5G Guide: Technology & Health Implications

Wireless networks were initially created for people to easily talk to each other over radio frequency networks using “portable” phones.

Now, wireless networks serve many other purposes—but it seems still not enough for our new-age digitized world.

Enter 5G, the Fifth Generation of wireless networks (see “The Evolution of G’s“).

5G wireless technology is on its way to becoming the next global network. With this new network, almost every product or service imaginable will incorporate a cellular wireless signal, whether it’s for live streaming, production and transport of goods, personal tracking, remote control of amenities, or for convenient on-the-go services.

The Internet has become an integral part of our current society, but thanks to 5G, it’s going to permeate our lives even more.

5G sites have already been set up and deployed commercially, with widespread adoption worldwide slated for 2025. For an interactive live map of 5G sites around the world, click here.

What is 5G Technology?

Like the wireless generations before it, 5G mobile technology uses its own new frequency bands. The frequency bands of 4G networks simply don’t have enough room to accommodate the enormous amounts of data that will be transferred by 5G. However, that doesn’t mean 4G frequencies will be disappearing; 5G will just build upon the 4G network.

5G network speeds will be unparalleled—up to 100 gigabits per second, which is 100 times faster than current 4G speeds!

The past cellular network generations operated at around 1 to 3 gigahertz (GHz). 5G signals operate at three different sets of bandwidths. Low-Band 5G operates at below 1 GHz. Mid-Band 5G uses frequencies up to 6 GHz. High-Band frequencies uses 24 GHz bands and higher (the FCC approved up to 300 GHz!).

The High-Band frequencies introduce the millimeter wave, which starts at 30 GHz.

As you can see, this is not the standard “next-gen” upgrade we have seen in the past.

This low-latency technology will be integrated into all new electronic devices to truly connect the entire world through the “Internet of Things,” or IoT. It is estimated that from 2020 to 2025, the number of objects connected to the IoT will grow from 31 billion to over 75 billion. The goal in creating this massive network of “smart” objects is greater convenience, greater control, and greater efficiency in every aspect of life.

WATCH: WHAT IS 5G?

The Evolution of G’s

Cellular wireless networks have evolved over the years. In the 1980s, the first generation wireless network, or 1G, came out. It was voice-only, used analog signals, and had a limited number of users and coverage.

2G came about in the mid-1990s, using a new digital technology instead of an analog signal, so it supported text messaging and emails, as well as data roaming (but at a very low rate!).

When the 3G network was adopted in the early 2000s, it was built off the digital technology used in 2G, but had a higher data rate and introduced maps and location tracking (what did we do before this?!). It also featured multimedia messaging, video calling, video streaming, and mobile apps with web browsing.

4G was introduced in 2010, and really ramped up the data rate from 3G’s 384kbps to 1gbps, with upgrades to LTE and LTE-Advanced that improved the data rate even more. It allowed for high definition video gaming and streaming and could handle more advanced multimedia services and apps, with improved security.

5G is the next wireless network technology slowly being deployed. Full global adoption is estimated by 2025.

5G Technology Internet Capabilities

Hop in your Delorean, because we are going into the future!

Except Doc won’t be driving, since 5G technology will make driver-less cars as common as taxis in New York City (sorry, they probably won’t by flying yet).

Below are some of the proposed capabilities of 5G.

  • Exceptional video game and video streaming. Consumers will be able to download full 4K movies in mere seconds.
  • Live event streaming options from any location.
  • All devices will be able to talk to each other.
  • Doctors can have appointments via hi-def video chat and prescribe medicine without you ever stepping foot in an office or pharmacy.
  • The ability to monitor and track every amenity and smart device in and around your home.
  • Businesses will be able to quickly transfer huge sets of data. 
  • Traffic systems and lights will be smarter and timed better, optimizing urban planning and development.
  • Service providers are predicting a whole new level of customized service.
  • Cable companies will no longer require coaxial wire or fiber optics directly into your home to provide cable service. 

