| The ubiquitous cell phone has revolutionized | | | | individual's head, and this radiation could |
| the way people communicate. Communication has | | | | cause some form of brain cancer. In a 1999 |
| become more efficient, and way more | | | | study, investigators at the Orebro Medical |
| accessible. Gone are the days of searching | | | | Centre in Sweden compared the past mobile |
| for a pay phone, and then searching for those | | | | phone use of 209 Swedish brain tumor patients |
| evasive quarters. Cell phones have evolved | | | | and 425 healthy people. The study found no |
| from a large, one-dimensional device to its | | | | mobile phone/brain cancer link in virtually |
| present multi dimensional, small form. They | | | | all respects, cancer researcher John E. |
| keep millions of people in touch with | | | | Moulder, Ph.D., says. All the available |
| business, family and friends. In addition, | | | | scientific evidence does not show that any |
| they are proven to be very valuable during | | | | health problems are associated with using |
| times of emergency. Contemporary cell phones | | | | wireless phones in adults, children, and |
| perform many functions, access to the | | | | teenagers. In spite of this, prudent |
| Internet, access to streaming data, video | | | | precautions should be exercised. These |
| cameras, and entertainment. They are clearly | | | | include taking measures to move the cell |
| a great way to communicate, and in some cases | | | | phone antenna at least eight inches away from |
| are replacing traditional telephones. | | | | your head by using hands-free sets, remote |
| | | | earpieces and microphones, or installing |
| In 1843 Michael Faraday did a series of | | | | radiation shields for hand held phones. |
| experiments that ultimately lead to the | | | | |
| underlining principals of today's cell | | | | In spite of the unbelievable demand for cell |
| phones. By 1947, a crude mobile phone was | | | | phones, it took cellular phone service 37 |
| developed, and in 1977 cell phones went | | | | years total to become commercially accessible |
| public. The city of Chicago was where the | | | | in the US, according to the Cellular |
| first service was started with around 2000 | | | | Telecommunications Industry Association. |
| subscribers. The term cell phone originated | | | | Today there are more than 60 million |
| from the use of many base stations to divide | | | | customers with cell phones, in spite of the |
| service areas into multiple cells. These | | | | fact that wireless service was just developed |
| multiple cells allowed for a wider range of | | | | nearly 50 years ago. The cellular business |
| coverage, and a greater call volume. The | | | | was a $3 million market 25 years ago and has |
| 1980's saw a genuine proliferation of cell | | | | grown exponentially to close to a $30 billion |
| phone use, and by the 1990s analog signals | | | | per year industry, and projections far exceed |
| were being replaced by digital signals. | | | | those numbers. |
| | | | |
| Like televisions, computers, and all other | | | | Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for |
| electrical devices, mobile phones emit | | | | Online Cell Phone Resources Visit for more |
| electromagnetic radiation. The fear was that | | | | information. |
| these devices were being held to close to an | | | | |