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Susan Schwartz

Hong Kong's mobile phone users will be able to compare radiation emission levels when industry giant Nokia releases new models bearing the information.

The phones will be labelled as soon as the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation finalises an industry-wide test in October.

The information will disclose the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value of each new phone. The values of existing models will be released later.

Consumer Council spokesman Kenneth So Wai-sang welcomed the news but said there were still no international standards dictating safe radiation levels.

'The labels should provide a basis for consumers concerned about this issue to make a more informed choice,' Mr So said.

He said the Consumer Council would consider including the radiation levels in its tests on the reception and quality of mobile phones.

The president of the Hong Kong Medical Association, Lo Wing-lok, also supported the plan.

'Nokia and Ericsson are market leaders and should take the lead on what type of radiation and what intensity their products produce, then other manufacturers would have to follow suit,' Dr Lo said.

The information will be provided on Nokia's user guides, leaflets and Web site.

South East Asia Pacific Nokia Communications manager Loretta Lee said there were some differences between the methods used for SAR measurements.

But she said standardised absorption rate values would allow manufacturers to do the same test and provide customers with consistent information.

'Differences in SAR values do not imply that one phone is less safe than another since the safety standards are set with a large margin of safety already incorporated,' Ms Lee said.

A Swiss study published in the magazine K-Tig  last year found two popular Hong Kong models - the Ericsson T28s and Nokia 6210 - were among three emitting the most radiation during tests on 28 models available in Europe.

The mobile phone models, which sell for $1,700 to $2,000 locally, were found to emit nearly six times as much radiation as the Nokia 8850, lowest on the list.

For the Ericsson T28s and Nokia 6210, the rates were 1.27 and 1.19 watts per kg respectively, while the Nokia 8850 was 0.22.

Another test by the Consumers' Association in Britain found the use of hands-free attachments could send three times as much radiation to the brain as normal handsets.

schwartz@scmp.com



Nokia to release radiation levels for mobile phone users