Sounds like a science-fiction movie, right?

Some think all this is too good to be true, and are arguing that 5G technology and the Internet of Things concept is being overblown. Industry analysts told the Financial Times that most of these 5G capabilities are already possible with 4G LTE technology.

Eric Xu, current Huawei Chairman, said at an industry conference that consumers will “find no material difference between 5G & LTE.” 

Another reason 5G is being overblown is that the blazing fast millimeter wave portion of the 5G spectrum can’t travel far or penetrate buildings, and both Verizon and T-Mobile have admitted that millimeter wave 5G probably won’t be available outside of urban metropolitan areas.

“It will never materially scale beyond small pockets of 5G hotspots in dense urban environments,” T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray wrote. The rest of the country will have to suffice with the “sub-6GHz” 5G frequencies that can be deployed using the existing spectrum. 

Not to mention, to access the 5G spectrum you will need to buy a brand new “5G-enabled” device. These new phones, tablets, and laptops will likely be more expensive, as the hardware installation is much more complex.

So why the big push?

Many argue that 5G will mostly benefit the cable companies, by drastically cutting their service costs and extending their range of high-speed coverage to regions that can’t easily install fiber optic cables. They will still be charging the same for mobile connectivity, and consumers will be happy to pay the same price for this upgraded technology.

The biggest problem, of course, is the potential radiation exposure risks 5G will bring once it is implemented. Even if it’s not the millimeter wave, lower frequencies still present many adverse health dangers.

5G Dangers

5G technology uses much higher radio frequencies, and is the first signal to use a millimeter wave (MMW), which ranges from 30 to 300 GHz.

These waves will be from 1 to 10 millimeters long, with prior wavelengths a centimeter or longer. They can only reach from around 10 meters to 2 kilometers, meaning 5G small cell towers will have to be installed every 750 feet, rather than miles apart.

This will increase the number of network antennas in the U.S. from 300,000 as of 2016 to millions of small cell towers estimated by 2020. Not to mention the 11-fold increase in low-orbit 5G satellites supplementing the grounded small cells with their own focused beams of microwave-frequency signals.

Health Risks of EMFs

To date, little research has been released showing what MMW 5G does to our bodies.

Dr. Martin Pall has found 41 studies on the potential health effects of 5G (compared to the 30,000 studies on effects of non-ionizing EMF radiation).

However, a multitude of government and independent studies have found statistically significant evidence that low-frequency radiation—equivalent to older network generations’ emissions—can cause biological human body damage, with associated effects ranging from minor body interference to cell mutations and cancer.

Swedish researchers have proven that children and unborn children are more susceptible to the effects of EMF exposure. Their study showed children who began using mobile phones regularly before age 20 had more than a fourfold increased brain tumor risk.

DNA damage from EMFs occur in sperm and can also occur in eggs, leading to large increases in mutation in newborns.

Research also has shown pregnant women frequently exposed to these EMFs had a three times higher risk of miscarriage.

But service providers and government agencies such as U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) argue there are no legitimate health concerns related to the levels of EMF radiation emitted by mobile devices.

The FCC has not updated cell phone safety standards since 1996, when the tests for safe levels of radiation were done on analog signals, which is a constant wave. Digital signals are different because they pulse, which makes them more damaging to the body. Standing on an ice-covered lake is pretty safe. But jumping up and down on ice is probably not a good idea.

In addition, the FCC’s cell phone safety standards use an outdated SAR (Specific Absorption Rating) that only takes into account the thermal effects of the radiation getting absorbed into the skin of a large 200-pound male. However, biological effects have been proven to exist regardless of how much the radiation heats cells, and a 200-pound male absorbs a lot less radiation than a small child, who is more at risk.

While government bodies and telecom companies say the current standards are sufficient for safety, it is interesting to see that many insurance companies will not offer coverage of harm by electromagnetic fields.

In the fine print of many disclaimers for phones and other wireless devices, telecom companies like Apple and Verizon acknowledge health concerns. Apple’s terms and conditions of use suggest keeping cell phones away from the head and body.

