Page |1

Wireless Communication

Tanya Bailey - 0500783, Julie-Ann Johnson - 0603655, Raquel Williams - 0602914,

Keisha Blackwood - 0603103

University of Technology (Jamaica)

Information Technology – INT 1001

Due date: - July 18th 2007

Tutor: - Sherene Bogle

Abstract

This study examined the use of wireless communication in Jamaica and the various health and

July 2007
 Page |2

Wireless Communication

safety issues that affect the utilization of these technologies by individuals and organizations.

From the extensive scientific research materials examined both locally and overseas it is quite

obvious that there is no convincing evidence that the use of wireless communication can be

extremely harmful to humans as it relates to the formation of brain tumors, cancer or other

illnesses in humans.

The State of Wireless Communication in Jamaica

Jamaica’s daily existence depends heavily on wireless communications. Most Jamaicans

enjoy listening to the radio in the mornings, which provides the time, news, sports and

July 2007
 Page |3

Wireless Communication

entertainment. Remote controls are being used with most electronic equipment on television sets,

cable box, VCR and even fans. As it pertains to communicating while commuting the cell

phones and PDAs are a blessing to all walks of life. Other wireless technology include GPS

units, garage door openers, keyboards and wireless computer mice.

Wireless communication is the transmission of information signals without the use of

electrical conductors or wires, through technologies such as cordless phones, cellular phones,

bluetooth, microwaves and computers. In Jamaica the use of cellular phones is the most popular

form of wireless communication. Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited and Digicel Jamaica

Limited are the two major companies competitively supplying users with cellular phones.

Oceanic Digital operating as Miphone is also another cellular provider in Jamaica.

Cable and Wireless is now offering new advanced mobile data services to business and

residential customers island wide. These services include mobile web browsing, e-mail and other

wireless multimedia applications and are offered over a network based on GSM (Global Systems

for Mobile Communications), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhanced Data

rate for Global Evolution)-ready technology provided by Nortel Networks. G.P.R.S. is a packet

based wireless communication service that provides data rates from 56 to 114 kbps and

continuous connection to the internet for mobile phones and computer users. It is a method of

enhancing 2G mobile phones to enable them to send and receive data immediately at the same

(1)
time when making a voice call, and at higher speeds. G.P.R.S is based on a Global System

for Mobile (GSM) communication that compliments existing services such as circuit switched

cellular phone communication and short message services.

July 2007
 Page |4

Wireless Communication

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) is currently being used by Oceanic Digital

(Miphone). This is the most common and most recent digital cellular technology; it allows users

to carry out many conversations over one frequency. It sends all communication in groups of bits

mixed altogether, but tags each group belonging to a specific communication. Therefore at the

other end, each communication can be rebuilt in the correct order, based on unique codes

attached to a certain group of bits. CDMA is compatible with other cellular technologies and

allows for nationwide roaming.

The Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) is a technology used in digital cellular

telephone communication that divides each cellular channel into three slots in order to increase

the amount of data that can be carried. Cable and Wireless originally began using the TDMA

technology but has now upgraded to GPRS.

(2)
Wireless Fidelity (WI FI) is described as the underlying technology of Wireless Local Area

Network (WLAN). It was originally developed to be used for mobile computing devices such as

laptops in local area networks, but is now being uses for more services including the internet,

gaming and basic connectivity of consumers’ electronics such as televisions and DVD player’s

even digital cameras.

(3)
The University of Technology of Jamaica currently uses the Wireless Fidelity

Technology. A student with a laptop can get it configured in order to access the Utech domain

from outside the information technology lab itself. Wi-Fi is also being used widely by most

hotels in Jamaica including the Jamaica Pegasus and the Hilton Kingston Hotel.

July 2007
 Page |5

Wireless Communication

(4)
Radio Frequency Identification has been around since the early 1920’s and is a type of

automatic system. The purpose of the RFID system is to enable information to be transmitted by

a portable device called a tag, which is read by an RFID reader and processed according to the

needs of a particular application. The data transmitted by the tag may provide identification or

location information, or specifics about the product tagged such as price, colour and date of

purchase just to name a few. These days can be incorporated into a person as well as animal.

Most companies including J. Wray and Nephew Ltd has implemented RFID technology. This

type of technology is being used in our security procedure; vehicles owned by the company can

enter and exit without interference of security guards.

