 |
| Image : tdk.com |
The advent of 5G has raised many
concerns among people, to the extent that anti-5G movements have emerged
in various countries in recent months.
Some extreme right-wing groups
have even developed conspiracy theories linking 5G to the COVID-19
pandemic. Some activists have gone as far as setting fire to telecommunications
towers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and recently in Québec. A couple from
Sainte-Adèle has been formally accused of setting fire to two cellphone
towers; allegedly, they are behind a wave of fires that damaged at least seven
towers in the northern suburbs of Montréal.
The false news concerning 5G
spread at lightning speed on social networks, relayed by influencers and
celebrities, and is reinforcing the fears of people who were already suspicious
of 5G’s potential health effects.
These conspiracy theories argue,
for example, that the spread of the virus from the epicenter of the pandemic in
Wuhan, China, is linked to the large number of 5G towers in the city. In
reality, a 5G network is not even fully deployed there. Other theories falsely
claim that the waves emitted by the 5G infrastructure would weaken our immune
system.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) has had to warn the public about misinformation related to 5G telephone
networks, insisting that the networks do not spread COVID-19 and that
viruses do not circulate over radio waves or mobile networks. Moreover,
COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not even have a 5G mobile
network.
A revolutionary technology?
 |
| Image : Qorvo.com |
The fifth generation of
wireless communication technologies, 5G is expected to better cope with the
explosion of global data traffic predicted in the coming years. In addition to
improving the technical capabilities of the 4G network, this new standard
crosses the ultimate frontier essential for massive and simultaneous
communications between machines.
Among its impacts, 5G will
accelerate the automation of industries, the introduction of autonomous
vehicles, the development of smart cities, telehealth, and remote surgery. All
this will be made possible by three main factors: increased connection speeds
through improved use of high-frequency bands, reduced latency, and the use of
next-generation infrastructure such as small directional antennas. These
antennae with signal relay devices can be integrated into street fixtures,
buildings, transport, and utilities to support targeted signal distribution.
Taking into account the potential
and real risks and effects on human health, what is the social cost of these
new ultra-connected devices?
Deployment in Canada
Regarded by the Information and
Communications Technology Council of Canada (ICTC) as “the last beachfront
property,” the deployment of 5G in Canada is in the pre-commercialization
phase. It will take several more months before Canadians can truly benefit from
the innovative services and uses associated with this technology.
Since the end of 2019, major
telecommunications companies have announced the construction of their networks
and the selection of their equipment manufacturers. Rogers has teamed up with
Swedish giant Ericsson, Vidéotron with South Korea’s Samsung, Bell has chosen
Finland’s Nokia, and Telus has entered into a partnership with China’s Huawei.
It should be noted that the federal government has still not authorized
Canadian suppliers to use Huawei’s equipment. This is a sensitive issue, given
the allegations of espionage against Huawei, which is suspected of having ties
with the Chinese government.
The detention in Vancouver of
Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, and the escalation of
diplomatic tensions between Canada and China put Ottawa in an embarrassing
situation. The results of the national security threat investigation are still
pending to determine whether Huawei will be allowed to participate in 5G’s
operations in Canada.
A poll released by the Angus Reid
Institute in late December 2019, indicated that a majority of Canadians
(69 percent) want the Chinese telecom giant to play no role in the deployment
of 5G mobile technology in Canada. That divide was maintained in another
survey released in February.
In addition, delays can be
expected in the allocation of frequencies and the establishment of 5G networks
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest Ericsson Mobility Report estimates
that the 5G market will not really take off until 2021, and forecasts more than
one billion subscriptions worldwide by 2023.
No danger to human health
Several scientists are concerned
about the possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields generated
by devices connected to the 5G network.
Some studies report symptoms
observed in “electrosensitive” people such as stress, headaches, heart problems
and impaired cognitive functions (memory, attention, coordination) in children.
Nevertheless, there is no scientifically proven diagnosis and no
causal link can be established today between these symptoms, which remain
inexplicable, and exposure to electromagnetic fields.
Research validated by the WHO and
health authorities in several countries—including Canada—conclude at this time
that 5G does not pose a danger to human health, given national and
international standards that limit exposure to radio frequencies
It is already an established fact
that electromagnetic waves, such as those emitted by microwave ovens, household
appliances, computers, wireless routers, cell phones, and other wireless
devices are non-ionizing. Unlike X-rays or ultraviolet rays, they are not
powerful enough to reach the cells of the human body and affect our immune
system.
The object of all fears
The use of 5G has become a
controversial issue, crystallizing society’s concerns. It is not the first time
(and won’t be the last) that technological progress has been challenged by
irrational fear generated by uncertainty about the risks of a technology
perceived as invasive.
However, the overwhelming
enthusiasm of technophiles and other “early adopters” of technological
innovations should not lead us into the “technological solutionism” that would
present 5G as the new life-saving technology. On the other hand, the skepticism
of technophobes and the opposition of anti-5G activists and conspiracy seekers
must not lead us into collective paranoia.
Between these two extremes—and in
the current context of a paradigm shift—we recommend a third way: reinventing
society’s relationship with technology in a rational way. The time has come for
businesses, public authorities, and citizens to question the challenges,
opportunities, vices and virtues, of the widespread digitization of society.
The deployment of 5G is part of this process and represents both a new
challenge and an opportunity for societal progress.
It is possible to embrace the
promises of the digital transformation without neglecting to take the necessary
precautions for health and the environment. We must not fall into technological
determinism and believe that we have no power over these technologies.
0 Comments