The 5G media blitz is pervasive. Whether you are watching TV, surfing the web, or watching videos, there are ads for 5G everywhere! And, even though most of us don’t truly understand the technology, we are experiencing the hype. The tech industry and world governments believe 5G will be bring about a technological revolution that will transform society, allowing for the internet of things (IoT). This network will connect the internet with appliances, lights, and our “things.” Turn your dishwasher on with your smart phone! Autonomous self-driving vehicles will abound. 5G small cells posted at regular intervals will triangulate and precisely locate your phone and other devices whenever you are connected to the network. Vendors will know your name as you enter their stores and be able to market to you in real time as you move through aisles. Companies will know when you turn your lights on and off. Perhaps they may even recognize if you left your lights on after leaving the house. Your auto insurance company will know how fast you drive down the highway and may adjust your rates accordingly. Utility companies will know what temperature you turn your thermostat to and how often you do your laundry!
Anyone could get caught up in the media hype. That is, anyone but those fearing the implications of wide scale surveillance and those aware of the negative health effects from intense electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure.
What exactly is 5G?
5G stands for 5th generation and represents the next technological leap for wireless communication beyond 4G LTE. 5G will provide access to a new bandwidth of higher frequency with increased energy, previously used only by military and radar applications. The 5G technology is much more complex than merely sending and receiving information over a higher frequency bandwidth. This is in part related to the anticipated increase in network traffic as well as technical requirements for working with shorter wavelengths.
5G will utilize frequencies from 6GHz up to and beyond 86GHz within the millimeter frequency bandwidth. These higher energetic frequencies are composed of shorter wavelengths allowing for much more information to be delivered over a shorter time frame. But higher frequencies with shorter wavelengths don’t penetrate structures as easily as longer wavelengths, so without any further modification, these high frequency signals would be blocked by trees, building materials, and even rain! As a remedy, scientists have figured out how to focus the millimeter waves into a narrow beam directed at its target device. The increased intensity of the beam enables penetration through building structures and the interior of homes and offices.
The details:
Because these waves travel a significantly shorter distance than low frequency waves, antennae must be located much closer to each other and to their target devices than the older 3G and 4G transponders. It is for this reason that smart cells are being installed every 2 – 19 house in urban environments. A pedestrian or car utilizing data moving down a street will be transferred from cell to cell, allowing uninterrupted service. For these reasons, this technology will become mainly an urban phenomenon.
For the foreseeable future, the 5G network will be a hybrid system utilizing both 4G LTE and 5G technology. Small cells strategically placed within residential neighborhoods and commercial districts will emit both frequency bands. The 4G LTE signal will beam 24/7/365. The beam focused 5G signal, on the other hand, will be “on demand” – only utilized when a user initiates the connection. The 5G network will not canvass the neighborhood for users. The 4G LTE/5G interface is expected to be fully operational in most locations around the globe by 2025. Eventually, scientists expect the 4G LTE network will be disbanded and 5G will function as a standalone system.
Why the concern?
The scientific community does not yet understand the full health implications that will surface from the bombardment of high frequency EMF into our homes. But researchers and medical professionals understanding the stress that EMF places on living cells are extremely concerned about the 5G rollout. There has been worldwide opposition to the 5G deployment by activists and health care advocates.
Two features of 5G are most alarming. First, the 4G LTE cells will be much too close to people living or walking in these neighborhoods incessantly beaming radiofrequency (RF). People in second floor bedrooms will potentially be at eye level to antennae on a utility pole outside their home. Second, focused 5G beams will consist of very strong pulses of EMF having the energy and capacity to cause significant biological damage to people and animals.
It is expected that 5G will exponentially increase indoor and outdoor RF levels, undoubtedly increasing the number of people who develop EMF related illnesses and electro-sensitivity. Millimeter waves in particular have been shown to accelerate bacterial, viral and cancer growth, negatively impact our body’s tumor suppression capability, and cause eye damage and cataracts.
5G detection
Although RF meters currently in the marketplace can detect and quantify 4G LTE frequencies, at the present time, there are no reasonably priced detectors on the market to measure mm wave frequencies. Once the wireless industry determines the frequency band they plan to use, industry will follow suit and design appropriate detectors.
What can you do to limit your exposure to 5G?
1. Now is a good time to remove Wi-Fi from within your home. Since 5G will not be activated without your device asking for its service, cell antennae won’t beam focused EMF bands into your home if you have your devices hardwired. Here are a few suggestions:
- Hardwire your computers, smart TVs, and tablets with ethernet cables.
- Use a corded landline for phone service when you are at home.
- Have incoming calls forwarded from your cell phone to your landline when you enter your home.
- Place your cell phone and tablets in airplane mode when you are at home.
- Avoid unnecessary Wi-Fi based appliances and opt out of the smart home.
2. Increase your efforts to shield your home from 4G LTE. These signals beamed from smart cells as close as 30 feet to some homes will be much more intense than those from remote cell towers. Consider applying shielding paints, building grade foil and/or RF blocking window film to your home. The extent to which you need to shield will depend on your proximity to the cell and the strength of EMF entering your home. A building biologist will be a useful resource to assist you in remediation.
What else can you do?
Become aware of this technology and learn as much as you can in preparation of its roll out in your neighborhood. Keep a journal and be observant of any changes in your health or your family’s health. Become politically active and check out organizations such as the Environmental Health Trust which utilize grassroots efforts to combat industry and governmental lobbyists.