Health Risks of 5G Mobile

Little to no research data means we are currently in a live experiment, where 5G emissions are being introduced into our environment on a pervasive scale. We know a little bit of what 4G levels can do to the body, but 5G is offering frequencies 20 times faster and data transfer rates up to 100 times faster than 4G.

5G Predictions: What Science Says

So, what are the predicted health concerns of 5G?

Many people think that 5G will be less harmful to our bodies than 4G because the shorter wavelength cannot penetrate our skin as deeply. 5G also cannot travel as far, so the power level of these shorter wavelengths might be less than 4G. However, the increased number of cell towers needed to support this network will definitely mean more exposure to our bodies. Also, 5G uses different technologies than previous networks that might make it more harmful even if it can’t travel as far. The coverage is beam-based in 5G, not cell based.

This means that 5G uses Massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) which expands beyond current networks by adding multiple antennas to the base station. The increase in antennas helps focus energy using digital or 3D beamforming. Basically, the antennas can create focused horizontal and vertical beams directly towards a user, instead of the old method of one antenna sending out a broadcasted omnidirectional signal. While this increases data rates, data capacity, and lessens interference, this focused energy might increase your EMF exposure when you are using your device.

And with 5G frequencies still able to penetrate the skin, there is still the concern of cell damage (particularly through oxidative stress) to our biggest organ that can further affect different systems in our body.

Scientists are concerned (see “What Scientists Think“) that this increased exposure to 5G’s higher frequency will not only exacerbate the already researched health effects of lower generations of wireless, but create new problems of its own that won’t be seen until 5G is already in place.

According to Dr. Martin Pall’s research, EMFs activate calcium channels (VGCCs) that are in the membrane surrounding each cell in our body. EMF’s control of this voltage sensor can lead to many biological effects in humans and especially in small animals (bees and insects) and plants. Dr. Pall thinks because the 5G millimeter wave frequencies are so highly pulsed, they will affect our VGCC’s more and cause disease at a faster rate. He believes that 5G specifically will have massive impacts on the outer one to two inches of our bodies. The shorter wavelength’s rapid absorption into the body and its rapid pulsations that are more biologically active may create many different biological effects.

Pall predicts blindness, hearing loss, skin cancers, male infertility, autoimmune diseases, and thyroid issues.

According to Ronald M. Powell, Ph.D., a retired government scientist, 5G’s scale of pervasiveness “would irradiate everyone, including the most vulnerable to harm from radio frequency radiation: pregnant women, unborn children, young children, teenagers, men of reproductive age, the elderly, the disabled, and the chronically ill.”

5G’s millimeter wave was used for non-lethal crowd control tactics by the military, in which millimeter waves (90 GHz) would penetrate a target’s skin to make the individual feel like their “skin was on fire” so that they would run away from the beam. 

One study revealed that waves over 60 GHz penetrated skin by 90 percent. This type of skin penetration can lead to skin disease, inflammation (which is the crux of most modern diseases from diabetes to autoimmune diseases of all kinds), and cancer.

A recent study by Israeli scientists reports that 5G frequencies resonate more intensely with human sweat ducts, sending EMF signals more effectively throughout the body. 

We don’t know for sure how much these higher frequencies will affect our bodies, but even with 5G present, 4G frequencies will still be very much in use.

The health effects of 5G might not be seen for decades, at which point it will be hard to turn back, as children will have been born and raised in this new potentially toxic experimental environment (see “When History Repeats Itself“).

Besides the health effects on humans, 5G could spell out potential disaster for bees, small animals, and crops, which might be much more affected by an artificial MMW frequency. It could also be trouble for international security, weather forecasting, and personal data privacy.

WHAT SCIENTISTS THINK

“Epidemiological studies have shown use of such cell phones that were compliant with the current safety standards and emitted radiation levels that were below current safety limits for over 10 years led to an increased risk of developing brain cancer.”

