Low-radiation phone calls: mobile phone models compared

A good month before Christmas day, the pre-holiday trade in mobile phones and smartphones is already in full swing. Consumers planning to buy a new device and who are interested in low-radiation models can find more information on the website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Some 3,900 devices are listed at www.bfs.de/sar, including 125 models that have been added to the list this year.

It's easy to compare the SAR values of new models of mobile phone

Mobile phones and tablets use high-frequency electromagnetic fields to transmit data during phone calls or while users surf the internet. If these devices are operated near the body, some of the energy from the fields is absorbed as heat – for example, by the hand or head. This type of energy absorption is measured in the form of the specific absorption rate (SAR), which is expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg).

According to international guidelines, the specific absorption rate should be limited to a maximum of 2 watts per kilogram if the device is held near the head or torso during phone calls. For the operation of mobile phones in the hand, this value is 4 watts per kilogram.

BfS President Dr Inge Paulini

"On its website, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection lists measurements that are determined by third parties on the manufacturers' behalf. This is a valuable source of information for consumers who are interested in low-radiation models," says BfS President Inge Paulini. All models available in Germany comply with the applicable maximum levels according to the information provided by manufacturers. Companies make this clear by displaying the European CE mark on the device. "The SAR list provided by the BfS plays an important role in informing the public: it shows which manufacturers and models make particularly good use of the technical means of reducing electromagnetic fields from mobile communications for the benefit of users."

When collecting this data, the BfS also determines which devices meet the more stringent radiation-protection requirements of the "Blue Angel" eco-label. Here, the device must not exceed a specific absorption rate of 0.5 watts per kilogram near the head or 2.0 watts per kilogram for the use case of "mobile phone operation in close proximity to the body". Such devices are labelled with a green symbol.

According to current scientific knowledge, there is no health risk due to the electromagnetic fields used in mobile communication if the applicable limits and maximum levels are adhered to.