LG P970G User manual

MFL67698728 (1.0) www.lg.com/ca
ENGLISH
FRANÇAIS
USER GUIDE
Guide de l’utilisateur
LG-P970G

•Someofthecontentsofthismanual
maynotapplytoyourphone,
dependingonthesoftwareandyour
serviceprovider.
•Thishandsetisnotsuitableforpeople
whohaveavisualimpairmentdueto
thetouchscreenkeyboard.
•Copyright©2013LGElectronics,
Inc.Allrightsreserved.LGandthe
LGlogoareregisteredtrademarksof
LGGroupanditsrelatedentities.All
othertrademarksarethepropertyof
theirrespectiveowners.
•Google™,GoogleMaps™,Gmail™,
YouTube™,andGoogleTalk™are
trademarksofGoogle,Inc.
ENGLISH
LG-P970G User Guide
This guide helps you to get started using your phone.
If you need more information, please visit www.lg.com/ca_en

2
For Your Safety ......................................4
Safety Guidelines...................................9
Getting to know your phone ................24
Devicecomponents.................................29
InstallingtheSIMcardandbattery...........31
Chargingyourphone...............................32
Installingthememorycard......................32
Lockingandunlockingthescreen............33
Secureyourlockscreen..........................34
Your Home screen ...............................36
Touchscreentips....................................36
Homescreen..........................................36
CustomisingtheHomescreen.................36
AddorremovepanelstotheHome
screen....................................................37
Returningtorecently-usedapplications....37
Noticationdrawer..................................37
Tocustomisethenoticationpanel..........38
Viewingthestatusbar.............................38
Onscreenkeyboard.................................39
Enteringaccentedletters.........................40
Google account set up.........................41
Connecting to Networks and Devices..42
Wi-Fi......................................................42
ConnectingtoWi-Finetworks..................42
Bluetooth................................................42
Sharingyourphone'sdataconnection......44
EnablingWi-FiDirecttosharethrough
SmartShare............................................45
UsingSmartShare...................................46
PCconnectionswithaPCdatacable.......47
Calls.....................................................49
Makingacall..........................................49
Callingyourcontacts...............................49
Answeringandrejectingacall.................49
Adjustingcallvolume..............................49
Makingasecondcall..............................49
Viewingyourcalllogs..............................50
Contacts...............................................51
Searchingforacontact...........................51
Addinganewcontact..............................51
Favouritecontacts...................................51
Importorexportcontacts.........................52
Movingcontactsfromyourolddevice
toyournewdevice..................................52
Messaging ...........................................53
Sendingamessage................................53
Threadedbox........................................53
Usingemoticons.....................................53
Changingyourmessagesettings.............54
E-mail ..................................................55
Managinganemailaccount.....................55
Emailaccountscreen..............................55
Workingwithaccountfolders...................55
Composingandsendingemail.................55
Contents

3
Camera ................................................57
Gettingtoknowtheviewnder.................57
Takingaphoto........................................58
Onceyou’vetakenthephoto...................58
Usingtheadvancedsettings....................58
Viewingyoursavedphotos......................60
Video camera.......................................61
Gettingtoknowtheviewnder.................61
Shootingaquickvideo............................62
Aftershootingavideo.............................62
Usingtheadvancedsettings....................62
Watchingyoursavedvideos....................63
Adjustingthevolumewhenviewing
avideo...................................................63
Multimedia...........................................64
Gallery...................................................64
QuickMemo............................................65
Musicplayer...........................................66
FMRadio................................................68
Searchingforstations.............................68
Utilities.................................................69
Settingyouralarm...................................69
Usingyourcalculator...............................69
Addinganeventtoyourcalendar.............69
PolarisOfce..........................................69
The web...............................................70
Internet..................................................70
Usingthewebtoolbar.............................70
Usingoptions..........................................70
On-Screen Phone.................................71
LGSOFTWARE........................................71
On-ScreenPhone3.0icons.....................71
On-ScreenPhonefeatures......................71
HowtoinstallOn-ScreenPhone
onyourPC.............................................72
Howtoconnectyourmobilephone
toyourPC..............................................72
Settings ...............................................73
AccesstheSettingsmenu.......................73
WIRELESS&NETWORKS.........................73
DEVICE...................................................75
PERSONAL.............................................77
SYSTEM.................................................79
Phone software update........................82
Specifications......................................83
Accessories .........................................84
Troubleshooting ...................................85
FAQ ......................................................88

