A TV programme reminder for our diaries: Panorama on Mon 21 May, 20:30 - 21:00
These are the programme details:
These are the programme details:
"WiFi - A Warning SignalIs there a hidden cost in the communications revolution that's making Britain one of the most connected countries in Europe? With 12 cities now completely covered by wireless (WiFi) computer networks and 71% of secondary schools and 41% of primary schools using WiFi in the classroom, Panorama investigates claims that the electronic smog of modern living can cause long term health effects."
If you miss the programme try Panorama for a recording.
2 comments:
There has been many recently published articles where several schools have shown concerns with wireless networks. There has been a limited amount of evidence in the past to justify the safety of wi-fi, until now.
A recent published report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has given very compelling evidence of no health threat with wireless networks in our schools.
http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/98/23/1707
It is by far the most comprehensive research carried out into the health effects of electro-magnetic radiation.The research looked at the hazards and risks associated with mobile telephones, and found no correlation whatsoever!
A wireless network runs at 5% of the power of a single mobile telephone (and in the same frequency band).
I thought the ‘Panorama’ program was worth watching and I think it will have generated a considerable amount of concern amongst parents. I guess this will be one of those situations where opinion will be more powerful than fact however a couple of things that I consider worth noting: first, all the wireless networks in schools produce less than one sixth–hundredth of the level of RF that the British government considers safe (I do realise that this guidance might now be updated) ; secondly, if we are going to review the use of wireless networks in schools, which I think we should, we should also look at young people having mobile phones. I thought that Panorama “chose” not to look at the power output from a hand held-cell phone (focusing instead on a transmitter) because it would have made the wireless networks in schools debate seem insignificant in comparison.
The paragraph below is taken from WLANA, The Learning Zone for Wireless Networking
How does WLAN technology differ from cellular technology?
WLAN products use a "bursty" type of transmit/receive protocol, while Cellular
transmits and receives constantly (connection oriented). As an example: If a user
would transfer data on an average of 100 MB per day, the WLAN transmitter would
be on the air for approximately 10 minutes. Moreover, a typical hand held-cell phone
has a RF power output of 0.600 Watts (600 mW) or almost 20X more output power!
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