Since 1997, the Cellular Phone Task Force acts as a clearinghouse for information on the health effects, including injury and death, reported world-wide as being caused by radio frequency radiation from digital cellular phones base stations and other wireless facilities. The taskforce advocates that the regulations in place, including the strictest, such as the Polish 2 V/m standard, are not adequate to protect the human heart, nervous system and other biological systems from electromagnetic injury. A summary of the death statistics associated with the digital PCS (around 1.9GHz) systems installed in selected United States cities is shown in the table below. Individuals living with 100 metres of a wireless facility of any kind tend to report symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, memory loss, inability to concentrate, irritability, rise in blood pressure, peculiar pressure behind the eyeballs, joint pains moving around the body, hurt of feet sole, high-pitched noises in their ears, itchy systemic rash and even internal bleeding -- all symptoms of radiowave sickness. Clinics report an immediate increase in respiratory illness: bronchitis, flu, pneumonia and asthma during the first weeks of PCS base station start-up and hospitals become inundated.

It is argued that current regulations (60V/m or 1 mW/cm2 in Canada) are designed for the far field under uniform conditions from single emitters, and do not take into account the near field; complex field interactions from multiple emitters -- they do not even come close to protecting the public from even the serious thermal effects. Depending on conditions or grounding, resonance and reflection, real-life exposure to a single emitter in the field can variety as much as 430X. In 1977, Om P. Ghandi reported in Radio Science how the presence of metal objects in the environment, or even inside the body (dental fillings, surgical implants, etc.) can locally increase exposure 100X. Arthur Firstenberg, president of the Cellular Phone Taskforce has published a book, Microwaving the planet which includes a current literature review of over 200 sources (available from the Secretariat). He also edits the publication, No place to hide, available for $30 U.S., and $40 elsewhere from: P O Box 100404, Brooklyn, New York 11210. (718) 434-4499. Another periodical pursuing this interest is Electrical sensitivity news, published by Lucinda Grant, Weldon Publishing, P O Box 4146, Prescott, Arizona 86302. $20 U.S. $35 foreign; (520) 778-4637; fax: (520) 495-3168.

A court challenge to the safety of wireless communications against the Federal Communications Commission will be heard In the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York City.
The Cellular Phone Taskforce, representing thousands of individuals who suffer from electrical sensitivity alleges that digital wireless facilities are causing illness, disability and death and is suing to have the current "safety rules" set aside, sections of the 1996 Telecommunications Act declared unconstitutional and that a nationwide moratorium declared on new sources of radiofrequency radiation. The Communication Workers of America has joined 16 other citizens groups and 3 public officials in the lawsuit