4
Important Information
Thisuserguidecontainsimportant
informationontheuseandoperationof
thisphone.Pleasereadalltheinformation
carefullyforoptimalperformanceandto
preventanydamagetoormisuseofthe
phone.Anychangesormodificationsnot
expresslyapprovedinthisuserguidecould
voidyourwarrantyforthisequipment.
Before You Start
Safety Instructions
WARNING
Toreducethepossibilityofelectric
shock,donotexposeyourphonetohigh
humidityareas,suchasthebathroom,
swimmingpool,etc.
Always store your phone away from
heat. Neverstoreyourphoneinsettings
thatmayexposeittotemperatureslessthan
14°F(-10°C)orgreaterthan122°F(50°C),
suchasoutsideduringextremeweather
conditionsorinyourcaronahotday.
Exposuretoexcessivecoldorheatwillresult
inmalfunction,damageand/orcatastrophic
failure.
Be careful when using your phone near
other electronic devices.RFemissions
fromyourmobilephonemayaffectnearby
inadequatelyshieldedelectronicequipment.
Youshouldconsultwithmanufacturers
ofanypersonalmedicaldevicessuchas
pacemakersandhearingaidestodetermine
iftheyaresusceptibletointerferencefrom
yourmobilephone.
Turnoffyourphoneinamedicalfacilityor
atagasstation.Neverplaceyourphone
inamicrowaveovenasthiswillcausethe
batterytoexplode.
Safety Information
Readthesesimpleguidelines.Breakingthe
rulesmaybedangerousorillegal.Further
detailedinformationisgiveninthisuser
guide.
•Neveruseanunapprovedbatterysince
thiscoulddamagethephoneand/or
batteryandcouldcausethebatteryto
explode.
•Neverplaceyourphoneinamicrowave
ovenasitwillcausethebatteryto
explode.
•Donotdisposeofyourbatterybyfireor
withhazardousorflammablematerials.
For Your Safety

5
•Makesurethatnosharpedgeditems
comeintocontactwiththebattery.There
isariskofthiscausingafire.
•Storethebatteryinaplaceoutofreach
ofchildren.
•Becarefulthatchildrendonotswallow
anypartssuchasrubberplugs(earphone,
connectionpartsofthephone,etc.).This
couldcauseasphyxiationorsuffocation.
•Unplugthepowercordandchargerduring
lightningstormstoavoidelectricshock
orfire.
•Whenridinginacar,donotleaveyour
phoneorsetupthehands-freekitnear
totheairbag.Ifwirelessequipmentis
improperlyinstalledandtheairbagis
activated,youmaybeseriouslyinjured.
•Donotuseahand-heldphonewhile
driving.
•Donotusethephoneinareaswhereits
useisprohibited.(Forexample:aircraft).
•Donotexposethebatterychargeror
adaptertodirectsunlightoruseitin
placeswithhighhumidity,suchasa
bathroom.
•Neverstoreyourphoneintemperatures
lessthan14°F(-10°C)orgreaterthan
122°F(50°C).
•Donotuseharshchemicals(suchas
alcohol,benzene,thinners,etc.)or
detergentstocleanyourphone.Thereisa
riskofthiscausingafire.
•Donotdrop,strike,orshakeyourphone
severely.Suchactionsmayharmthe
internalcircuitboardsofthephone.
•Donotuseyourphoneinhighexplosive
areasasthephonemaygeneratesparks.
•Donotdamagethepowercordby
bending,twisting,pulling,orheating.
•Donotusetheplugifitislooseasitmay
causeafireorelectricshock.
•Donotplaceanyheavyitemsonthe
powercord.Donotallowthepowercord
tobecrimpedasitmaycausefireor
electricshock.
•Donothandlethephonewithwethands
whileitisbeingcharged.Itmaycausean
electricshockorseriouslydamageyour
phone.
•Donotdisassemblethephone.
•Donotplaceoranswercallswhile
chargingthephoneasitmayshort-circuit
thephoneand/orcauseelectricshock
orfire.
•Onlyusethebatteries,antennas,and
chargersprovidedbyLG.Thewarranty
willnotbeappliedtoproductsprovidedby
othersuppliers.

6
For Your Safety
•Onlyauthorizedpersonnelshouldservice
thephoneanditsaccessories.Faulty
installationorservicemayresultin
accidentsandconsequentlyinvalidatethe
warranty.
•Donotholdorlettheantennacomein
contactwithyourbodyduringacall.
•Anemergencycallcanbemadeonly
withinaservicearea.Foranemergency
call,makesurethatyouarewithina
serviceareaandthatthephoneisturned
on.
•Useaccessories,suchasearphonesand
headsets,withcaution.Ensurethatcables
aretuckedawaysafelyanddonottouch
theantennaunnecessarily.
Memory card information and
care
•Alwaysinsert/removethememorycard
whilethehandsetpowerisoff.Ifyou
removeitwhilethepowerison,itmaybe
damaged.
•Ifadamagecannotbefixed,formatthe
memorycard.
•Thememorycardcannotbeusedfor
recordingcopyrightprotecteddata.
•Donotwriteforcefullyonthememoarea.
•Carryandstorethememorycardinits
case.
•Donotallowthememorycardtogetwet.
•Donotleavethememorycardinextremely
hotlocation.
•Donotdisassembleormodifythememory
card.
FCC RF Exposure Information
WARNING
Readthisinformationbeforeoperating
thephone.
InAugust1996,theFederal
CommunicationsCommission(FCC)ofthe
UnitedStates,withitsactioninReportand
OrderFCC96-326,adoptedanupdated
safetystandardforhumanexposureto
radiofrequency(RF)electromagneticenergy
emittedbyFCCregulatedtransmitters.
Thoseguidelinesareconsistentwiththe
safetystandardpreviouslysetbybothU.S.
andinternationalstandardsbodies.
Thedesignofthisphonecomplieswith
theFCCguidelinesandtheseinternational
standards.

