Mobile Phones

Blacklisting Stolen Phones. You should make a note of the IMEI number on your phone; you can find it by tapping *#06# into your phone or by taking a look under the battery. The IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity - numbers of mobile phones are stored ins database containing all valid mobile phone equipment. - - Axel Klystron Perth Scotland

You never need to change your number. Despite what the salesman says you can hang on to your old number. Several companies will arrange for you. -- Arthur Middleton -- Imperial, London  

Mobile phone insurance. Does my house contents insurance cover the theft of mobile phones? How can I get my SIM copied? -- Ric e

If you are worried about the damage done to your brain by Microwave energy from the antenna then use a hands free kit. Most of the devices that claim to shield your brain are worse than useless, some actually focus the energy into your head. -- D Edmonds 

Some believe that Mobiles are responsible for the increase in Uveal Melanomas, a form of eye cancer. Ali. Al-Daher L.A 

I always switch off my mobile before driving off in a car. Nothing can be more important than getting back to my family in one piece -- Darren Edmonds 

Pay attention to the signal strength indication on your mobile. The power used by your phone can vary by as much as sixteen times depending on whether you are getting good signals from the local transmitter. Your battery will last much longer if you are in a good reception area. Just stepping outside your car to get better reception can often double battery life (and halve the amount of energy zapping your head) -- D Edmonds

Battery life of nickel cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries can be extended by ensuring that each time a battery is used it is charged and discharged fully. Most of us are unable to do this every time so try to make sure that it happens at least once a week. -- Davit Merten

Get an Electronic Engineer to fit a couple of ferrite beads on the cable to your "hands free", that should stop the radio frequency energy travelling up the cable. -- Sam Clark, Brondesbury London 

If you are concerned that the phone you are buying is giving out an unnecessarily high level of microwave radiation, you should ask about the SAR rating, a good dealer will be able to tell you the ratings for the phones he is selling. The rating, and therefore the dosage can vary by up to twenty times. The Institute for Satellite and Mobile Communications carried out tests that showed Motorola's Star Tac 130(A) to be the best with an SAR of 0.1. The worst was 2.67 i.e. it was twenty times worse. - Daily News Nov99 

Professor Darius Leszczynski from the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland has conducted research that confirms that there are damaging effects from the radiation that is emitted from mobile phones. He has written a report that claims that there is a failure of the blood-brain barrier in both rats and humans who have been exposed to even moderate amounts of radiation. An intact blood-brain barrier is essential to protect the delicate brain cells from damage from neurotoxic substances accumulating and poisoning brain cells 

Security - If you are worried about thieves targeting you for your mobile phone then using a vibrating sounder when in public places can improve your chances of hanging on to it. Using a mobile phone while walking along the street is just asking for it to be snatched. I am talking from experience -- Comi Ed

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Mobile Phone use in Petrol Stations - Safety Alert Shell have issued a warning about mobile phones - they have reported 3 incidents recently where mobile phones have ignited fumes whilst being answered/ringing during fuel operations: 
1. A phone was placed on the boot lid during refuelling, it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the pump. 
2. An individual suffered burns to the face when fumes ignited as he answered a call during fuelling. 
3. An individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in his pocket, rang during fuelling. Why did it happen? It is a misconception that Mobile Phones can't ignite fuel/flumes. It is believed that the more modern phones (those that light up when either switched on or when they ring) have enough energy released to provide the spark for ignition.

  Learning Points 
1. Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations 

2. Mobile phones should be turned off before exiting the vehicle when stopping in a filling station. 

3. All Road users have a special responsibility for the safety of themselves, their passengers, other road users and pedestrians.  

4. NEVER try to use a hand-held mobile phone or device for any reason while driving 

5. ONLY ever make or take a hands-free call when you are certain it is completely safe to do so. KEEP conversations short and easy - end calls that become difficult, distracting or stressful immediately.   

6. SET UP the advanced functions of your mobile phone device, such as the messaging service, to give yourself time and peace of mind to focus on your driving, 

7. When it doubt - switch it OFF  Help bring an end to the alarming sight of motorists trying to drive and hold a mobile phone at the same time. It is simply unlawful, unacceptable and unnecessarily dangerous. If you currently have, or are thinking of buying a mobile phone, please consider the purchase of a hands-free kit that you can arrange to have installed in your car.  -- Dave Gall, Blackheath, London England

Useful tip: If you have a passenger, ask them to manage your mobile calls for you.   

Useful tip: Why not give yourself time and concentration for your mobile calls by taking a break from driving and parking safely?   Useful tip: Tell your caller you are driving before you begin your conversation, and that you may need to end your short call at any time. 

Useful tip: Voice messaging means you never need miss a call. At the heart of the matter is driver alertness and distraction. It is all too easy to become absorbed in conversation, particularly if it is an important call.  "it is far safer not to use any telephone while you are driving - find a safe place to stop first". Remember, on a motorway, parking doesn't mean the hard shoulder which, by law, can only be used in an emergency. Using a mobile phone on a petrol station forecourt is forbidden. As a personal precaution, try not to park conspicuously; lock the doors and secure the windows. If you are driving in your job, always check your employer's guidelines as well.

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The Jargon - 2G - Second Generation systems such as GSM.  
3G -Third Generation  
4G - Proposed standard which will have full TV equivalent capability and data downloads at more than 500Mbits per second  
Bluetooth - Cable-free connection between your mobile and handsets, Laptops etc. 
EMS - A messaging system that is more feature-rich than SMS. 
GPRS - General Packet Radio Service. A system of data delivery using techniques similar to that used on the internet.
GSM - European digital system, a bit dated and not useful for data. 
MP3 - An audio compression system that allows information to take up less space on memory and for more to be transmitted with only an imperceptible loss of quality. 
SMS - Short Messaging Service. Texting in other words.
SIM Card - A small module that contains a silicon chip that "personalises" your phone. It also has a limited amount of processing capability.
WAP - Wireless Application Protocol
OS - Operating System. PDAs and some phones are really miniature computers requiring special low level software liven up the device and to handle the many tasks. This can be one of the following "flavors":- Windows CE, Palm or Symbian/Epoc. Operating systems are sometimes described as "software platforms".
PDA - Personal Digital Assistant