1999-05-17 Special Called Meeting and Workshop Meeting

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.i Furthermore, public concern has been raised regarding cord- less and cellular telephones and the radio signal emissions that fixed structures such as radio and broadcast towers emit, and the effects these signals could potentially have on people over an extended period of time. The principal issues have focused on the low frequency electromagnetic fields associ- ated with power lines and the radio signals (of radio frequen- cies) associated with cellular antenna facilities. As one would expect, these health and safety concerns are now also being extended to today's increasing number of wireless data net- working services and applications. Ricochet, a subscriber -based wireless data communications service offered by Metricom, Inc., is one of the most promi- nent emerging networks that fits this description. All studies and testing to date conclude that Metricom's network poletop radios operate at power levels that are substantially below the limits set for RF emission standards by the FCC, providing users with safe wireless data communications solutions Today's and Several agencies, including the Food and Drug-Administra- Tomorrow's tion (FDA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Standards and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regularly give their attention to RF emission issues. The FCC considers low -power unlicensed devices within the equipment rules that Metricom operates to be safe under the current standard. This standard was revised to reflect more stringent controls and was adopted on October 15, 1997.1 Meanwhile, the industry continues to observe the current ANSI and IEEE C95.1 RF exposure standards, fast developed in 1982 and adopted by the FCC in 1985. 1. Second Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making; FCC 97-303, August 25, 1997. ET Docket No. 93-62. Copies may be obtained from the FCC. �C'