7
CAUTION
Useonlythesuppliedandapproved
antenna.Useofunauthorizedantennas
ormodificationscouldimpaircallquality,
damagethephone,voidyourwarrantyand/
orresultinviolationofFCCregulations.Do
notusethephonewithadamagedantenna.
Ifadamagedantennacomesintocontact
withskin,aminorburnmayresult.Contact
yourlocaldealerforareplacementantenna.
Body-worn Operation
ThisDevicehasbeentestedfortypical
body-wornoperationswiththedistanceof
1cm(0.39inches)fromtheuser’sbody.To
complywithFCCRFexposurerequirements,
aminimumseparationdistanceof1cm
(0.39inches)mustbemaintainedfromthe
user'sbody.Additionally,Beltclips,holsters
&otherbody-wornaccessoriesmaynot
containmetalliccomponents.
Body-wornaccessoriesthatcannotmaintain
1cm(0.39inches)separationdistance
betweentheuser'sbodyandthebackof
thephone,andhavenotbeentestedfor
typicalbodywornoperationsmaynotcomply
withFCCRFexposurelimitsandshouldbe
avoided.
Vehicle Mounted External
Antenna (optional, if available)
Aminimumseparationdistanceof20cm
(8inches)mustbemaintainedbetweenthe
user/bystanderandthevehiclemounted
externalantennatosatisfyFCCRFexposure
requirements.FormoreinformationaboutRF
exposure,visittheFCCwebsiteat
www.fcc.gov
FCC Part 15 Class B Compliance
Thisdeviceanditsaccessoriescomplywith
part15ofFCCrulesandICES-003ClassB
digitalapparatusrequirementsforIndustry
Canada.
Operationissubjecttothefollowingtwo
conditions:
(1)thisdevicemaynotcauseinterference,
and(2)thisdevicemustacceptany
interference,includinginterferencethatmay
causeundesiredoperationofthedevice.
Cautions for Battery
•Donotdisassemble.
•Donotshort-circuit.
•Donotexposetohightemperature:140°F
(60°C).
•Donotincinerate.

8
For Your Safety
Battery Disposal
•Pleasedisposeofyourbatteryproperly
orbringtoyourlocalwirelesscarrierfor
recycling.
•Donotdisposeinfireorwithhazardousor
flammablematerials.
Adapter (Charger) Cautions
•Usingthewrongbatterychargercould
damageyourphoneandvoidyour
warranty.
•Theadapterorbatterychargerisintended
forindooruseonly.
Donotexposetheadapterorbatterycharger
todirectsunlightoruseitinplaceswithhigh
humidity,suchasthebathroom.
Avoid damage to your hearing
•Damagetoyourhearingcanoccurifyou
areexposedtoloudsoundforlongperiods
oftime.Wethereforerecommendthatyou
donotturnonoroffthehandsetcloseto
yourear.Wealsorecommendthatmusic
andcallvolumesaresettoareasonable
level.
•Ifyouarelisteningtomusicwhilstoutand
about,pleaseensurethatthevolumeisat
areasonablelevelsothatyouareaware
ofyoursurroundings.Thisisparticularly
imperativewhenattemptingtocrossthe
street.

9
Safety Guidelines
TIA Safety Information
ProvidedhereinisthecompleteTIASafety
InformationforWirelessHandheldphones.
InclusionofthetextcoveringPacemakers,
HearingAids,andOtherMedicalDevices
isrequiredintheowner’smanualforCTIA
Certification.UseoftheremainingTIA
languageisencouragedwhenappropriate.
Exposure to Radio Frequency
Signal
Yourwirelesshandheldportabletelephone
isalowpowerradiotransmitterand
receiver.WhenitisON,itreceivesandalso
sendsoutradiofrequency(RF)signals.In
August,1996,theFederalCommunications
Commissions(FCC)adoptedRFexposure
guidelineswithsafetylevelsforhandheld
wirelessphones.
Thoseguidelinesareconsistentwiththe
safetystandardspreviouslysetbybothU.S.
andinternationalstandardsbodies:
ANSIC95.1(1992)*
NCRPReport86(1986)
ICNIRP(1996)
Thosestandardswerebasedon
comprehensiveandperiodicevaluations
oftherelevantscientificliterature.For
example,over120scientists,engineers,and
physiciansfromuniversities,government
healthagencies,andindustryreviewedthe
availablebodyofresearchtodevelopthe
ANSIStandard(C95.1).
*AmericanNationalStandardsInstitute;
NationalCouncilonRadiationProtection
andMeasurements;International
CommissiononNon-IonizingRadiation
Protection
Thedesignofyourphonecomplieswiththe
FCCguidelines(andthosestandards).
Antenna Care
Useonlythesuppliedoranapproved
replacementantenna.Unauthorized
antennas,modifications,orattachments
coulddamagethephoneandmayviolate
FCCregulations.
Phone Operation
NORMALPOSITION:Holdthephoneasyou
wouldanyothertelephonewiththeantenna
pointedupandoveryourshoulder.

10
Safety Guidelines
Tips on Efficient Operation
Foryourphonetooperatemostefficiently:
Donottouchtheantennaunnecessarily
whenthephoneisinuse.Contactwiththe
antennaaffectscallqualityandmaycause
thephonetooperateatahigherpowerlevel
thanotherwiseneeded.
Driving
Checkthelawsandregulationsontheuse
ofwirelessphonesintheareaswhereyou
drive.Alwaysobeythem.Also,ifusingyour
phonewhiledriving,please:
•Givefullattentiontodriving-drivingsafely
isyourfirstresponsibility;
•Usehands-freeoperation,ifavailable;
•Pullofftheroadandparkbeforemaking
oransweringacallifdrivingconditions
sorequire.
Electronic Devices
Mostmodernelectronicequipmentis
shieldedfromRFsignals.
However,certainelectronicequipmentmay
notbeshieldedagainsttheRFsignalsfrom
yourwirelessphone.
Pacemakers
TheHealthIndustryManufacturers
Associationrecommendsthataminimum
separationofsix(6”)inchesbemaintained
betweenahandheldwirelessphone
andapacemakertoavoidpotential
interferencewiththepacemaker.These
recommendationsareconsistentwith
theindependentresearchbyand
recommendationsofWirelessTechnology
Research.Personswithpacemakers:
•ShouldALWAYSkeepthephonemorethan
sixinchesfromtheirpacemakerwhenthe
phoneisturnedON;
•Shouldnotcarrythephoneinabreast
pocket.
•Shouldusetheearoppositethe
pacemakertominimizethepotentialfor
interference.
•Ifyouhaveanyreasontosuspectthat
interferenceistakingplace,turnyour
phoneOFFimmediately.
Hearing Aids
Somedigitalwirelessphonesmayinterfere
withsomehearingaids.Intheeventofsuch
interference,youmaywanttoconsultyour
serviceprovider.

11
Other Medical Devices
Ifyouuseanyotherpersonalmedicaldevice,
consultthemanufacturerofyourdeviceto
determineiftheyareadequatelyshielded
fromexternalRFenergy.Yourphysician
maybeabletoassistyouinobtainingthis
information.
Health Care Facilities
TurnyourphoneOFFinhealthcarefacilities
whenanyregulationspostedintheseareas
instructyoutodoso.Hospitalsorhealth
carefacilitiesmayuseequipmentthatcould
besensitivetoexternalRFenergy.
Vehicles
RFsignalsmayaffectimproperlyinstalledor
inadequatelyshieldedelectronicsystemsin
motorvehicles.Checkwiththemanufacturer
oritsrepresentativeregardingyourvehicle.
Youshouldalsoconsultthemanufacturer
ofanyequipmentthathasbeenaddedto
yourvehicle.
Posted Facilities
TurnyourphoneOFFinanyfacilitywhere
postednoticessorequire.
Aircraft
FCCregulationsprohibitusingyourphone
whileintheair.TurnyourphoneOFFbefore
boardinganaircraft.
Blasting Areas
Toavoidinterferingwithblastingoperations,
turnyourphoneOFFwhenina‘blasting
areasorinareasposted:‘Turnofftwoway
radio’.Obeyallsignsandinstructions.
Potentially Explosive
Atmosphere
TurnyourphoneOFFwheninanyarea
withapotentiallyexplosiveatmosphereand
obeyallsignsandinstructions.Sparksin
suchareascouldcauseanexplosionorfire
resultinginbodilyinjuryorevendeath.
Areaswithapotentiallyexplosive
atmosphereareoften,butnotalways,
markedclearly.Potentialareasmayinclude:
fuelingareas(suchasgasolinestations);
belowdeckonboats;fuelorchemical
transferorstoragefacilities;vehiclesusing
liquefiedpetroleumgas(suchaspropane
orbutane);areaswheretheaircontains
chemicalsorparticles(suchasgrain,dust,
ormetalpowders);andanyotherarea
whereyouwouldnormallybeadvisedtoturn
offyourvehicleengine.

12
Safety Guidelines
For Vehicles Equipped with an
Air Bag
Anairbaginflateswithgreatforce.DONOT
placeobjects,includingeitherinstalledor
portablewirelessequipment,inthearea
overtheairbagorintheairbagdeployment
area.Ifin-vehiclewirelessequipmentis
improperlyinstalledandtheairbaginflates,
seriousinjurycouldresult.
Safety Information
Pleasereadandobservethefollowing
informationforsafeandproperuseofyour
phoneandtopreventdamage.Also,keep
theuserguideinanaccessibleplaceatall
thetimesafterreadingit.
Charger and Adapter Safety
Thechargerandadapterareintendedfor
indooruseonly.
Battery Information and Care
•Pleasedisposeofyourbatteryproperly
ortakeittoyourlocalwirelesscarrierfor
recycling.
•Thebatterydoesnotneedtobefully
dischargedbeforerecharging.
•UseonlyLG-approvedchargersspecificto
yourphonemodelsincetheyaredesigned
tomaximizebatterylife.
•Donotdisassembleorimpactthebattery
asitmaycauseelectricshock,short-
circuit,andfire.Storethebatteryina
placeoutofreachofchildren.
•Keepthebattery’smetalcontactsclean.
•Replacethebatterywhenitnolonger
providesacceptableperformance.The
batterycanberechargedseveralhundred
timesbeforereplacement.
•Rechargethebatteryafterlongperiodsof
non-usetomaximizebatterylife.
•Batterylifewillvaryduetousagepatterns
andenvironmentalconditions.
•Useofextendedbacklighting,MediaNet
Browsing,anddataconnectivitykitsaffect
batterylifeandtalk/standbytimes.
•Theself-protectionfunctionofthebattery
cutsthepowerofthephonewhenits
operationisinanabnormalstate.Inthis
case,removethebatteryfromthephone,
reinstallit,andturnthephoneon.
•Actualbatterylifewilldependonnetwork
configuration,productsettings,usage
patterns,batteryandenvironmental
conditions.
•Makesurethatnosharp-edgeditems
suchasanimal’steethornails,comeinto
contactwiththebattery.Thiscouldcause
afire.

13
Explosion, Shock, and Fire
Hazards
•Donotputyourphoneinaplacesubject
toexcessivedustandkeeptheminimum
requireddistancebetweenthepowercord
andheatsources.
•Unplugthepowercordpriortocleaning
yourphone,andcleanthepowerplugpin
whenitisdirty.
•Whenusingthepowerplug,ensurethat
itisfirmlyconnected.Ifitisnot,itmay
causeexcessiveheatorfire.
•Ifyouputyourphoneinapocketorbag
withoutcoveringthereceptacleofthe
phone(powerplugpin),metallicarticles
(suchasacoin,papercliporpen)may
shortcircuitthephone.Alwayscoverthe
receptaclewhennotinuse.
•Donotshort-circuitthebattery.Metallic
articlessuchasacoin,papercliporpenin
yourpocketorbagmayshort-circuitthe+
and–terminalsofthebattery(metalstrips
onthebattery)uponmoving.Short-circuit
oftheterminalmaydamagethebattery
andcauseanexplosion.
General Notice
•Usingadamagedbatteryorplacinga
batteryinyourmouthmaycauseserious
injury.
•Donotplaceitemscontainingmagnetic
componentssuchasacreditcard,phone
card,bankbookorsubwayticketnear
yourphone.Themagnetismofthephone
maydamagethedatastoredinthe
magneticstrip.
•Talkingonyourphoneforalongperiodof
timemayreducecallqualityduetoheat
generatedduringuse.
•Whenthephoneisnotusedforalong
periodtime,storeitinasafeplacewith
thepowercordunplugged.
•Usingthephoneinproximitytoreceiving
equipment(i.e.,TVorradio)maycause
interferencetothephone.
•Donotusethephoneiftheantennais
damaged.Ifadamagedantennacontacts
skin,itmaycauseaslightburn.Please
contactanLGAuthorizedServiceCentreto
replacethedamagedantenna.

14
Safety Guidelines
•Donotimmerseyourphoneinwater.If
thishappens,turnitoffimmediatelyand
removethebattery.Ifthephonedoesnot
work,takeittoanLGAuthorizedService
Centre.
•Donotpaintyourphone.
•Thedatasavedinyourphonemightbe
deletedduetocarelessuse,repairofthe
phone,orupgradeofthesoftware.Please
backupyourimportantphonenumbers.
(Ringtones,textmessages,voice
messages,pictures,andvideoscouldalso
bedeleted.)Themanufacturerisnotliable
fordamageduetothelossofdata.
•Whenyouusethephoneinpublicplaces,
settheringtonetovibrationsoasnotto
disturbothers.
•Donotturnyourphoneonoroffwhen
puttingitnearyourear.
•Yourphoneisanelectronicdevicethat
generatesheatduringnormaloperation.
Extremelyprolonged,directskincontact
intheabsenceofadequateventilation
mayresultindiscomfortorminorburns.
Therefore,usecarewhenhandling
yourphoneduringorimmediatelyafter
operation.
FDA Consumer Update
TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration
CentreforDevicesandRadiologicalHealth
ConsumerUpdateonMobilePhones.
1. Do wireless phones pose a health
hazard?
Theavailablescientificevidencedoes
notshowthatanyhealthproblemsare
associatedwithusingwirelessphones.
Thereisnoproof,however,thatwireless
phonesareabsolutelysafe.Wirelessphones
emitlowlevelsofradiofrequencyenergy
(RF)inthemicrowaverangewhilebeing
used.TheyalsoemitverylowlevelsofRF
wheninthestandbymode.Whereashigh
levelsofRFcanproducehealtheffects
(byheatingtissue),exposuretolowlevel
RFthatdoesnotproduceheatingeffects
causesnoknownadversehealtheffects.
ManystudiesoflowlevelRFexposures
havenotfoundanybiologicaleffects.Some
studieshavesuggestedthatsomebiological
effectsmayoccur,butsuchfindingshave
notbeenconfirmedbyadditionalresearch.
Insomecases,otherresearchershavehad
difficultyinreproducingthosestudies,or
indeterminingthereasonsforinconsistent
results.
2. What is the FDA’s role concerning the
safety of wireless phones?
Underthelaw,theFDAdoesnotreview
thesafetyofradiationemittingconsumer

15
productssuchaswirelessphonesbefore
theycanbesold,asitdoeswithnewdrugs
ormedicaldevices.However,theagencyhas
authoritytotakeactionifwirelessphones
areshowntoemitradiofrequencyenergy
(RF)atalevelthatishazardoustotheuser.
Insuchacase,theFDAcouldrequirethe
manufacturersofwirelessphonestonotify
usersofthehealthhazardandtorepair,
replace,orrecallthephonessothatthe
hazardnolongerexists.
Althoughtheexistingscientificdatadonot
justifyFDAregulatoryactions,theFDAhas
urgedthewirelessphoneindustrytotakea
numberofsteps,includingthefollowing:
•Supportneededresearchintopossible
biologicaleffectsofRFofthetypeemitted
bywirelessphones;
•Designwirelessphonesinawaythat
minimizesanyRFexposuretotheuser
thatisnotnecessaryfordevicefunction;
and
•Cooperateinprovidingofwirelessphones
withthebestpossibleinformationon
possibleeffectsofwirelessphoneuseon
humanhealth.
TheFDAbelongstoaninteragencyworking
groupofthefederalagenciesthathave
responsibilityfordifferentaspectsofRF
safetytoensurecoordinatedeffortsatthe
federallevel.Thefollowingagenciesbelong
tothisworkinggroup:
•NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafety
andHealth
•EnvironmentalProtectionAgency
•OccupationalSafetyandHealth
Administration(Administracióndela
seguridadysaludlaborales)
•OccupationalSafetyandHealth
Administration
•NationalTelecommunicationsand
InformationAdministration
TheNationalInstitutesofHealthparticipates
insomeinteragencyworkinggroupactivities,
aswell.
TheFDAsharesregulatoryresponsibilities
forwirelessphoneswiththeFederal
CommunicationsCommission(FCC).All
phonesthataresoldintheUnitedStates
mustcomplywithFCCsafetyguidelinesthat
limitRFexposure.TheFCCreliesonthe
FDAandotherhealthagenciesforsafety
questionsaboutwirelessphones.
TheFCCalsoregulatesthebasestations
thatthewirelessphonenetworksrely
upon.Whilethesebasestationsoperateat
higherpowerthandothewirelessphones
themselves,theRFexposuresthatpeople
getfromthesebasestationsaretypically
thousandsoftimeslowerthanthosethey
cangetfromwirelessphones.Basestations
arethusnotthesubjectofthesafety
questionsdiscussedinthisdocument.