– Professor Dariusz Leszczynski, World Expert in Radio Frequency EMF emissions. He was in the 2011 World Health Organization evaluation group that classified all radio frequency emissions as possible carcinogens.

“At the cell level, mitochondria and metabolism are deeply affected by ion nervous pulses. The effects lie dormant for years. It’s the latency timeline that’s a problem. Cancers often do not appear for twenty or thirty years. With the screens generation, we see cancer-causing problems starting in the embryo.”

– Dr. Fiorella Belpoggi, Director of Research at the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Centre, Ramazzini Institute, in Bologna, Italy. Belpoggi is well versed on many health effects of EMF radiation, including acoustic nerve tumors and facial tumors.

“I have published 7 studies showing there exists exquisite sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the voltage sensors in each cell… 5G will be much more active in activating the VGCCs (voltage sensors) and producing health impacts, because of its rapid absorption by materials in the body, because of its very rapid pulsations and because of the huge number antennae they are planning to put up, at least 200 times the number of antennae from all current cell phone towers. What this means is that the impacts on the outer one to two inches of our bodies will be massive.”

– Dr. Martin Pall, a Biochemistry Professor at the Washington State University. Pall been vigorously opposing the introduction of 5G and wrote a letter discussing the severe biological and health effects resulting from this new technology.

5G Road to Implementation

5G Technology in the U.S.

Estimates say that by 2023, up to 32 percent of North American mobile connections will be on a 5G network.

On July 4, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—the U.S. governmental agency responsible for regulating wired and wireless interstate communications—endorsed a transition to 5G for cellular networks.

At the commission meeting, Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., presented a written comment protesting the endorsement.

He stated, “The FCC’s RF standards were adopted 20 years ago. Many scientists believe these standards are obsolete because they do not protect the population from established, non-thermal risks from RF radiation exposure. Thus, to ensure public health and safety, the FCC should commission an independent review of the biologic and health research to determine whether the RF standards should be modified before allowing additional spectrum to be used for new commercial applications.”

Since then, hundreds of other scientists have written letters and voiced opposition to the FCC’s approval of 5G adoption, including Dr. Pall, who thinks current FCC guidelines are inadequate and outdated.

Dr. Yael Stein, MD, said in his letter: The use of sub-terahertz (Millimeter wave) communications technology (cell phones, Wi-Fi, network transmission antennas) could cause humans to feel physical pain via nociceptors.”

A number of scientists submitted a letter to the FCC, asking the governmental body to consider health risks and environmental issues before rapidly deploying 5th generation wireless infrastructure.

The National Institute for Science, Law & Public Policy (NISLAPP) says it “considers it a mistake to place new high-frequency radiating antennas in local communities, in very close proximity to homes, offices and schools, when no pre-market health testing at scale has been conducted on the effects of the radiation emitted, to our knowledge, and when much safer hard-wired internet access technologies are readily available.”

The U.S. Army reviewed 350 millimeter wave studies and cited non-thermal biological effects from EMF radiation – effects not protected by our current thermal-based FCC guidelines.

However, the FCC (who the law requires to serve the public interest) appears to be undermining the current research findings that cast wireless technology in a negative light. They claim there is no reason to update their standards on radiation emissions (see “Accused of Collusion“).

In February 2020, the Environmental Health Trust under Devra Davis sued the FCC for failing to update its radiation safety standards for cell phones, claiming they’ve ignored all the scientific research that has established harmful effects.

When the FCC endorsed the transition to 5G in 2016, then-Chairman Tom Wheeler (a former telecom industry lobbyist) vowed “to allow new [5G] technologies and innovations to evolve and flourish without needlessly prescriptive regulations.”

In March 2018, the FCC, in an effort to speed up the 5G implementation process, ordered the elimination of environmental and historical review of 5G cell siting, and limiting local control of 5G deployment and small cell box installations (FCC Order 18-30).

