CTIA Sues SF Board of Supervisors Over Cell Phone Ordinance

Filed in archive Mobile Phones , Product/Service Complain on July 26, 2010

© Ed Yourdon

A cellular industry group filed suit on Friday to stop San Francisco's landmark ordinance requiring radiation levels to be publicly listed for every cell phone sold in the city.

The ordinance was overwhelmingly approved in June by the Board of Supervisors. According to the CTIA, it "will confuse and mislead the public" by saying that radiation levels released by federally approved phones is related to health risks. CTIA is the wireless industry's association.

San Francisco is the first city to pass an ordinance of this kind in the country. Effective February 2011, stores selling cell phones must display the amount of radiation emitted by each phone beside each model they sell.

According to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the new ordinance simply attempts to provide consumers with more information. He added that it does not attack the wireless industry or their products. And Newsom has indicated that cell phone law is as much a health issue as a consumer concern.