Although medical data seems indeterminate as to the probability of a cell phone causing cancer it should be no technical problem to manufacture all cell phones so that the speaker earphone part is connected by wire to the section used for radio transmission and reception. I know all current phones have provisions for separate earphones and microphones but enough people neglect that possibility that if cancer becomes a definite possibility it could be a major medical problem. A mandatory separate section that hooks on to the radiating section that could be shielded from the user would eliminate even any remote possibility of cancer.
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Though I don't disagree that phone usage poses a danger to people, I don't see how a cell phone of this design would be workable. With a wire dangling either from the earpiece to the real body/transmitter of the phone or from the real body of the phone to some antenna, it becomes too cumbersome.
I keep my phone in my pocket and when someone calls me, I pull it out. I really don't have the time to assemble two pieces while it's ringing. And if the tranmitter isn't by my ear, then it's still in my pocket, giving me cancer down there. Wouldn't it sort-of need to be on a 'stick' three feet from my body to no longer be a risk to me? Or in my computer or car or some other appliance.
Now, I know people that wear a blue-tooth earpiece all of the time-- this sort-of amounts to what you've suggested, doesn't it? Of course, these people are typically heavy phone users. And their phone is still stored on their body.
I get about one call a day and it's under two minutes. My cancer risk is less accordingly. "Yes, Honey, I'm late getting off work and I'll be home in twenty minutes. Yes, I'll stop and get some milk. Bye. "
It wouldn't necessarily be as clumsy as you indicate. The radiating body could have a radiation shield on the body side and a spiral wire much as on line phones or a spring reel could be attached to the microphone-earpiece which could have a magnet attachment to the radiation unit that could allow easy removal and re-attachment. Cell phones are multiplying at a phenomenal rate throughout the world and each individual here in Finland including children has one. If there is the slightest chance of cancer generation the problems will soon be medically huge.
You are right, it is not really a technical problem, it is the market that wants one piece phones, and headsets as an option.
If you put an RF shield on one side of the phone, that means that 1.) I alway have to make sure that I'm on the correct side of the shield, so I can only put the phone (or transmitter portion) in my pocket or my hand in a specific orientation, and 2.)When I'm making a call and am moving myself, if the cell I'm connected to becomes blocked by the shield as I am, I'll lose the call or at the least, reception will degrade.
I think cell phones are quite omni-directional on purpose. Not saying that they couldn't change, but we'd all have to learn where the cells are so we could turn our bodies in the right directions when calling.
I wonder if cell phone communication depends upon line of sight geometry to the local antenna or is the signal reflected sufficiently by surroundings for the antenna to pick it up.