1.6 W/kg (Warning: This cell phone warning does nothing, means nothing, and causes nothing but confusion.)
Recently, the County and City of San Francisco passed an ordinance requiring retailers of cell phones to post the level of radiation each devise emits at the point of sale. More specifically, the ordinance requires retailers to publish the “"specific absorption rate" (SAR).
The SAR rating measures how radio frequency (RF) exposure is absorbed by the body. In the United States the maximum SAR level allowed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (Link: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/sar/ )and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is 1.6 W/kg. As long as a specific cellular devise does not exceed the 1.6 W/kg measurement is considered “safe” by both the FCC and FDA.
The San Francisco ordinance implies that a devise with a lower SAR level is safer than one with a higher SAR level. This could lead to purchasing decisions based on an irrelevant measurement and places undue burden on the retailer, who now may have to deal with a patchwork of regulations nationwide.
Cell phones are not the only devises that emit radio frequency, but in comparison to other product they are required to publish a SAR. According to the FDA’s website some of the other devises that emit RF yet finding the SAR information on these devises is not easily found according to my research:
- Microwave oven
- Electric blanket
- CB/amateur radio
- Intrusion/anti-theft
- Remote controller
- Video monitor
You do not see the City trying to regulate these devises. To single out one industry or product is reckless and irresponsible.
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Other Resources:
The Cellular Telecommunication Industry Association has sued San Francisco over the ordinance. CTIA’s press release can be found here.
Other articles regarding the San Francisco ordinance:
- San Francisco's Cell Phone Radiation Law Goes Wrong
- San Francisco's Cell Phone Law: Too Much, Not Enough
Prepaid Wireless Report Highlights the Need for 911 Fee Reform in Many States
Prepaid wireless service is becoming increasingly popular with consumers. According to recent reports “nearly two-thirds of U.S. net subscriber additions in the fourth quarter were prepaid.” Increased popularity is the result of consumers eager to cut back on their expenses during the recession and fierce competition in the prepaid market. As a result, “[t]he prepaid wireless market grew 17 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter, according to the think tank, compared with 3 percent growth for the postpaid market. The quarter marked the first time new prepaid wireless subscribers outnumbered postpaid ones.” (Read more)
The prepaid market is a great example of how consumers benefit in a competitive free market environment. And as the ways that people use and pay for wireless communications change, so should the policies in place that support our overall communications system – including emergency services like 911. We need to update existing laws to ensure that our country’s 911 authorities are not put in jeopardy because of a lack of proper funding.
In most states, 911 fees are collected in monthly bills for most telecommunications services, including traditional wire-line, wireless, and even Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services. However, because there is no monthly bill provided to the customer of prepaid wireless there is simply no way, under current law, to collect the 911 fee.
As prepaid wireless’ popularity grows, a larger portion of those with access to 911 are being inadvertently excused from paying into this life-saving system. This places an unfair burden on those who pay a monthly bill and are incurring the entire cost of 911 services. Additionally, if these statues are not updated, monthly customers will be asked to absorb fee increases in the future to cover the losses from prepaid customer. This is an issue of fairness and equity that logically takes into account advances in communications technology. The intent of creating a 911 fee was to ensure that everyone that had access to the system help pay for the infrastructure.
Fortunately for all of us several states, including Colorado, are working to address the discrepancy created by increase prepaid wireless usage. In Colorado, Senate Bill 120 (SB 120) has passed the Senate and is currently in Committee in the House. SB 120 ensures public safety’s needs by collecting a fee at the point-of-sale. This method of collection is fair and transparent to the both traditional monthly customers and prepaid customers by ensuring that everyone who uses the 911 system helps pay for it.
If you live in Colorado, please contact your legislator today and let them know you support SB 120.
If you live in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming contact your legislator let them know you are concerned about the possible underfunding of critical 911 systems.
Technology Helping in Times of Crisis Part 3 of 3: Be Prepared
Editor’s Note: This is the third and final part of a three-part series highlighting how technology can help in times of crisis. The first part highlighted the new trend and success of mobile giving, millions of dollars raised simply by texting “Haiti” to 90999. Part two focuses on a group of high-tech programmers and managers who joined together to give technical support to relief organizations and created some helpful programs along the way. This part shows the amazing plight of a man who was stuck in the rubble in Haiti and used his iPhone to help treat his injuries to keep himself alive while he waited to be rescued.
