Belgian consumer watchdog Test-Aankoop is to re-examine its claims that Nokia batteries are not safe. Nokia says that the batteries Test Aankoop tested must have been counterfeits.

Recently, the Belgian consumer watchdog, along with German counterpart Warentest, branded several Nokia mobile phone batteries as "unsafe" and "unprotected against short-circuiting", in particular the Nokia BML-3, BMC-3 and BLC-2.

Both consumer organisations short circuited over 50 mobile phone batteries. Most of these batteries were able to withstand the test, but eight models with the name Nokia on it got really hot, to over 140 degrees Celsius. Some even melted. You can see pictures at this page. Oddly enough, the Nokia batteries tested in Germany were safe, while those purchased in shops in Belgium were not. Both organisations also emphasise that none of the batteries exploded.

However, Warentest still believes consumers should be careful when using Nokia batteries. 'We bought the batteries from retailers, just like any other consumer would have done,’ an Warentest test editor tells the German news site Spiegel Online. ®

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