FCC to review cell phone radiation guidelines

Julius Genachowski, chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission, announced on Friday that he plans to ask his fellow commissioners to open a formal inquiry that will evaluate whether or not its standards protect humans from dangerous cellphone radiation, BusinessWeek reported. Despite the increased demand for mobile phones, it is the first time in 15 years that the question has been asked by the FCC. The agency is confident, however, thats its current guidelines pose no risk to consumers. “Our action today is a routine review of our standards,” Tammy Sun, a spokeswoman for the agency, said. “We are confident that, as set, the emissions guidelines for devices pose no risks to consumers.” The FCC last updated its guidelines setting maximum radiation-exposure levels in 1996, at which time about 44 million people in the U.S. owned mobile phones. That number has since swelled to more than 332 million mobile phone owners as of 2011.