Samsung SCH-W999 User Manual

are used against the head or against the body. Either configuration shouldresult in compliance with the safety limit.Do wireless phone accessories that claim to shield the head fromRF radiation work?Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions fromwireless phones, there is no reason to believe that accessories that claimto shield the head from those emissions reduce risks. Some products thatclaim to shield the user from RF absorption use special phone cases, whileothers involve nothing more than a metallic accessory attached to thephone. Studies have shown that these products generally do not work asadvertised. Unlike “hand-free” kits, these so-called “shields” may interferewith proper operation of the phone. The phone may be forced to boost itspower to compensate, leading to an increase in RF absorption. InFebruary 2002, the Federal trade Commission (FTC) charged twocompanies that sold devices that claimed to protect wireless phone usersfrom radiation with making false and unsubstantiated claims. According toFTC, these defendants lacked a reasonable basis to substantiate theirclaim.What about wireless phone interference with medical equipment?Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can interact with someelectronic devices. For this reason, FDA helped develop a detailed testmethod to measure electromagnetic interference (EMI) of implantedcardiac pacemakers and defibrillators from wireless telephones. This testmethod is now part of a standard sponsored by the Association for theAdvancement of Medical instrumentation (AAMI). The final draft, a jointeffort by FDA, medical device manufacturers, and many other groups,was completed in late 2000. This standard will allow manufacturers toensure that cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators are safe from wirelessphone EMI. FDA has tested wireless phones and helped develop avoluntary standard sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicEngineers (IEEE). This standard specifies test methods and performancerequirements for hearing aids and wireless phones so that no interferenceoccurs when a person uses a compatible phone and a compatible hearingaid at the same time. This standard was approved by the IEEE in 2000.FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless phones for possibleinteractions with other medical devices. Should harmful interference befound to occur, FDA will conduct testing to assess the interference andwork to resolve the problem.Additional information on the safety of RF exposures from various sourcescan be obtained from the following organizations: FCC RF Safety Program:http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):http://www.epa.gov/radiation/ Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA):