Check for SARS

Mobile phones: safe or suspect? We won't know with any certainty for decades, despite the manufacturers' protestations, but you can take precautions such as using hands-free kits or limiting call times.

But are some phones more of a threat than others? All phones sold in Europe must pass the SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) test, which calculates how much radiation is emitted by the aerial. The maximum EU level is 2W/kg (watts per kilogram). Interestingly, the US maximum is much less - 1.6W/kg.

Information on what each phone emits isn't easy to come by in shops or on the networks' websites but the Mobile Manufacturers Forum maintains a list of SARs for most phones, though it's not bang up to date with the latest models.

You will be relieved to learn all phones available far exceed the minimum SAR safety requirement but it could be a useful tool in helping to make your decision on which handset to buy.