Is the health of your family at risk from the expansion of the 5th generation of cellular networks? This question is critically discussed in the media and research. In our article, we would like to help you clearly understand the most important questions about 5G & health.
- What is 5G and why we need to talk about it?
- Are there any health risks we need to aware of?
- What can you do about 5G?
What is 5G?
Definition of terms
5G is the fifth Generation wireless network. Since upgrading from 1st (1G) to the 3rd and 4th generation (4G), you are able to enjoy the mobile phone experience of calling, texting, sending images, downloading data and browsing on the internet faster than ever before. 5G goes beyond that.
The telecom industry convinces us that this ‘5G’ will bring us closer together, offering complete interconnectivity, the future with self-driving cars and intelligent home appliances. The face of our children’s education is to be transformed with data speeds and responsiveness nearly 1,000 % faster than 4G.
Network expansion
Germany
Germany is aiming for a full 5G connectivity before 2025 with Deutsche Telekom has starting the first 5G network rollout in March 2019. There are currently 215,619 cell towers in Germany (according to Cellmapper, cellular towers and coverage mapping service) excluding 5G. This will rise by 300 5G towers during 2019 only.
Switzerland
In April 2019 Swisscom went live with the first operational 5G network in Switzerland with estimated completion and full coverage before the end of 2019.
USA
The USA is pursuing the ‘5G FAST Plan’ to make the US the leader in 5G technology. Eight mobile network operators, including Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T already offer mobile 5G services in selected cities across the country. Exciting, isn’t it?
So it was during the 19040s and 50s when the tobacco industry did a great job at marketing cigarettes as just the thing for perfect health. Yet, many lost lives later, the lung cancer rates proved us all wrong. What if the history is to repeat itself?
The International EMF Scientist Appeal
As of 15th June 2019 248 EMF (electromagnetic field) scientists from 42 nations have signed the ‘The International EMF Scientist Appeal’, urgently calling upon the United Nations and its sub-organizations, the WHO and UNEP, and all U.N. Member States, for greater health protection on EMF exposure. They unanimously share their concern of the global public health crisis thanks to the levels of the ever rising environmental pollution from electrical and wireless infrastructure and devices. The late Dr. Martin Blank (1933-2018), an EMF expert who originally announced the Appleal in 2015, shares a compelling message on behalf of the signatories:
Download the transcript of his message.
Other organisations, such as the Environental Health Trust or the Physician’s Health Initiative for Radiation Protection (PHIRE) follow suit, warning us about the effects and risks of EMFs, including 5G.
- What is electrosmog and why it is so harmful to health;
- How to mitigate EMF exposure;
- Easy and effective protective measures to promote wellbeing of every member of your family.
4G vs 5G
The 5G network will use everything the 4G does. But there is more:
- It will operate at additional frequency ranges, including very high-frequency millimeter waves (20-300GHz), different modulation, higher amplitude, and rapid data bursts.
- It will need smaller antennas at larger density (cell towers between 100m to several kilometers) to create greater connectivity.
- One 4G cell tower currently supports about 2,000 devices with some traffic delays. A 5G tower will support more than one million connected devices per square kilometer with negligible delays.
With these added ‘extras’ we can be sure of one thing. More radiation for all living things.
5G: 10 risks you need to know about
If you care about your health and the health of your loved ones, be aware that even 5G comes with baggage:
- Radiofrequencies (RF or EMFs) can cause serious biological effects including cancer, nervous system disruption or reproductive impairment. RF was classified as a Group 2B Possible Human Carcinogen by the World Health Organisation in 2011.
- Children, pregnant and elderly are more vulnerable. (Read our blog ‘The effects of EMFs on children’)
- Your pets and wild animals can be affected in the same way as humans.
- Robust research into higher frequency millimeter waves, used by 5G, is missing. PHIRE states that there is evidence of biological harm to humans, animals including insects and plants.
- A higher number of cell towers and transmitters close to the living areas means higher exposure rates.
- If your child is bombarded by a ‘soup’ of frequencies now, the long-term effects might present themselves 20-30 years later, when it is already too late.
- The higher frequency millimeter waves are most absorbed superficially. This brings up a question of any harmful effects on human skin, eyes, and testes.
- No one has given you, the public, an option to opt out or sign an informed consent to beirradiated with radiofrequencies (see www.5Gappeal.eu).
- No safety limits are being set to protect you against non-thermal effects of EMFs.
- Current safety limits of the absorption rates of EMFs aren’t reflecting how we use our phones (read our article ‘What is SAR?’ and ‘Microwave emission from mobile phones exceed safety limits’.
What can you do about 5G?
If you feel concerned about the health effects of EMFs and 5G, you have three options:
- Raise awareness in your local community and share this article far and wide.
- Join the 5G debate and educate yourself further with independent resources:
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- Appel-de-paris.com
- 5Gappeal.eu
- Bioinitiative.org
- Ehtrust.org
- Emfcall.org
- Emfscientist.org
- Mdsafetech.org
- Orsaa.org
- Phiremedical.org
- Radiationresearch.org
- Saferemr.com
- Wirelessriskassessment.org
- Read our tips on how to limit your exposure, included in some of our blog articles.
Are you interested to find out how Waveguard can help you reduce the effects of electromagnetic radiation from wireless devices in your home, office and on-the-go? Then contact us.
Sources
- http://www.bfs.de/EN/topics/emf/mobile-communication/basics/5g/5g.html
- https://www.electricsense.com/is-5g-dangerous/
- https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/21/2/87
- https://www.gettingsmart.com/2019/04/5-ways-5g-will-make-classrooms-smarter/
- https://www.who.int/peh-emf/meetings/archive/en/proceedings_eng.pdf
- https://www.swisscom.ch/en/about/company/portrait/network/5g.html
- https://ehtrust.org/key-issues/cell-phoneswireless/5g-internet-everything/20-quick-facts-what-you-need-to-know-about-5g-wireless-and-small-cells/
- https://www.telekom.com/en/media/media-information/archive/deutsche-telekom-is-ready-to-launch-5g-in-germany-575974
- https://www.cellmapper.net/networks?country=262&net=ALL
- https://www.rcrwireless.com/20190708/5g/opensignal-us-has-the-fastest-5g-peak-speeds
- https://www.lifewire.com/5g-availability-us-4155914
- https://www.fcc.gov/5G
- https://www.lifewire.com/5g-news-4428066
- https://www.dw.com/en/5g-auction-in-germany-raises-65-billion-from-four-telcoms/a-49168657
- https://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/EN/publications/5g-strategy-for-germany.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
- https://emfscientist.org/images/docs/EMF_Scientist_Press_Release_5-1-2015.pdf
- What is electrosmog and why it is so harmful to health;
- How to mitigate EMF exposure;
- Easy and effective protective measures to promote wellbeing of every member of your family.
