Unreliable 911 Routing, Unknown Radiation Effects:
Concerns Haven’t Slowed Wireless Market Enthusiasm 1

Wireless technology and its support networks are far from mature and not fully understood. But these facts have hardly distracted anyone from the decade’s biggest ongoing electronic gadget competition, which has increased in intensity even during the economic downturn.

The Palm Pixi just debuted, anchoring the lower end of Palm’s Sprint-based smartphone offerings. Palm recently held a big summer promotion at The Americana at Brand for its upscale Pre model, designed to compete with the iPhone.

Apple and AT&T are grappling with next generation offerings and exclusivity agreements, as today’s All Things Digital column reports, while iPhone features strain AT&T’s network.

And Motorola today unveiled a T-Mobile network mobile phone powered by Google’s new Android operating system.

I won’t search to see what Samsung, Nokia, or other cell phone makers are launching in the next few months because it will make this post far too long.

Manufacturers are heavily marketing these new products while ignoring or downplaying two big concerns, which are being addressed by government entities or watchdog groups.

Delayed or misdirected emergency responses to cell phone 911 calls are a continuing problem (as this blog noted several months ago), even as growing numbers of younger phone customers don’t see the need for a landline.

Concerns about radiation from cell phones and cell towers have prompted several studies and led some governments to advise restrictions on children’s cell phone use. Yesterday’s news report in USA Today describes the current state of research and the Environmental Working Group’s just released report ranking cell phones by the levels of radiation they emit. Within the online article is a link allowing readers to check their cell phones for radiation levels.

Glendale Organized Against Cell Towers just received word that Senator Arlen Specter may hold a September 14 hearing on cell phone safety next week in Washington, in conjunction with the Expert Conference on Cell Phones and Public Policy Questions held September 13-15.