After the March ruling, many lawsuits were raised. Later that year, the FCC restricted fees that cities charge telecom companies for setting up towers and other wireless infrastructure in their communities. (FCC Order 18-133). It gives an up-front application fee of $100 and an annual $270 fee per small cell, instead of the old average of $500 per cell. It also limited the review time of the construction permit.

This upset more cities, and they sued the FCC over the order, arguing the new fees were not enough income to support the installation of 5G service and deployments.

In terms of federal representation of those opposed to 5G deployment, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Reps. Anna G. Eshoo, Thomas Suozzi, Daniel Lipinsky, Andy Kim and Peter A. DeFazio have all requested updated safety research on 5G-specific frequencies.

The legislators of New Hampshire, Oregon, Louisiana, and Alaska want to test 5G technology before unleashing it on the entire nation. 

Many cities in the U.S. and around the world are experiencing a groundswell of public protests about the potential dangers of 5G.

5G Internationally

Protests to 5G extend around the globe. Scientists and concerned citizens worldwide are appealing the introduction of 5G.

An International Appeal to stop 5G on Earth and in Space has been signed by 50,000-plus scientists, doctors, environmental organizations and citizens. The appeal states that “These 5G plans threaten to provoke serious, irreversible effects on humans and permanent damage to all of the Earth’s ecosystems.”

One of the signers is Professor Pierre Mallia, chairperson of the National Health Ethics Committee and lecturer at the University of Malta’s school of medicine. He warns that until such time as someone funds enough studies for ample evidence into the dangers of 5G, many people might be harmed. “Industry can be very difficult to control to the extent that it has a lot of weight on politics. This is a worldwide concern and not only local.”

“As an ethicist I spoke and wrote about the precautionary principle: when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically,” Mallia said.

The European Parliament published an in-depth analysis on 5G deployment, comparing the race worldwide. Of significance in their report was their claim that 5G should not be labeled a race at all.

“It is becoming clear that the technology will take much longer than earlier generations to perfect… This is because the technologies involved with 5G are much more complex. One aspect, for example, that is not well understood today is the unpredictable propagation patterns that could result in unacceptable levels of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation.”

The 35-page report makes 4 key recommendations for successful 5G deployment in the EU. The first one? Increasing long-term research and development efforts on 5G to understand multiple propagation unknowns, like measuring and controlling RF EMF exposure with MIMO at mmWave frequencies.

The report includes a section on analyzing 5G safety, where it states the following:

“Increased exposure may result not only from the use of much higher frequencies in 5G but also from the potential for the aggregation of different signals, their dynamic nature, and the complex interference effects that may result, especially in dense urban areas. The problem is that currently it is not possible to accurately simulate or measure 5G emissions in the real world.”

In the European Union, a team of investigative journalists, called Investigate Europe, are leading a project called “The 5G Mass Experiment.” The ongoing investigation seeks to examine the risks of deployment of 5G and the adequacy of EMF safety guidelines promoted by the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

According to their research, they allege governments and the EU commission are not recognizing health risks related to EMF radiation from mobile devices –even though Telecom companies themselves have noted these risks. To justify their oversight, they cite guidelines established by transnational scientific bodies. This seems legitimate at first, but Investigate Europe found that “these bodies are closed clubs: people with dissenting opinions are not invited in. And, a significant number of the scientists involved have received funding from companies with vested interests in the 5G roll-out.”

Basically, these scientists are ensuring the cellular industry will continue to fund future research. They just have to keep preserving the outdated ICNIRP exposure guidelines preferred by the cellular industry.

Finland – Finland has been a guiding country for developing and testing cellular networks, thanks to Nokia, the University of Oulu, and Finland’s government. They were among the first to debut 5G commercially, and are spearheading the research for 6G. But, even in the wireless network sanctuary, a petition against 5G installations has gathered thousands of signatures.

Belgium – The Brussels region has historically had tough radiation standards for telecom applications, and have temporarily halted 5G.“ I cannot welcome such technology if the radiation standards, which must protect the citizen, are not respected, 5G or not,” said environment minister Céline Fremault (CDH). “The people of Brussels are not guinea pigs whose health I can sell at a profit. We cannot leave anything to doubt,” she added.

