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📱 French Ministry Sidesteps Power-Limiting Software Question in SAR Testing of Mobile Phones

May 21, 2026 (EMFS)
May 21, 2026 (original)
Source: Phonegate Alert
Source category: Advocacy/NGO
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Phonegate Alert reports: In response to a parliamentary question, the French Ministry of Economy avoids addressing the central issue of proprietary software mechanisms that may influence SAR compliance test results. Phonegate Alert notes the ministry ignores findings from the EU decision on the iPhone 12 and a letter from ANFR (Agence nationale des fréquences, France's national spectrum agency) director Gilles Brégant warning that manufacturers could demand tests on specially prepared devices differing from those sold to consumers. In 2025, nearly one quarter of phones tested by ANFR were found non-compliant.

Quotes (our translation)

"Adopting these objections would deprive surveillance authorities of the means to effectively control the radiation of devices placed on the market. Manufacturers would, in effect, have the possibility of demanding that authority checks be carried out on devices specially prepared by them, which could differ from the devices placed on the market."

[original: "Retenir ces objections priverait les autorités de surveillance des moyens de contrôler effectivement le rayonnement des terminaux mis sur le marché. Les fabricants auraient, en effet, la possibilité d'exiger que les contrôles des autorités portent sur des terminaux spécialement préparés par eux, qui pourraient être différents des terminaux mis sur le marché."]

— Gilles Brégant, directeur général de l'ANFR

"This ministerial response to MP Sandrine Lalanne highlights the Ministry of Economy's displayed support for ANFR. But it avoids the essential questions revealed by the iPhone 12 affair: the role of power control software in SAR tests, the limits of market surveillance, and the lack of full authority access to technical mechanisms used by manufacturers."

[original: "Cette réponse ministérielle à la députée Sandrine Lalanne met en évidence le soutien affiché du ministère de l'Économie à l'ANFR. Mais elle évite les questions essentielles révélées par l'affaire de l'iPhone 12 : le rôle des logiciels de contrôle de puissance dans les tests DAS, les limites de la surveillance du marché et l'absence d'accès complet des autorités aux mécanismes techniques utilisés par les fabricants."]

— Dr Marc Arazi, Phonegate Alert

Source

Contrôle DAS des téléphones : le ministère passe sous silence la question des logiciels brideurs [SAR testing of phones: the ministry keeps silent on the question of power-limiting software] phonegatealert.org

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