DECT Overview

There has been quite a lot of publicity about the research showing that using digital cordless (DECT) phones results in similar adverse health effects as using a mobile phone, including the risk of developing brain tumours [1,2]. This research seems to be scientifically sound and the evidence for problems is growing.

We have had concerned parents on the phone to us, explaining that their children do not use their mobile phones at home, due to the possible health effects, so they talk for long periods of time on the cordless phones instead.

Children, particularly teenagers, can appreciate the privacy of a cordless phone. They can shut themselves in their bedroom, the bathroom, anywhere to make their calls away from prying ears. Unfortunately, it may have unforeseen consequences that neither they nor their parents could have anticipated.

DECT phone base units transmit 24-7, even when they are not being used to make actual phone calls. We have written a much more detailed article on DECT phones on the subscriber part of the website, available from here.

We do not generally discuss particular models of DECT phones, as these are changed too rapidly for us to be able to assess them. However the new (2008) Orchid low-radiation DECT phones have been designed to switch off their transmissions completely between calls and these are much less of an RF pollution source. This is the only make that does this and also has a low-power mode that is quite adequate for normal in-house use. The power can be switched to "high" when coverage of many tens to a couple of hundred of metres is really required. EMFields stock the Orchid answerphone model.

References

[1] Hardell L et al, (2006) Pooled analysis of two case-control studies on the use of cellular and cordless telephones and the risk of benign brain tumours diagnosed during 1997-2003, International Journal of Oncology 28:509-519
[2] Hardell L et al, (2006) Pooled analysis of two case-control studies on the use of cellular and cordless telephones and the risk for malignant brain tumours diagnosed during 1997-2003, International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Mar 16; [Epub]