Switzerland –Switzerland will introduce a 5G monitoring system after 5G pushback from citizens. The Swiss cabinet agreed to empower the federal environmental agency to measure levels of non-ionizing radiation, assess the risks from that radiation and will regularly make its findings public. Following the installation of many 5G antennas in Geneva, several residents and families in the area reported similar EMF symptoms of loud ringing in the ear, intense headaches, unbearable earaches, insomnia, chest pain, fatigue and not feeling well in the house. 

Italy – The XII Municipality of Rome called for Italy to refuse to increase allowable radiation levels and for 5G-free zones. The action passed 11-3, and now many other municipalities in Italy are thinking of following suit.

Germany – A petition for the German Parliament to stop 5G allocation has reached over 50,000 signatures, based on “scientifically justified doubts about the safety of this technology”, according to the petition.

When History Repeats Itself: The Cost of Advances in Innovation

It will take many years before we fully understand the dangers of new technology in our environment and before potentially toxic effects from research can be extrapolated. Cell phones and other personal devices we use every day have not been around very long, existing on a global scale for only around ten years or so. Like many advances in human innovation, our lives are improving but there is usually a hidden cost.

The hidden cost of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s was a climate crisis that is just now starting to be felt. If you smoked cigarettes 50 years ago, or consumed trans-fat oils 30 years ago, you were harming your body, but the science proving its health risks wouldn’t come out to the public until after lung cancer, heart disease, and diabetes affected millions of people.

Scientific understanding evolves over time, as does the assessment of a substance’s biological impact on our bodies. Spanning over the last 30 years, cell phones went from rarely being used to functioning as an extra attachment to our bodies. Studies today warn of health dangers related to cell phone technologies up to 4G, and scientists are projecting 5G may be worse.

ACCUSED OF COLLUSION

On January 24, 2019, the head of the House Commerce Committee, Frank Pallone (NJ-D), sent a letter to the current Chairman, Ajit Pai, that called the integrity of the FCC into question regarding their September ruling that established a low set price for small cell installations.

He thought it was peculiar that the first organizations to file lawsuits against this ruling were the telecom companies themselves, who the order was directly benefiting in the form of billions of dollars. He asked the FCC for information on its communication with the cell phone industry (that it’s intended to regulate) and whether the FCC deliberately encouraged these companies to challenge the ruling.

Why would the FCC want this? Well, the lawsuits from the telecom companies were filed in 4 different circuit courts – First, Second, Tenth and Washington D.C. – instead of just one, on October 25, 2018. Twenty-four cities filed their own lawsuits against the FCC 5 days later, on October 30, in the 9th Circuit (California).

According to The Register: “Due to the concentration of Californian legal challengers, the issue would naturally expect to be heard in California’s Ninth Circuit. The Ninth Circuit has a long history of striking down efforts by the federal government to impose its will on the state. As such, the FCC could reasonably expect its order to be challenged – and possibly lose which would delay and possibly derail the whole program.”

Basically, the FCC is being accused of colluding: The FCC knew its ruling would raise lawsuits, specifically in the 9th circuit. It knew the 9th circuit hearing would most likely vote in favor of the state’s rights and appeal the ruling, so it had the telecom companies file lawsuits in different courts with a “friendlier venue”. As a result of the lawsuits being filed in multiple circuits, a lottery was held and the tenth circuit (Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado) was chosen to handle the consolidated lawsuits.

San Jose and 22 other cities and counties bid to transfer the case from the Tenth Circuit to the Ninth Circuit, where many of the lawsuits were filed. The FCC, Sprint, Verizon, Puerto Rico Telephone Company, CTIA – The Wireless Association®, the Wireless Infrastructure Association, and the Competitive Carriers Association all filed a response opposing transfer. On January 10, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted the bid to move the case to the Ninth Circuit.