16
Safety Guidelines
3. What kinds of phones are the subject
of this update?
Theterm‘wirelessphone’refershere
tohandheldwirelessphoneswithbuiltin
antennas,oftencalled‘cell’,‘mobile’,or
‘PCS’phones.Thesetypesofwireless
phonescanexposetheusertomeasurable
radiofrequencyenergy(RF)becauseof
theshortdistancebetweenthephoneand
theuser’shead.TheseRFexposuresare
limitedbyFCCsafetyguidelinesthatwere
developedwiththeadviceoftheFDAand
otherfederalhealthandsafetyagencies.
Whenthephoneislocatedatgreater
distancesfromtheuser,theexposuretoRF
isdrasticallylowerbecauseaperson’sRF
exposuredecreasesrapidlywithincreasing
distancefromthesource.Theso-called‘
cordlessphones,’whichhaveabaseunit
connectedtothetelephonewiringina
house,typicallyoperateatfarlowerpower
levels,andthusproduceRFexposuresfar
belowtheFCCsafetylimits.
4. What are the results of the research
done already?
Theresearchdonethusfarhasproduced
conflictingresults,andmanystudies
havesufferedfromflawsintheirresearch
methods.Animalexperimentsinvestigating
theeffectsofradiofrequencyenergy(RF)
exposurescharacteristicofwirelessphones
haveyieldedconflictingresultsthatoften
cannotberepeatedinotherlaboratories.A
fewanimalstudies,however,havesuggested
thatlowlevelsofRFcouldacceleratethe
developmentofcancerinlaboratoryanimals.
However,manyofthestudiesthatshowed
increasedtumordevelopmentusedanimals
thathadbeengeneticallyengineeredor
treatedwithcancercausingchemicalsso
astobepredisposedtodevelopcancer
intheabsenceofRFexposure.Other
studiesexposedtheanimalstoRFforup
to22hoursperday.Theseconditionsare
notsimilartotheconditionsunderwhich
peopleusewirelessphones,sowedon’t
knowwithcertaintywhattheresultsofsuch
studiesmeanforhumanhealth.Threelarge
epidemiologystudieshavebeenpublished
sinceDecember2000.Betweenthem,the
studiesinvestigatedanypossibleassociation
betweentheuseofwirelessphonesand
primarybraincancer,glioma,meningioma,
oracousticneuroma,tumorsofthebrainor
salivarygland,leukemia,orothercancers.
Noneofthestudiesdemonstratedthe
existenceofanyharmfulhealtheffectsfrom
wirelessphoneRFexposures.
However,noneofthestudiescananswer
questionsaboutlongtermexposures,since
theaverageperiodofphoneuseinthese
studieswasaroundthreeyears.
5. What research is needed to decide
whether RF exposure from wireless
phones poses a health risk?
Acombinationoflaboratorystudiesand

17
epidemiologicalstudiesofpeopleactually
usingwirelessphoneswouldprovidesome
ofthedatathatareneeded.Lifetimeanimal
exposurestudiescouldbecompletedina
fewyears.However,verylargenumbersof
animalswouldbeneededtoprovidereliable
proofofacancerpromotingeffectifone
exists.Epidemiologicalstudiescanprovide
datathatisdirectlyapplicabletohuman
populations,but10ormoreyearsfollow-up
maybeneededtoprovideanswersabout
somehealtheffects,suchascancer.
Thisisbecausetheintervalbetweenthe
timeofexposuretoacancer-causingagent
andthetimetumorsdevelop-iftheydo
maybemany,manyyears.Theinterpretation
ofepidemiologicalstudiesishamperedby
difficultiesinmeasuringactualRFexposure
duringday-to-dayuseofwirelessphones.
Manyfactorsaffectthismeasurement,such
astheangleatwhichthephoneisheld,or
whichmodelofphoneisused.
6. What is the FDA doing to find out more
about the possible health effects of
wireless phone RF?
TheFDAisworkingwiththeU.S.National
ToxicologyProgramandwithgroupsof
investigatorsaroundtheworldtoensurethat
highpriorityanimalstudiesareconducted
toaddressimportantquestionsaboutthe
effectsofexposuretoradiofrequencyenergy
(RF).TheFDAhasbeenaleadingparticipant
intheWorldHealthOrganizationInternational
ElectromagneticFields(EMF)Projectsince
itsinceptionin1996.Aninfluentialresult
ofthisworkhasbeenthedevelopmentofa
detailedagendaofresearchneedsthathas
driventheestablishmentofnewresearch
programsaroundtheworld.Theproject
hasalsohelpeddevelopaseriesofpublic
informationdocumentsonEMFissues.The
FDAandtheCellularTelecommunications
&InternetAssociation(CTIA)haveaformal
CooperativeResearchandDevelopment
Agreement(CRADA)todoresearchon
wirelessphonesafety.TheFDAprovides
thescientificoversight,obtaininginput
fromexpertsingovernment,industry,
andacademicorganizations.CTIAfunded
researchisconductedthroughcontracts
withindependentinvestigators.Theinitial
researchwillincludebothlaboratorystudies
andstudiesofwirelessphoneusers.The
CRADAwillalsoincludeabroadassessment
ofadditionalresearchneedsinthecontext
ofthelatestresearchdevelopmentsaround
theworld.
7. How can I find out how much
radiofrequency energy exposure I can
get by using my wireless phone?
AllphonessoldintheUnitedStatesmust
complywithFederalCommunications
Commission(FCC)guidelinesthatlimit
radiofrequencyenergy(RF)exposures.
TheFCCestablishedtheseguidelinesin
consultationwiththeFDAandtheother

