With companies like GSM North America, a major cellular carrier, reporting an 80 percent increase in sales and one million new customers in the last eight months, it's apparent that cell phone use is on the rise everywhere - even on the Hill.
But is it safe for people to be using cells? This issue is currently a hot topic among scientists and researchers. In June of this year, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, an organization that represents all of the major cell phone companies, required that consumers be alerted of the amount of radiation the body absorbs from these phones.
Specific absorption rate, the technical term for the amount of energy emitted by a phone and subsequently taken in by the user, can potentially be dangerous, according to some scientists who say brain tumors and cancer are potential by-products of use.
Others, however, are not as concerned, saying that if cell phone use is not excessive - longer than a couple hours a day - there's no real problem. According to the well-known consumer electronics Web site, CNET, "Cell phone radiation levels are well within the acceptable minimums for radiation exposure, as long as you don't hold your head within a few feet of a base antenna for a couple of hours."
Despite safety concerns, cell phone use is still widespread on campus. New users strolling from class to class with cellulars at their ears say convenience prompted their recent purchase.
"I've had my phone for four months. I bought it because I was traveling to and from work this summer and because it was really convenient to have. It's so much easier to just call your friends on your cell phone instead of looking around for a pay phone," junior Heather Rich said.
"I was away all day at work this summer and I needed to have an easy way to get in touch with people. Now I take my cell phone with me everywhere because I'm not in my room a lot. I use it to make plans with people but not to have long conversations," said junior Beth Anne Katz, who got her phone in May.
Others say they initially got a cell phone for safety reasons, though they use the device for other reasons. "I bought my phone to have in the car in case of emergencies, but now I make long distance calls on it as well, since it's cheaper," junior Melissa Small said.
Junior Heather Kyle acquired a cell phone at the request of her parents. "I have a ten-hour drive home, so my parents thought it would be a good idea to have a phone for the car just in case anything happened," Kyle said.
Many students travelling abroad find cells helpful as well. Freshman Tali Paransky spent last year in Israel where she found that a cell phone was a must have in order to get in touch with family and friends. "It's so much cheaper in Europe and Israel to have a cell phone. Even here at Tufts, if I lived off-campus I would definitely get a phone just because of the costs [of standard telephone service]," Paransky said.
Junior Ethan Todras-Whitehill, who strongly opposes the high costs of phone companies like CampusLink, uses his cell as an alternative to regular phone service. "I got my phone because I despise CampusLink and because I wanted a phone for business contact. It's not necessarily cheaper, but it's cheaper than [having both] a cell phone and a normal phone," Todras-Whitehill said.
Despite their economic benefits, some feel they have become a serious irritant and interruption in public places.
"I think it is really distracting when cell phones ring in class - it is inappropriate to have them on at that time. I think it is appropriate at most times, but just as long as it is not disruptive to other people, such as in class or in the library where people should go outside when they receive a call or want to make one," Small said.
Katz concurred with Small, indicating that cell phone etiquette is an added responsibility of having a phone. "It annoys me when phones go off in public. I bring my phone to the library and to class, but I turn the ringer off and I don't talk inside the library. I go outside instead," Katz said.
"I'm not one of those people who hates people walking down the street talking on their phones, but when you're trying to concentrate in the library or in class, it can be extremely distracting," Paransky added.
"I think it's just obnoxious and people should just turn their cell phones off while in the library. It's a basic courtesy to everyone else there," Rich said.
Despite the annoyance the phones occasionally cause, Small believes cell phones will continue to be a necessity. "It has become more of a luxury item than something people use in case of an emergency. I think the number of cell phones will continue to increase as everyone begins to own one and then use it more than their home phones," Small said.
Katz agreed. "I definitely think that the number of users will increase and I don't see it tapering off anytime soon. I've become more and more dependent on my phone the longer I have it and more and more of my friends are getting phones," Katz said.
"It's a whole new culture," she exclaimed.
