Two new reports highlight the rapidly growing importance of mobile broadband in boosting Australia’s productivity and warn that future economic benefits would be reduced if the mobile telecommunications industry is not allocated sufficient spectrum in appropriate bands.

Ian Carruthers, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Climate Change, this week recognised the efforts of over 300 local councils across Australia in tackling mobile phone e-waste at the MobileMuster Local Government Awards, presented during the National General Assembly for Local Government in Canberra.

The rapid spread of smartphones threatens to cost billions in productivity, increase data prices and slow download speeds unless the mobile telecommunications industry gets more wireless spectrum, the Australian Financial Review wrote on Wednesday.

Swift allocation of 700MHz and 2.5GHz spectrum for LTE and other mobile broadband technologies is key to securing A$143 billion in productivity benefits from 2013-2020, according to a new report from Network Strategies, writes Communications Day this week.

Mobile phone users could face higher prices, reduced services and delays in accessing the next generation of technology if the federal government does make decisions on spectrum space, the mobile phone industry says, reports The Age newspaper today.

Mobile phones sold in Australia must comply with strict Federal Government standards, which contain large in-built safety margins and are designed, built and tested to protect all users.

Imposing roughly the same cautionary standards for cellphones as for fatty food or sugary soda, this city — never shy about its opinions — voted on Tuesday to require all retailers to display the amount of radiation each phone emits, says the New York Times.

One of Australia’s leading cancer epidemiologist has been reported saying that claims that mobile phone users are five times more likely to develop brain tumours “just don’t stack up”.