True, the telecom companies might have justifiably opposed the ruling in support of even more industry power than it was already being granted. But opposing the transfer shows that the FCC and all the telephone companies really didn’t want the Ninth Circuit to hear the case.

Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote a letter to the FCC on January 30, 2019, asking it to address the reports accusing the FCC of working with the phone companies.

“Even though additional cases filed by wireless carriers in separate jurisdictions were eventually transferred back to the Ninth Circuit, the reason for their filing in the first place remains a concern,” the letter said. “Pressuring entities that are regulated by the FCC to file frivolous litigation in order to game the system, and potentially threatening companies if they fail to comply, would be an unacceptable abuse of power and raise serious ethical concerns.”

Where is 5G Now?

In as early as 2017, 5G trials began in mature and developed markets such as the U.S., the U.K., Finland, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, Spain and many other countries in Europe. Click here for an interactive map showing 5G developments worldwide, updated weekly. 

During these trials, 5G networks used hotspots and broadband modems to allow 4G devices to access 5G without integrated 5G hardware.

Many trials targeted the low-band and mid-band ranges of 5G, and have not tested the millimeter wave bandwidths, which promises considerably higher data speeds once hardware installations can be figured out.

However, some people mistakenly think they already have 5G service, under the 5GE network.

AT&T recently rebranded their 4G LTE-Advanced network to be called 5GE (5G Evolution). It does offer really high speeds, but it is not close to the speeds of the actual 5G network. Sprint filed a lawsuit against AT&T in January 2019 for deceiving the public about its 5GE capabilities.

The summer of 2020 is estimated to be the first time consumers are offered a full 5G experience. Research by Amdocs found that more than two-thirds (70%) of surveyed executives from the world’s 100 largest networks claim that upcoming major sports events, such as the 2020 Olympics and European Championship, are influencing their 5G roll-out timelines.

Even then, 5G services will remain spotty as they are implemented in cities. They will first be focused in crowded city centers, airports and stadiums. 5G-compatible devices will be available around mid-2019 (see “Debut of 5G Phones“), but integrated 5G devices won’t be seen for another year or two after that.

Analysts predict it will take a while before the network’s reach will be extensive enough to let you use 5G devices on 5G networks. However, they will be able to work on 4G LTE networks when 5G isn’t available.

DEBUT OF 5G PHONES

In 2019, 5G phones and other devices will mostly all be operating with Qualcomm chips (excluding Apple, which will debut a 5G phone until 2020, Huawei, which is restricted in the U.S., and some of Samsung’s International phones).

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 chipset, that will be used in the first 5G phones (Galaxy, LG, ZTE Axon, OnePlus), does not have a 5G modem. Instead, the chipset was pieced to an integrated 4G LTE modem, with a separate 5G modem that takes up more space in the phone and drains the battery. In 2020 Qualcomm had a second chipset with an integrated 5G modem, to save space and be more efficient. This will make 5G the default network on phones.

What You Can Do About 5G

Most people are completely unaware of the dangers of radiation emitted by mobile phones and other electronic devices.

They sleep with their phones under their pillows, spend hours with their laptops on their laps, and pay big money for WiFi on planes and cruise ships just to stay connected 24/7.

While many are trying to downplay the effects of this radiation, thousands of scientists, healthcare providers and just ordinary citizens are concerned about the health effects EMF radiation can have on our bodies.

When scientific research calls something into question, more research and preventative measures should be taken.

And EMF radiation has been proven in multiple studies to biologically affect cells, DNA, and entire processes within the body.

Inform

Sharing this information and informing as many people as possible about these potentially harmful effects can only help safeguard the public, and create – through word-of-mouth – a mounting public issue.

5G specifically is being heralded as a world-changing wireless network; but the vast majority of the public is only hearing of the positive changes 5G will have. And with little to no research proving 5G wavelengths are specifically hazardous to human health, many people aren’t thinking twice about the possibility that 5G could be more detrimental than beneficial to society. Even if the hazards to humans are not the primary concern, 5G could have many other negative impacts on the environment, including using more power and releasing CO2 emissions, hurting animals and agriculture, risking privacy and security, and interfering with weather forecasting.

