that a large mobile-phone transmitter has been housed in an empty flat for more than five years.

The transmitter is believed to be the only one in a residential flat. They are usually located on the top of buildings.

It belongs to CSL - a subsidiary of Pacific Century CyberWorks - and the authorities and experts insist it is legal and safe, despite residents' concerns.

The owner of the 1,630-square-foot flat in Vista Panorama on Beacon Hill has moved overseas.

One resident said: 'I'm very shocked and I am really worried about the radiation.'

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority, which approved the installation, sought to allay residents' fears, saying radiation levels were within safety limits according to International Radiation Protection Association guidelines.

The authority confirmed Vista Panorama's management company had laid a complaint this year about the transmitter.

It was understood that the management company was satisfied with the authority's assurance that the transmitter was safe.

'After a site inspection, the measurement of the radiation level fulfilled our requirement,' a spokeswoman with the authority said.

She said the equipment was tested and found to be safe every time the authority reissued its licence.

The special inspection was carried out in response to the complaint.

CSL told the Sunday Morning Post : 'The installation of the transmission station at the premises complies strictly with the code of practice for the protection of workers and members of the public against non-ionising radiation hazards from radio-transmitting equipment.'

The company also said that as part of the network fine-tuning process, relocation of the equipment was being arranged, but it did not say where it would be moved to.

Professor Ng Tung-sang, of the electronic and electrical engineering department at the University of Hong Kong, said: 'If the flat is vacated and the transmitter is facing the window, the residents won't be affected.'

The legislator representing the information and technology sector, Sin Chung-kai, said: 'A public discussion over whether stricter control on installing transmitting equipment at residential flats may be necessary.

'However, given Hong Kong's crowded situation, it may be difficult to limit access of the network operators further if mobile phone users want an adequate coverage.'

Property lawyer Daniel Wong Kwok-tung said the residents could get the transmitter moved if they could prove it was a nuisance and they were under psychological pressure.

There are 8,635 mobile base stations across Hong Kong.

Of 694 complaints about the transmitters received by the authority since 1996, none has resulted in the removal of equipment.

In six cases where radiation levels were breached, changes regarding the height and direction of the antennae were made.



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Mobile-phone transmitter in empty flat stirs health fears