In the meantime, the mobile phone network GSM covers the whole of Switzerland, down to the remotest valley, and over 80 per cent of the population makes use of the advantages of the cellular phone. And development in the industry still continues: the three mobile-phone providers, Swisscom Mobile, Sunrise and Orange, are busy setting up the network for the third generation (UMTS) of cellular phones and have invested heavily in W-LAN and Bluetooth technology. The future, promises Fulvio Caccia, president of ComCom, will bring more efficient networks that will significantly lower the levels of radiation exposure, the so-called electro-smog.

Very few of today's cellular phone base-stations exceed the strict limit of 4 (900 MHz) or 6 (1800 MHz) Volt per metre, respectively. To put this into perspective, we need to recognise that standing near to a cellular phone base-station emitting a field force of 1 V/m for 24 hours, would subject one to a similar dose of radiation as a three-minute telephone call or standing for an hour within a metre of a turned-on cell phone. Nevertheless, large numbers of people are worried that cell phones could have negative effects on their health. This fear is fed by numerous, quasi-scientific, studies describing tumours, migraines and loss of concentration as possible consequences of electro-smog. Bernhard Aufdereggen, member of the Board of Physicians for the Protection of the Environment and practising doctor in Visp for the past 17 years warns: "There are some indications that base-stations do effect health, and we must take this seriously.“ To date, however, no concrete studies that are accepted within the scientific community have been carried out; too many questions on the design of such a study are still open.

Radiation is investigated in the laboratory–for example, by Nokia. large

Measuring radiation at the cellular phone base-station. Picture: Nokia. large

At a recent Science Brunch (2), Gregor Dürrenberger of the Research Foundation Mobile Communication, founded by ETH Zurich and the mobile-phone providers Swisscom Mobile, Sunrise and Orange, attempted to promote the discussion by asking the approximately 40 experts present the question: "Are field studies on the health aspect at all possible?“. In order to elucidate the question independently, Georg Neubauer and a team from Seibersdorf Research, a branch of the Austrian Research Center, launched an investigation two years ago. For the first time, Neubauer presented the results of this investigation to a wider audience at the Science Brunch (they were presented to specialists at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Bioelectromagnetic Society in Washington DC at the end of June 2004).

A field study on health was possible, in principle, concludes the electronic engineer from the results. However, in order for any study to deliver clear conclusions, a few parameters in the study design had to be defined accordingly. It was precisely here, though, that the main problem lay: "How can we measure well-being?", asked Neubauer. Can this be done based on EEG and ECG examinations? Or would blood analyses also be necessary? And how should the effects be allotted to the diverse radiation sources? Because, in addition to cellular phones and signal masts, police and amateur radio, as well as beams from radio and TV stations also radiate. For these reasons Georg Neubauer recommends that controlled lab studies are carried out in a first step and later expanded with field studies.

A study has been commissioned by the Research Foundation on Mobile Communication to replicate the study of the Dutch TNO prevention and health agency, which caused quite a stir a year ago (3). The conclusion reached in this study is that electromagnetic fields of the type GSM–in contrast to UMTS–have no consistent effect on cognitive abilities or on well-being.