DECT cordless phones for home - the next problem:
A typical case for Wolfgang Maes:
The expert in building biology is repeatedly called on by people who suffer from undetermined disorders:
They sleep poorly, are restless and nervous. Of course, everyone has more or less stress. "It is obvious however, that many affected people have recently bought a new cordless phone - or sometimes, their neighbour has." says Maes. After exchanging the phone the problems disappear. "I see this so often, it cannot be a coincidence," says the electric smog expert.
The problem is cordless phones that function according to the so-called DECT-standard. This standard enables user-friendly features, and in order for these to work, the radio waves must be pulsed, which basically means they are chopped up into little pieces. In addition, the base station constantly checks the DECT equipment whether someone is phoning, even when the telephone receiver is in the base station. Around the clock, it sends pulsed radiation throughout the house and even as far as the neighbours. But it is precisely this pulse, 100 times every second, that critical researchers are taking a look at. They found out that pulsed radiation, such as that from cordless phones and mobile phones, changes brain patterns and can hinder the communication between body cells. Many see this as not only the cause of insomnia, but also fear damage to the immune system and maybe perhaps even cancer. In return, other studies announce again and again, that there is no danger. These are the studies used mainly by manufacturers and their associations. Official radiation limits are also based on these studies.
Wolfgang Maes inspected several phones for radiation:
We wanted to know how much radiation the new digital devices are actually emitting and asked Wolfgang Maes to test 16 DECT-Moelle devices. We chose simple phones without a mailbox or fax option, between 100 and 200 €, plus a more expensive one from Bang & Olufsen for 350€. Usability and comfort assessment of the DECT models comes from the magazine "Connect". This leading magazine for telecommunication regularly tests not only cordless phones, but also mobile phones, fax machines and modems. They test in their own laboratory where the devices are analysed, and then rated by the editors following a grid and point system.
The dilemma: Although all 16 DECT devices got good grades, we cannot recommend any of them because they all cause permanent electric smog.
The problem with these cordless phones is this:
The base stations of all tested DECT phones send pulsed radiation comparable to that of a radio mast for mobile phones at 20 metres distance. The absolute leader is the Panasonic KX-TCD 950. It achieved a result of 100 nanowatt per square centimetre (nW/cm2), which beats all others even at a distance of 3 metres. MD Dr Lebrecht von Klitzing has observed changes in brain waves at this level of radiation. For this, he has been heavily attacked, but will not be swayed in his opinion. Due to his work with sick children, he recommends that the amount of 1 nW/cm2 not be exceeded. The radiation output from the tested phones was above this value even at a distance of 10 metres.
Imprint:
Author: Sylvia Kossligk
Created: January 2002 revised Nov. 2012
Literature / guidelines / EBM:
1st Stress by electricity and radiation. IBN 2000.
2nd Merk, H.F. : Electrosmog, electrical stress. Kiwi Verlag 1999
Copyright: PureNature
