Radio signals for the next generation of mobile phone services can cause headaches and nausea, according to a study conducted by three Dutch ministries. The study, the first of its kind, compared the impact of radiation from base stations used for the current mobile telephone network with that of base stations for new third-generation (3G) networks for fast data transfer, which will enable services such as video conferencing on a mobile device.
"If the test group was exposed to third-generation base station signals there was a significant impact ... They felt tingling sensations, got headaches and felt nauseous," a spokeswoman for the Dutch Economics Ministry said.
A base station, which usually covers a "cell" area of several square kilometers, transmits signals to mobile phones with an electromagnetic field. There was no negative impact from signals for current mobile networks. However, cognitive functions such as memory and response times were boosted by both 3G signals and the current signals, the study found. It said people became more alert when they were exposed to both.
Government ministers responsible for Economic Affairs, Health and Telecommunications said follow-up research was needed to confirm the findings as well as to look at any longer-term health effects and biological causes. They will also discuss the study with the European Commission.
