The safety of mobile phones

With 20 million mobile phones in Australia today, our story earlier this week about the alleged adverse effects of mobile phones drew a huge response.

We revealed three of four phones we tested for radiation emissions failed our own safety standards.

Even before our story aired, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association posted this statement on its website.

"The tests referred to by 'Today Tonight' did not use the standard testing procedure, which is part of the Australian safety standard," it read.

Sydney University's Professor Bruce Armstrong has spent 10 years researching the links between mobile phones and tumours.

"I think people might be shocked to hear the evidence seems to be coming more strongly in support of harmful effects," he said.

Director of EMC Technology, Chris Zombolas, has a company that measures the safety of electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones.

"The current regulation only requires the mobile phone be tested in the body worn position, but you're allowed to have separation of up to 2.5cm or one inch," he said.

He measured the radiation emissions from four mobile phones for Today Tonight.

The idea was to find out whether the phones passed our safety standards when worn in a trouser or shirt pocket while using a bluetooth device or hands free kit.

"I think that is a short coming in the current standards and regulations that the phones are not required to pass when in direct contact with the body," he said.

"I think the consumer should be aware of that."

In the meantime the regulators say consumers should follow any manufacturers' recommendations about spacing between the body and phone.