Mobile Calls Are Falling On Deaf Ears

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday August 31, 2005

Kirsty Needham Consumer Reporter

The Australian telephone industry may set noise limits on mobile phones because of concern that frequent users are endangering their hearing.

Ringtones that increase gradually in loudness and a maximum earpiece noise of 120 decibels are among the measures proposed.

"At the moment there is no limit at all on what comes out of a mobile phone," said the director of research at the Federal Government's National Acoustic Laboratory, Harvey Dillon.

Acoustic shock caused by a sudden loud telephone noise was "like an electric shock and can create a very strong response in the head, neck and ears", he said.

While most people might jump or be startled, in some cases there was chronic muscle damage.

The move to introduce an earpiece noise maximum for mobile phones follows a similar limit set last year for landline phones. This was prompted by concern about the health of call centre staff.

The laboratory had begun investigating acoustic shock after a number of cases of hearing damage in call centre operators. "Telstra was at the point of closing down call centres because it was happening," Mr Dillon said.

While a maximum of 120 decibels is the international standard for landline phones, this was 20 decibels above the point at which most people would jump. "It is extremely loud," Mr Dillon said. The Australian maximum has been lowered to 102 decibels.

Mr Dillon said mobile phones were potentially worse for acoustic shock because they used the same speaker for listening and ringtones.

The project manager for the Australian Communications Industry Forum, James Duck, expected the noise limit on mobile phones to benefit "real estate agents and people in sales roles, who would be heavy users". The forum includes industry, consumer and government groups. "We are leading the world a little bit. There hasn't been a standard for mobiles," Mr Duck said.

Well known mobile phone brands designed to ensure safety were not a concern, he said, unlike cheaper handsets that might become available in the future.

Mr Dillon said creating a safe noise standard for mobile phones might be problematic because Australia was a small market for the makers, who might have to change their designs. It is thought that limits here on mobile phone noise would be a world first.

"There is a tension between something that is safe and not ruling Australia out of the market," Mr Dillon said.

© 2005 Sydney Morning Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home