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 the Specific Absorption Rate ("SAR") which is a measuring scale of the rate at which radiofrequency energy is actually absorbed per kilogramme of tissue in a human body. The SAR is usually expressed in "watts per kilogramme" ("W/kg"). In consultation with the Department of Health, 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 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 previously prescribed labels (which are also 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 prescribed label commencing 1 April 2012
Figure 1b: The prescribed label before 1 April 2012
- Look up the list of type-approved mobile phones and their SAR values on the OFCA website
- If you buy a mobile phone with the label authorised by the Communications Authority (CA) 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
- visit the OFCA website to find out their SAR values. A list of type-approved mobile phones with SAR information is available on OFCA's website; or
- approach the manufacturer, suppliers or dealers of the mobile phones not listed on OFCA's website to get the SAR information.
Type-Approval and Labelling of Mobile Phones
- Type-approval of mobile phones is now provided by Certification Bodies accredited or recognized by the CA.
- Type-approval or labelling of mobile phones is not a compulsory requirement for marketing in Hong Kong.
- However, 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 electrical safety and technical requirements such as operating frequencies and transmitter power.
- Mobile phones affixed with the above label are certified to comply with the prescribed technical specifications and the internationally accepted standards for RF radiation safety.
For more information about the labeling of telecommunications equipment, please contact us at:
Telephone : 2961 6321
Fax : 2838 5004
Email : standards@ofca.gov.hk
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