Between 100 kHz and 6 GHz: devices are tested according to specific absorption rate (SAR) limits to prevent tissue heating. Most handheld devices and mobile devices used on or near the body, such as mobile phones, tablets and smart watches, are in this category.
This benchmark serves to measure maximum exposure to radio waves: the SAR is the amount of energy absorbed relative to mass. Its measurement is expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg).
Variable exposure depending on conditions
The SAR of a mobile is the maximum level of radio waves to which a user may be exposed during communication. It is now part of specifications describing devices.
All mobile phones purchased through conventional distribution channels have SAR lower than 2 W/kg – the limit-value for local exposure of the head or trunk to radio waves. Device manufacturers are required to display the SAR in their instructions.
In practice, during communication, the actual exposure of the mobile user is always lower than SAR indicated because mobile phones rarely operate at maximum power. This actual exposure of the body varies primarily according to the transmission power: the higher it is, the greater the exposure of the user. It increases, especially when the user phones in poor conditions: at the edge of a coverage area (for example far away from base station), underground, during high-speed travel by train or car, etc.