Places you will find RFID technology being used are

• Security post at work places, proximity or contact less cards

• Supermarkets items are past through a scanner to detect cost

• Clothing department stores

• In our homes the use of remote controls

• Schools – tracking books

(7)
Bluetooth is a short range wireless technology that enables devices such as portable

computers, cellular phones and handheld devices to connect each other to the internet. Its key

features are robustness, low complexity, low power and low cost. When Bluetooth wireless

technology connects devices to each other, they become “paired”. Device pairings are constantly

evolving, simplifying familiar tasks and developing new possibilities. Your wireless headset

connects to the mobile phone in your briefcase. Your handheld automatically synchronizes with

July 2007
 Page |6

Wireless Communication

your personal computer when you walk in the office. Your mobile phone, handheld and personal

computer all share the same address book, schedule and to-do-list.

A phenomenon has hit the electronics industry and that phenomenon is called Bluetooth.

Bluetooth technology has brought revolutionary changes to Jamaica. The technology affords you

the freedom of talking without holding the cellular phone. Many teenagers and adolescent use

the Bluetooth technology to transfer data such as music, telephone numbers and photographs,

“imagine this: you receive a call on your cell phone while driving home. But instead of having to

take a hand off the steering wheel, fish the phone out of your pocket and hold it up to your ear,

you simply press a button to pipe the incoming call through the cars sound system. The action

also mutes the radio and allows you to speak while keeping both hands on the wheel and

your eyes on the road. Phone call over, you press the same button to hang up and the music

cranks back up to normal. Maybe you need to make another call, to act on information you’ve

just received. Instead of having to dial your phone by hand – or use the pop-out keypad in some

cars like the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S Class – you press the button as before. This time you

dial by voice, either speaking the name of the person you’re calling (one of 32, with a memory

for each of four locations: home, mobile, work and main), or if it’s not stored in your address

book, digit-dialing by voice. The music turns down, the phone rings and you’re connected

again.”

July 2007
 Page |7

Wireless Communication

Figure 1:Wireless Technology Usage

July 2007
 Page |8

Wireless Communication

Health and Safety Issues

• Radio Frequency Identification

There has been alarming concerns about radio frequency from RFID devices and other

devices that uses this technology. Example: the cell phone and microwave oven. It is a fact that

RFID systems provide electromagnetic fields. That is the way the tag is detected or interrogated.

There have been serious health risk concerns of electronics sensitivity from electromagnetic

frequency.

(5) Some health problems that have been linked to EMF’s include

• Attention deficit disorder(A.D.D)

July 2007
 Page |9

Wireless Communication

• Changes in blood pressure

• Brain cancer

• Breast cancer

• Changes in DNA

• Ear aches

• Headaches

• Weakness in the heart

RFID technology is being used in Jamaica’s bus fare payment systems and in other parts of

the world. The systems today has been safe efficient. Travelling without cash has reduced

criminal activities. The health care industry has welcomed RFID technology with open arms;

some of the benefits of using RFID technology in the health care industry include implementing

patients with RFID tags so as to incorporate personal medical information and could save lives

and limit injuries from errors in medical treatment.

Most stores in Jamaica and around the world use electronic article surveillance. (6) EAS is

used to detect the presence or absence of an item. Products are tagged and large antenna readers

are placed at each exit of the store to detect unauthorized removal of an item. These RFID

systems enable business owners to have real time access to inventory information as well as a

broader, clearer picture of consumer buying habits. The utilization of these technologies are

definitely on an upward trend. Organizations and individuals have found numerous benefits and

they continue to embrace the changes brought about by RFID.

July 2007
 P a g e | 10

Wireless Communication

In everything there is opposition and the use of RFID technology is no different. One of the

accusations of RFID technology is that it represents the mark of the beast. There is still

uncertainty as to how badly radiation affects the body and as a result a perpetual research is

being conducted to monitor these health risks.

• Bluetooth

(8)
The matters of radiation from electromagnetic frequency and radio waves are causing great

deals of controversy in Jamaica and the world at large. With the high level of radiation the

wireless headset technology

Bluetooth represents a greater risk than most other wireless devices due to the fact that the

wire is replaced with a transmitter and the receiver Is operating with low power at frequency

levels between 900MHz to 2.4GHz. the frequency levels that is used when we user our

microwave at home.