The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared.” However, Dan Woolley is probably thankful for another motto, Apple iPhone’s “There’s an app for that.” On January, 12, 2010 Wolley, a filmmaker for Compassion International, was in Haiti making a documentary about poverty in Haiti, when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the island nation. Among the possessions Woolley was carrying at the time were his iPhone and his SLR camera.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, Woolley found himself trapped beneath the rubble of his hotel. A place he would stay for the next 65 hours. Fortunately for Woolley he had previously downloaded the American Heart Association's Pocket First Aid & CPR application to his iPhone. The application, which is $3.99, provides basic and expert first aid information for a wide variety of situations.
With the aid of the iPhone app, Woolley used his belt as a tourniquet to help stop the bleeding from his leg, which had a compound fracture. He also treated his head, which was also bleeding. Because of his head injury, the app also advised Woolley not to fall asleep, so he set his alarm to go off every 20 minutes. Having treated his wounds, Wooley was then able to use his digital camera to help find a safe place to wait for rescue workers.
In October, 2009 during CCW’s “The Future of Wireless in Colorado” we were fortunate to have the developers of iTriage give a presentation on a very similar application that allows you to check your symptoms, learn about your conditions, and find a medical provider best suited to treat your situation. At the time of the presentation, I downloaded a copy of iTriage on my phone. However, after reading the story of Dan Woolley, I am considering downloading the Heart Associations’ app and other survival app, because we never know when something bad may happen and it is best to Be Prepared.
The Haiti earthquake is one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory, but digital technology and Internet communications allow the world to respond on a scale that is unprecedented in human history. Yes, I said it -- unprecedented in human history.
Less than five years ago, it would have been unthinkable for millions of people to contribute via text message, as described in the first installment of this series. We could not have used social media and mobile Internet to link volunteers and create online tools to coordinate emergency response, as recounted in series installment two. Before global networks and smartphones, there were no downloadable apps that helped people diagnose and treat their own injuries during an emergency.
Today’s global communications network, and the innovative devices and applications that operate on it, have been created by a combination of human ingenuity and enormous investment of private capital. No single person, company or government agency is responsible for its existence, but all are benefiting from its presence. At this point I would encourage you to do two things: 1) be a lifesaver today by texting “Haiti” to 90999. 2) Be a lifesaver tomorrow by showing your support for the free and competitive marketplace that has brought the lifesavers recounted in this short series.
Sources:
- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/159813
- http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34933053/ns/today-today_people/
Technology Helping in Times of Crisis Part 1 of 3: Mobile Giving Takes a Leap Forward
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a three part series highlighting how modern technology and networked communications are helping in times of crisis. The first part highlights the new trend and success of mobile giving, examining how millions of dollars are being raised simply by texting “Haiti” to 90999. The second part will focus on a group of high-tech programmers and managers who joined together to give technical support to relief organizations and created some helpful programs along the way. will show the plight of a man who was stuck in the rubble in Haiti and used his iPhone to help treat his injuries and keep himself alive while he waited to be rescued.
By anyone’s standards Haiti is in desperate need of assistance as it recovers from its most destructive natural disaster in over 200 years. Catastrophic death and destruction followed the massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010. By some accounts 90% of the buildings in Haiti have been destroyed, the death toll is in the hundreds of thousands of people, and those who did survive are threatened by disease, starvation and lack of clean water. But out of devastation comes compassion, kindness, and hope as the international community joins together to help the small Caribbean nation recover from its tragedy.
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” - Leo Buscaglia
Text "HAITI" to 90999 to Donate $10 to the Red Cross
There are a few simple rules when it comes to fundraising: 1) make it as easy as possible for someone to donate and 2) people are more likely to give if it is for a specific cause. The text “Haiti” campaign scores a perfect 10 on both of these criteria. By using the text system the Red Cross eliminates the need for a credit card, donation form, computer, allows the donor to donate anywhere anytime, and all without the overhead cost of an operator. It is perfect in its simplicity.
