Mobile phone and smartphone as travel companions: With low radiation on holidays

Bags packed, and off you go on holidays. One thing must not be missing: The smartphone. For many people, a smartphone in their luggage is as routine as a toothbrush. Quickly taking a holiday photo and sending it to friends, calls with the beloved one at home – thanks to mobile radio, that is not a problem.

However, especially when going on holidays abroad, the following is important: Being brief does not only save travel funds. In order for voice and data transmission to work, the mobile phone emits high-frequency electromagnetic fields. While being on the phone without hands-free equipment, that happens immediately at the head.

Click the chart to start the animation "Electromagnetic mobile radio fields"

According to today's knowledge, this is not harmful to humans as long as limit values are complied with. When making phone calls one should still try to keep the exposure to mobile phone radiation as low as possible. Thus, risks can prevented that might not be known today. It is not necessary to do without the convenience of a mobile phone.

A new animation of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) explains in an easy and entertaining manner how to do that, how mobile communication works at all and what is known of its effect on man (www.bfs.de/mobilfunk-film). For travellers in a hurry, the most important recommendations of the BfS for the use of mobile phones and smartphones are available for reading:

Tips and tricks for mobile phone users

The electromagnetic fields occurring when making calls with a mobile phone and holding it near the body, are generally much stronger than the fields one is exposed to by neighbouring mobile radio base stations. Therefore, the recommendations of the BfS refer to the use of mobile phones, smartphones and tablet computers.

• When you can choose between landline and mobile phone, use the landline phone.
• Keep the calls by mobile phone or smartphone as short as possible.
• Use a headset when making a call.
• If possible, don't use your mobile phone when reception is poor, for example inside a car without outdoor aerial.
• Use mobile phones or smartphones that expose your head to mobile phone fields that are as low as possible. The lower the so-called SAR value (specific absorption rate) of your mobile phone, the better. You will find the SAR values of mobile phone models e.g. at www.bfs.de/sar-werte-handy or in the phone manual.
• When you carry your mobile phone or smartphone directly on the body, make sure to keep the minimum distance given by the manufacturer.
• Write text messages. When doing so you don't hold your mobile phone to the head.
• You should only surf the internet and check your emails in case of good reception or via WLAN. Using WLAN, the transmission power is generally lower than when using the public mobile radio standards UMTS, GSM or LTE.
• Check your emails manually only if required.
• Avoid checking your emails while you are making calls. If you want to keep your personal radiation exposure especially low, switch off the background data traffic.

Recommendations for children

Children are still growing and may therefore respond more sensitively than adults. The BfS therefore recommends to restrict children's use of mobile phones as far as possible.

In smartphones, you should deactivate "data transmission via mobile radio". Thus, your child can be reached by phone and can play games offline when travelling. Those who want to play online on the smartphone or tablet computer, should do this at home via a WLAN connection. Not only for radiation protection reasons should the playtime be restricted.

More information

Detailed recommendations of the BfS and much more information regarding radiation protection in mobile radio that is worth knowing is available at www.bfs.de/mobilfunk.