Dr. Ally Y. Simba Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority

1. Challenges of Mobile Phone SAR Enforcement in Africa Dr. Ally Y. Simba Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority

2. Introduction ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 2 • Many people want to know: • Are mobile phones safe? • Are base station safe?

3. EMF Exposure Safety ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 3 • General Conclusion of Expert Scientific Reviews • According to International guidelines, the only • scientifically established adverse health effect • of RF energy in the human body is thermal, and • its safety limits are given based on Specific • Absorption Rates (SARs) • No credible evidence that RF exposure within • Internationally accepted limits causes any adverse • health effects

4. SAR Basics • Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) • is the rate at which RF energy is absorbed per • unit mass of a biological body where s, rare conductivity and density of the material, respectively and Etis the total electric field in a biological body [W/kg] • SAR and Temperature Relationship Pennes bio-heat equation Here T represents the temperature of the tissue in degrees Celsius, ρ is the material density (kg/m3), c is the heat capacity (J/kg/oC), k is the thermal conductivity (W/m/°C), w is the perfusion by blood (mL/g/s), and Qm is the heat generated by metabolism(W/m3). The term Tcore represents the core, or arterial, temperature of the body.

5. SAR Basics ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 5 • SAR depends on the following • Incident field parameters • - frequency, intensity, polarization • source-object configuration (near- or • far-field) • Characteristics of the exposed body • - size, internal and external geometry • electrical properties of various tissues • Ground effects and reflector effects of the • objects in the field near the exposed body • Averaged SAR • SAR is usually averaged over a certain • weight • 10-g Averaged SAR • Whole Body Averaged SAR (WBA-SAR)

6. Mobile SAR Limits According to ICNIRP Guideline ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 6 • Localized Exposure • Mobile phone exposure is categorise as localized • exposure, i.e., only part of the body is exposed during • use • The safety limit of the localized exposure, according to • ICNIRP is given: • General Public: • 10-g averaged SAR = 2 W/kg • Occupational: • 10-g averaged SAR = 10 W/kg

7. Mobile SAR Limits According to ICNIRP Guideline ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 7 • The limits were obtained based on the eye • experiment • Human eye is about 10-g • Because of the lack of blood flow in the eye, • there is low heat dissipation • Considered to be a part that is most affected • in body

8. ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 8 Mobile Phone SAR Enforcement • Mobile phone manufacturers are required to • ensure that their phones comply with these • objective limits for safe exposure • Manufactured phones, before put in to market • they must under go a compliance test • Phone considered safe to be legally sold in the • US and EU have FCC ID and EC mark in the • phone case, usually below the battery • The SAR values of mobile phones are available • on the internet or you can find them on the • specification sheet when you buy it

9. SAR Enforcement in Africa • Enforcement base on manufacturer • compliance test and FCC or EU marking in • the SAR the phone works fine in US, America • and other country where strong legal systems • exist, and illegal importation is almost • impossible • However, this approach is not effective in • most of the African countries ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 9

10. SAR Enforcement in Africa ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 10 • The case of Counterfeit Phone • The cell of counterfeit phone is growing problem in Africa • These fake handsets are manufactured in a back office some • where in Asia and make their way to Africa countries • Due to this fact, manufacturer compliance test cannot be used • as an enforcement mechanism because even SAR value • indicated in these phone may be also fake • This problem has increased public anxiety to the public on • the safety of mobile phones • It should be noted here that, the SARs of counterfeit phones • do not necessarily exceed the safety limits

11. Possible Solution ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 11 • The regulators should provide measured SAR • of phones in the market annually • This can be done by taking sample phone in • the market • Compare the SAR values in the phone manual • and measured ones • Inform the public of this information through • seminar, workshop and stake holder meeting • and by publishing them in the website for public • to access

12. SAR Measurements Approach I ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 12 • Regulators need to build Type Approval Laboratories (TAL) • with mobile phone SAR testing capabilities • This is very expensive project, you will need at least the following • facilities and equipments. Most of these equipments are very • expensive • EMC Chamber • Mobile Phone Base Station Simulator • SAR Measurement System

13. SAR Measurements Approach I Taken from EMF Explained Series • For example; SAR testing System alone cost up to • € 400,000 EU and annual cost of € 100,000 for maintenance • and calibrations depending on the number of accessories

14. SAR Measurements Approach I ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 14 • Good news is less expensive testing system are developed. • Some of this do not required expensive industrial-sized robot like • those used in the conventional system, hence less expensive SARA – C (Index SAR, UK) iSAR system (SPEAG, Switzerland)

15. SAR Measurements Approach II ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 15 • SAR measurements foreign laboratory • In this case the regulator will collect sample phones from the • market and send them to foreign country for measurements • Although the cost for SAR measurement per phone has not • been determine yet, this may be the short solution as the • regulators are building long term solution of building long term • capacity in equipment and human resource

16. Conclusion ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 16 • The issue of mobile phone generate a lot of • anxiety to public in many African Countries • In order to minimize the public anxiety, the SAR of • of the mobile phone should be measured and the • values made available to the general public • There is no short cut in the SAR measurements in • Africa, Regulatory bodies should buy and install SAR • Measurements Systems or outsource the exercise in • foreign countries for few phones sampled in their • market so that to satisfy the public

17. ITU Workshop on tackling climate change and SAR Measurement: Benin, July 19, 2011 17 Thank you for your kind attention contact: simba@tcra.go.tz