Stay Smart. Know More about Mobile Phone Safety Standards.

Are mobile phones safe for use?

• Because of the low power of transmission, a hand-held mobile phone generates only a small amount of radiation. Many studies have concluded that there is no evidence that mobile phones bring hazards to health when used under normal operating conditions.
• All mobile phones available in the local market must be in compliance with the internationally accepted standards for RF radiation safety.
• According to the recommendation of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the safety limit in terms of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)* should be 2 Watts/kg.

*The "Specific Absorption Rate" applicable to hand-held mobile phones

Human exposure to radiofrequency radiation from hand-held mobile phones is generally evaluated using SAR which is a measuring scale of the rate at which radiofrequency energy is actually absorbed per kilogramme of tissue in a human body. SAR is usually expressed in "watts per kilogramme" (W/kg). In consultation with the Department of Health, the Communications Authority (CA) has adopted the widely accepted SAR limits of the ICNIRP and the IEEE. The SAR limits of the ICNIRP and the IEEE applicable to hand-held mobile phones are 2 W/kg.

How can you tell if your mobile phone complies with safety standards?

• Choose mobile phones with the label prescribed by the CA (“the CA label”) as shown in figure 1a. Telecommunications equipment available in the market before the establishment of the CA on 1 April 2012 may have been affixed with old prescribed labels (which are still valid) as shown in figure 1b. For details, please refer to the HKCA 3211 "Standardisation Guide for Labelling of Telecommunications Equipment" document available on the website of the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA).
  
  Figure 1a: The current prescribed label
  
  
  Figure 1b: The old prescribed label
• Look up the list of certified mobile phones and their SAR values on the OFCA website
• If you buy a mobile phone with the CA label affixed on its case or packing, you can be sure it meets the SAR limit recommended by the ICNIRP or the IEEE.
• For mobile phones without the CA label, you can
  1. visit the OFCA website to find out their SAR values. A list of certified mobile phones with SAR information is available on OFCA's website; or
  2. approach the manufacturer, suppliers or dealers of the mobile phones not listed on OFCA's website to get the SAR information.

Certification and Labelling of Mobile Phones

• Certification of mobile phones is now provided by Certification Bodies accredited or recognised by the CA.
• Certification or labelling of mobile phones is not a compulsory requirement for marketing in Hong Kong.
• However, the CA encourages manufacturers, suppliers and dealers of mobile phones to affix the CA label to their certified mobile phones.
• All mobile phones to be sold in Hong Kong shall meet the technical specifications prescribed by the CA in relation to RF radiation safety and technical requirements such as operating frequencies and transmitter power.
• Mobile phones affixed with the CA label are certified to comply with the prescribed technical specifications and the internationally accepted standards for RF radiation safety.

For more information about the labelling of telecommunications equipment, please contact us at:

Telephone : 2961 6321
Fax : 2838 5004
Email : standards@ofca.gov.hk