18
Safety Guidelines
federalhealthandsafetyagencies.The
FCClimitforRFexposurefromwireless
telephonesissetataSpecificAbsorption
Rate(SAR)of1.6wattsperkilogram(1.6
W/kg).TheFCClimitisconsistentwiththe
safetystandardsdevelopedbytheInstitute
ofElectricalandElectronicEngineering
(IEEE)andtheNationalCouncilonRadiation
ProtectionandMeasurement.Theexposure
limittakesintoconsiderationthebody’s
abilitytoremoveheatfromthetissuesthat
absorbenergyfromthewirelessphone
andissetwellbelowlevelsknowntohave
effects.Manufacturersofwirelessphones
mustreporttheRFexposurelevelforeach
modelofphonetotheFCC.TheFCCwebsite
(http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety)gives
directionsforlocatingtheFCCidentification
numberonyourphonesoyoucanfindyour
phone’sRFexposurelevelintheonline
listing.
8. What has the FDA done to measure
the radiofrequency energy coming
from wireless phones?
TheInstituteofElectricalandElectronic
Engineers(IEEE)isdevelopingatechnical
standardformeasuringtheradiofrequency
energy(RF)exposurefromwireless
phonesandotherwirelesshandsetswith
theparticipationandleadershipofFDA
scientistsandengineers.Thestandard,
‘RecommendedPracticeforDetermining
theSpatial-PeakSpecificAbsorptionRate
(SAR)intheHumanBodyDuetoWireless
CommunicationsDevices:Experimental
Techniques,’setsforththefirstconsistent
testmethodologyformeasuringtherate
atwhichRFisdepositedintheheadsof
wirelessphoneusers.Thetestmethoduses
atissuesimulatingmodelofthehuman
head.StandardizedSARtestmethodologyis
expectedtogreatlyimprovetheconsistency
ofmeasurementsmadeatdifferent
laboratoriesonthesamephone.SARis
themeasurementoftheamountofenergy
absorbedintissue,eitherbythewholebody
orasmallpartofthebody.Itismeasured
inwatts/kg(ormilliwatts/g)ofmatter.This
measurementisusedtodeterminewhether
awirelessphonecomplieswithsafety
guidelines.
9. What steps can I take to reduce my
exposure to radiofrequency energy
from my wireless phone?
Ifthereisariskfromtheseproducts-and
atthispointwedonotknowthatthere
is-itisprobablyverysmall.Butifyouare
concernedaboutavoidingevenpotential
risks,youcantakeafewsimplestepsto
minimizeyourexposuretoradiofrequency
energy(RF).Sincetimeisakeyfactorin
howmuchexposureapersonreceives,
reducingtheamountoftimespentusinga
wirelessphonewillreduceRFexposure.If
youmustconductextendedconversations
bywirelessphoneeveryday,youcould

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placemoredistancebetweenyourbodyand
thesourceoftheRF,sincetheexposure
leveldropsoffdramaticallywithdistance.
Forexample,youcoulduseaheadsetand
carrythewirelessphoneawayfromyour
bodyoruseawirelessphoneconnectedto
aremoteantenna.Again,thescientificdata
donotdemonstratethatwirelessphonesare
harmful.Butifyouareconcernedaboutthe
RFexposurefromtheseproducts,youcan
usemeasureslikethosedescribedabove
toreduceyourRFexposurefromwireless
phoneuse.
10. What about children using wireless
phones?
Thescientificevidencedoesnotshow
adangertousersofwirelessphones,
includingchildrenandteenagers.Ifyou
wanttotakestepstolowerexposureto
radiofrequencyenergy(RF),themeasures
describedabovewouldapplytochildren
andteenagersusingwirelessphones.
Reducingthetimeofwirelessphoneuse
andincreasingthedistancebetweenthe
userandtheRFsourcewillreduceRF
exposure.Somegroupssponsoredbyother
nationalgovernmentshaveadvisedthat
childrenbediscouragedfromusingwireless
phonesatall.Forexample,thegovernment
intheUnitedKingdomdistributedleaflets
containingsucharecommendationin
December2000.Theynotedthatno
evidenceexiststhatusingawirelessphone
causesbraintumorsorotherilleffects.Their
recommendationtolimitwirelessphoneuse
bychildrenwasstrictlyprecautionary;itwas
notbasedonscientificevidencethatany
healthhazardexists.
11. What about wireless phone
interference with medical
equipment?
Radiofrequencyenergy(RF)fromwireless
phonescaninteractwithsomeelectronic
devices.Forthisreason,theFDAhelped
developadetailedtestmethodtomeasure
electromagneticinterference(EMI)of
implantedcardiacpacemakersand
defibrillatorsfromwirelesstelephones.
Thistestmethodisnowpartofastandard
sponsoredbytheAssociationforthe
AdvancementofMedicalinstrumentation
(AAMI).Thefinaldraft,ajointeffortbythe
FDA,medicaldevicemanufacturers,and
manyothergroups,wascompletedinlate
2000.Thisstandardwillallowmanufacturers
toensurethatcardiacpacemakersand
defibrillatorsaresafefromwirelessphone
EMI.TheFDAhastestedhearingaidsfor
interferencefromhandheldwirelessphones
andhelpeddevelopavoluntarystandard
sponsoredbytheInstituteofElectricaland
ElectronicEngineers(IEEE).Thisstandard
specifiestestmethodsandperformance
requirementsforhearingaidsandwireless
phonessothatnointerferenceoccurswhen
apersonusesa‘compatible’phoneanda