Section 4: Safety Guidelines and Warranty Information4A: Safety 154Getting the Most Out of Your ReceptionKeeping Tabs on Signal StrengthThe quality of each call you make or receive depends on thesignal strength in your area. Your phone informs you of thecurrent signal strength by displaying a number of bars next tothe signal strength icon. The more bars displayed, the strongerthe signal. If you’re inside a building, being near a window maygive you better reception.Understanding the Power Save FeatureIf your phone is unable to find a signal after 15 minutes ofsearching, a Power Save feature is automatically activated. If yourphone is active, it periodically rechecks service availability oryou can check it yourself by pressing any key. Anytime thePower Save feature is activated, a message displays on the screen.When a signal is found, your phone returns to standby mode.Understanding How Your Phone OperatesYour phone is basically a radio transmitter and receiver. Whenit’s turned on, it receives and transmits radiofrequency (RF)signals. When you use your phone, the system handling yourcall controls the power level. This power can range from 0.006watts to 0.2 watts in digital mode.Knowing Radiofrequency SafetyThe design of your PCS Phone complies with updated NCRPstandards described below.In 1991-92, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)joined in updating ANSI’s 1982 standard for safety levels withrespect to human exposure to RF signals. More than 120scientists, engineers and physicians from universities,government health agencies and industries developed thisupdated standard after reviewing the available body of research.In 1993, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)adopted this updated standard in a regulation. In August 1996,the FCC adopted hybrid standard consisting of the existingANSI/IEEE standard and the guidelines published by theNational Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements(NCRP).