Setting up for Success
Within hours of the earthquake in Haiti, Colorado native, James Eberhard, was working with the U.S. Department of State to get the mobile giving site up and running. It was complete within two hours and the State Department told media outlets that people could donate to relief efforts by texting “Haiti” to 90999. News media responded by broadcasting the information to their audiences and within two days more than $4 million dollars had been raised via text messaging. To put this feat in context, prior to the Haitian relief campaign the American Red Cross’ record for raising money via texts was $200,000, which occurred during the 2008 hurricane season. By contrast it took almost two weeks to launch traditional fundraising efforts for Haitian relief.
The Text Message Campaign “Game Changing” Moment
As of Monday, January 25, 2010 the Red Cross has raised more than $29 million via its text campaign. That means that more than 2.9 million “Haiti” texts have been sent from everyday people. This by no means is a substitute for volunteers of all types, large donations, telethon drives, and other types of relief efforts, but it does prove that micro-donations via text messaging is a viable solution to quickly jump start relief efforts and capture an audience that otherwise might not give.
To learn more about mobile giving, and other organizations you can donate to, please visit the mGive Website at: http://mgive.com/Partners.aspx
Source: http://www.denverpost.com/news/frontpage/ci_14256405
Please check back on Monday, February 1, 2010 for Part 2 of this series.It's a Mobile Future
No it is not a ride at Disneyland, but our friends at Mobile Future released a report on wireless technology and innovation. Welcome to the Mobile Future; How Wireless Innovation is Transforming Our Economy and Our Lives, is a great report on the past, present, and future of wireless technology that highlights some of the staggering statistics about the wireless industry. For example:
- Nearly 90% of American adults have a mobile device, and virtually all of us keep it within arm’s reach 24 hours a day;
- The wireless industry today employs nearly 2.7 million Americans—from applications developers to retail store workers to network engineers;
- 95% of the U.S. Population has the choice of three or more wireless service providers;
- There are 630 mobile devices available to U.S. consumers compared to 147 in the United Kingdom;
- There were 1 trillion text messages sent in the U.S. in 2008.
Please take a moment to download the report and take a look for yourself.
Wireless technology is helping to save lives
First U.S. wireless pacemaker
Carol Kasyjanski is not a household name but she is a sign of things to come. Recently, Ms. Kasyjanski became the first person in the United States to have a pacemaker with a wireless home monitoring system. The pacemaker transmits data to her doctor, who can then log into his computer and download the patient’s information from a remote location.
Kasyjanski, who has suffered from a severe heart condition for more than 20 years, says the device has given her renewed confidence and a new lease of life, because if her pacemaker were to malfunction or stop working, only immediate action would save her life.
Dr. Steven Greenberg, the director of St. Francis' Arrhythmia and Pacemaker Center, said the new technology helps him better treat his patients and will likely become the new standard in pacemakers.
Wireless technology is only limited by the imagination, given the right regulatory framework, we can expect that in the coming years devices like this one will change lives for the better.
Source Reuters | Related Reading
The future is wireless; mobile phones and smart devices are bridging the digital divide
It should be no surprise to anyone that mobile devices are changing the way we live, work, and play. According to a recent Pew Internet report, some 85% of American adults own a handheld device (cell phone or smart phone) and some “32% of all Americans have gotten online with a mobile device – meaning they have used a cell phone or other handheld device to check email, access the internet for information, or send instant messages.”
An April 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project asked respondents whether they had used a variety of devices – laptops, cell phones, game consoles, and more – to go online using a wireless network. Altogether, 56% of Americans said they have at some point used wireless means for online access.
- 39% of all Americans have used a laptop computer to go online wirelessly, making this the most prevalent means of wireless access.
- 32% of all Americans have gotten online with a mobile device – meaning they have used a cell phone or other handheld device to check email, access the internet for information, or send instant message.
This is a sharp increase from the results in December 2007, where only 24% of Americans reported using their mobile device to access the internet. But even that increase is not all that surprising given the fact that smartphones have accounted for more than 20% of the U.S. sales since that final quarter in 2008.
Use of the internet on mobile devices has grown sharply from the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2009.
- In December 2007, 24% of Americans said they had at some point used the internet on their mobile device
- By April 2009, 32% of Americans said they had at some point used the internet on their mobile device
What may surprise some is wireless technology’s ability to quickly bridge the digital divide. According to the Pew report, African Americans use of mobile technology to access the internet has increased an astonishing 141% since 2007. In less than two years African Americans have become the most active users of the mobile internet.
African Americans are the most active users of the mobile internet – and their use of it is also growing the fastest. This means the digital divide between African Americans and white Americans diminishes when mobile use is taken into account.
- 48% of Africans Americans have at one time used their mobile device to access the internet for information, emailing, or instant-messaging, half again the national average of 32%.
- 29% of African Americans use the internet on their handheld on an average day, also about half again the national average of 19%.
- Compared with 2007, when 12% of African Americans used the internet on their mobile on the average day, use of the mobile internet is up by 141%.
As John Horrigan, associate director of the Pew Internet Project and principal author on the report pointed out in the New York Times Tech Bits, “The cost of broadband and personal computers drives some users to adopt mobile Internet instead of the traditional wire-line… It might make sense to invest the money in a smartphone and a monthly plan that enables you to do so many different things, like make calls and send e-mails.”
We couldn’t agree more and look forward to Pew’s next report.
Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, found at: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/12-Wireless-Internet-Use.aspx
Now More Than Ever: Wireless Consumers Have More Choice
Last week Senator Herb Kohl wrote a letter to the FCC and the DOJ asking that they investigate the wireless industry and asking them “to take action to enhance competition in the market and to remove barriers to competition preventing the emergence of new competitors.”
One of the issues that Senator Kohl is concerned about is handset exclusivity. In his opinion, “[t]he practice of the large cell phone companies gaining exclusive deals to the most in-demand cell phones is a serious barrier to competition. Consumers are unlikely to obtain cell phone service from companies if they cannot obtain the desired handsets.”
I could not disagree more. Most consumers are sophisticated and make their decisions on a variety of different factors; not just whether they can get the handset they desire. Here are just a few of the factors that I personally have used in choosing past cell phone carriers: (In no particular order.)
- Home coverage area;
- Extended coverage area/ National calling plan;
- Cost of the plan;
- Do I get reception at home and work; and
- What additional features are available from the cell company, free nights and weekends, free network to network calling and text, etc.
I can say on my past history that these factors were more important to me than the device I was purchasing.
I am sorry, but consumers have benefitted because of AT&T’s exclusivity contract with Apple.
There is little doubt that the Apple iPhone is a game-changer. Now, more than ever, cell companies are competing on multiple levels for business and the American Consumer is the beneficiary. As a result of the iPhone ($199-$299) and its exclusive contract, we have seen additional innovation in the smart phone category from Verizon with the Blackberry Storm ($219), Sprint with the Palm Pre ($199), and T-Mobile with the G1 running Google’s Android ($399-$149). A comparable device several years ago costs well over $400 with a 2 year contract.
Additionally, there is increase consumer choice in other mobile devices and plans. Check out the following article from the Boston Globe:
Cellphone savings worth research – The Boston Globe
Competition for wireless customers leads to a bewildering array of options - and a price warThe great news is that all this competition has sparked a price war of sorts. Boost Mobile recently made a splash by offering unlimited calls and text messages for $50 per month - half the price of traditional plans with unlimited minutes. Virgin Mobile countered by offering unlimited calls for $50 (or $60 if you add in text messages). Now some say their plans are even cheaper. MetroPCS charges $40-$50 for unlimited calls and text. And TracFone just launched its own $45 option called StraightTalk.
Read the entire article by going to the Boston Globe's Web site by clicking here.
Update NYT Article: What Do Cellphone Users Want Most? Cheap Service
Distracted Driving or Distracted Policy?
That’s the title of a “tech byte” from the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) that takes a deeper look at what really encompasses the term “distracted driving.” There are several bills floating around the U.S. that describe “distracted driving” as a person distracted from using a cell phone while operating a car, but IPI makes a good point that there are many other things that can distract drivers including changing the radio station, inserting a CD or applying makeup. Given that, why should cell phone technology take the fall?
House Bill 2734 in Arizona – a distracted driving bill – includes a wide range of actions that can distract drivers punishable under law. It could become a model for other “distracted driving” bills that don’t just single out cell phones. Click here to read the full IPI Tech Byte.
It's No Time To Regulate Wireless Telephony
John W. Mayo, Professor of Economics, Business and Public Policy in Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business recently released a paper titled “It’s No Time To Regulate Wireless Technology.” In it, Mayo discusses the competitive wireless environment in the U.S. and why he believes it shouldn’t be regulated. Click here to read the full study: No Time To Regulate Wireless Telephony.