Health fears over plans for phone masts in your home

Controversial plans to install mini mobile phone masts in homes and offices in return for cheap phone calls were unveiled by O2 today.

The phone network hopes to use the masts, called picocells, to allow customers to make calls over the internet using their mobile phone.

Mobile calls made within range of the customer's mast will be converted into internet calls and sent via a broadband connection, allowing a saving on mobile bills.

"We can put the (mobile phone mast) radio into the home or office," said Dave Williams, chief technology officer for Telefonica-O2 Europe. Critics say the plans will simply add to the health risk surrounding mobile phone masts.

However, an O2 spokesman said: "The picocell will work at a lower power than normal base stations.

"There is no scientific evidence linking mobile phones with health problems and we will continue to fund independent research into this area."

The Health Protection Agency has previously advised that the radiation exposure from picocells was safe but advised caution on the question of all mobile phone masts.

It also called for more research into the area.

The agency's report said exposures in proximity to picocells have been found to be well within safe levels for the public.

However, it also called for tough new rules to be brought in governing the mini-masts.

"There is a need for clarity in terms of legal responsibilities and regulations in relation to the installation of microcells and picocells and the availability of information about their deployment," it said.

But Karen Barrett of the campaign group Mast Sanity said: "People should not buy these picocells.

"Even if on their own they do not pose a problem, having one in every living room and office means all the radiation adds up.

"People already have wi-fi connections in their homes - this is just making the problems worse."

O2 has already revealed a prototype picocell box that combines a domestic broadband internet router and a GSM mobile phone base station which O2 said could cost less than £70 when it goes on sale next year.

O2 is looking for customers to take part in trials.

Rival firms require customers to buy a separate internet phone which uses wi-fi signals to communicate with their wireless broadband network.

Experts say the fact the system does not require customers to buy a new phone could see it succeed.

"Users feel comfortable using their existing mobile phones, so using those could be the sweet, simple solution right under our noses without any of the complexity of having a wireless network," said Richard Webb, an analyst at Infonetics Research.