Some problems that are caused by Bluetooth wireless headsets are:

• Neurological: this includes headaches, dizziness, memory loss and fatigue.

• Cardio: pain in the chest area, fast or low heart beat.

• Dermatological: skin rash

• Miscarriage

• Changes in DNA: Due to the heat/radiation, the sperm cells are burnt out.

• Brain tumor: especially in young children due to the fact that their skulls are

thinner than ours.

Safety issues:

July 2007
 P a g e | 11

Wireless Communication

Bluetooth telephones are often t blue jacked. This is when unknown Bluetooth users can

transmit messages to your phone and often steal information that is stored within your phone

without you being cognizant.

• Wireless fidelity

There is an increasing body of evidence to suggest certain people are hypersensitive to the

emissions from wireless access points. Experts believe that wireless fidelity may cause the

following:

• Chronic back problems

• Fatigue

• Irritability

• Lack of concentration

• Cancer

• Headaches

• Electric and magnetic radiation

With the independence of WIFI technology comes great concerns as to how this may affect

our bodies, the ability to be in any “position” while working can have serious consequences. An

Australian ergonomist Grant Ritcher had to counsel one his clients who had a chronic back

problem merely because he spent five years working at a notebook from his kitchen stool.

It is recommended that persons, who use this technology, should have sound knowledge of the

side effects of not using their device properly(notebook). Persons may not necessarily want to

July 2007
 P a g e | 12

Wireless Communication

stop using this technology, but may want to ensure that their physical position while working is

healthy.

In order to provide employees with safe working conditions, organizations may not be willing

to put wireless fidelity in their offices because of evidence which suggest that it could cause

headaches, fatigue, irritability and lack of concentration.

Safety issues

• There are no wires to trip over

• Cellular

Cellular phones and cancers are in the news all the time. Some mobile phone users have been

diagnosed with breast cancer. Scientific studies have focused on the question of whether the

statistical risk of cancer is increased in those who use mobile phones compared to non users.

The following are some speculation that have been made over the years on cellular.

• They emit microwaves

• It is often said that you hold the source of the emission against your brain.

• Brain tumors

Safety issues

• Cellular phones use a very, very low level of radio frequency energy to cause any

damage.

• The type of energy emitted in non-ionizing

• Cellular phones use a low level form of radiation to send and receive signals.

July 2007
 P a g e | 13

Wireless Communication

Conclusion

The increasing popularity of wireless technology is rapidly saturating the air with RF signals.

Should we be concerned about the effect of RFs on our health? Up to now, the safe limit of

exposition to radio frequencies for human beings remains pretty unknown. The studies have

shown that there are no evidence that these signals present a hazard to people. Research on the

possible health effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) energy dates back more than 60 years

and will continue for the unforeseeable future.

Due to the health risk linked with microwaves the European government have embarked

further multidisciplinary EMF research in order to take care that the solution of the presently

July 2007
 P a g e | 14

Wireless Communication

existing problems of uncertainty about a possible health risk for the citizens due to EMF

exposure will not be postponed in the far future.

A number of expert reviews, including those conducted by the World Health Organization

(WHO) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have

examined this issue and concluded that the scientific data do not support a connection between

radio waves and cancer. Cancer and cancer-related effects remain the primary focus of research

into wireless phones and health.

Based on a study by California public utilities commission which found there was no proven

link between electric and magnetic fields and diseases such as cancer said that a possible risk

meant further research was advisable.

In April 2006 the Swedish national institute for working life issued a report published in the

internationals archives of occupational and environmental disputing two earlier studies that

claimed cellular telephone and low-power wireless devices such as WLAN, client cards, access

points or RFID tags pose no clear correlation risk.

July 2007
 P a g e | 15

Wireless Communication

References

1)http://wirelessdata/cellphone/.com

2)www.fda.gov/cellphone/wireless.html

3)utechschoolofcomputing and information technology(scit)

4)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rfid

5)http://cellphonesafety.wordpress.com/health-issues-associated-with-radiation/

6)http://www.epic.org/privacy/rfid/

7)http://www.bluetooth.com

8)http://mmfai.org/members/mmffactsheet/viewer/viewfactsheet.cfm?language=engli

July 2007