Judge largely upholds Berkeley, California, cellphone rules that require radiation warning

A federal judge has mostly upheld a new ordinance in the college town of Berkeley, California, that requires cellphone sellers to warn customers about keeping their cellphones too close to their bodies.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen on Monday rejected the wireless industry's request for a preliminary injunction against the entire ordinance. Except for one part, Chen said the law is consistent with Federal Communications Commission statements.

The city ordinance requires cellphone retailers to tell customers that they could be exposed to radio-frequency radiation at levels exceeding federal guidelines if they keep their cellphones in their pants, shirt pockets or bras while the devices are on and connected to a wireless network.

Theodore Olson, an attorney for CTIA-The Wireless Association, says he's confident Berkeley's ordinance ultimately will be struck down.