5G Technology Protection

There are ways to shield your body from excessive exposure to EMF radiation.

Yes, this will become harder with the implementation of commercial 5G networks, which will connect the entire globe through millions of small cell towers that constantly send out gigahertz frequency millimeter waves.

But, there are many ways you can minimize and counteract this EMF radiation exposure.

1) Turn Off, Unplug, or Deactivate Wireless Signals

Minimize emissions from smart devices when you are not using them.

This means turning off WiFi at night (and during the day when you aren’t using it), enabling Airplane Mode on your device whenever possible, turning off Bluetooth, etc.

Whatever you are not actively using, get it away from your body and/or turn off its radio signals.

5G devices will be able to still connect to 4G networks, so using this lower-frequency wireless connection when you have to connect will lower your exposure to the higher-frequency 5G millimeter wave.

2) Use Your devices Less. And Use Less devices.

However much you might think you need to be connected 24/7 on 6+ devices, whether it be your smart watch, your smart fridge, your wireless earpods, you don’t!

Using these less frequently will lower the amount of EMF emissions you are exposed to, which will decrease the possibility of negative health effects developing down the road.

You can read a real book, or write on a pad of paper, or open the fridge to check your stock levels.

It doesn’t have to be a complete disconnect, just less frequent use! It’s all about the small steps.

3) Distance Yourself From Your Devices!

While you might not be able to relocate your home away from a cell tower (which is always a good move) you can keep all connected devices a safe distance away.

Try to never carry devices directly against your body (cell phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches), especially near your soft-tissue organs (head, heart, chest, reproductive system) which are more vulnerable to low-frequency radiation.

Try to maintain 1 foot of distance while actively using the device, and at least 4 feet when you are not using the device (like when you sleep or play music from your device).

Keep WiFi routers 10 feet away from spaces you occupy most frequently in your home.

4) Wire Up!

Radio frequencies are created by wireless connections.

This could be your keyboard, mouse, speakers, headphones, WiFi, gaming remotes, microphones, or any other wireless accessory!

To eliminate these radio frequencies (but not all EMF frequencies, since all electronics, plugged in or wireless, also emit ELF frequencies) use an Ethernet cable to connect to the Internet, and plug in everything that connects to either another device or the Internet wirelessly.

5) Use an EMF Radiation Shield

EMF shields can be used with mobile devices to block EMF radiation from reaching your body.

DefenderShield technology blocks RF and ELF EMF emissions that come from all electronic devices. Whether you are using a phone, tablet, laptop, or headphones, DefenderShield products help you stay protected while connected.

Check out this podcast with Wellness Mama featuring DefenderShield co-founder, for more information on how to protect yourself from EMF radiation and the rise of 5G.

Other Actions You Can Take

Want to do more? 5G is coming fast, but not without some road blocks.

In the U.S., many cities and communities are filing lawsuits against the FCC’s 5G rulings.

Informing as many people in local and federal government about the potential health effects of 5G, and the unwillingness of the FCC to research these effects before massive 5G deployment, is key to introducing legislation that might limit the scope or delay the implementation of 5G.

Contact your government and let them know you are concerned for your safety.

Right now, many legislators and government workers are not aware that 5G has any health implications. Who is?

We know California Congresswoman Eshoo, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Connecticut Senator Blumenthal, and head of the House Commerce Committee, Frank Pallone (NJ-D) all have fought back against 5G implementation.

Going to your local news station can also help turn 5G into a major public issue that the government needs to address. You can also write a letter to the editor for most newspaper publications.

While you might not be able to change the rules or the 5G implementation process, raising as much public awareness as you can will make sure that 5G becomes a more contested issue.

This might pave the way for further research – and insight into – the health effects of 5G wireless radiation.

READ NEXT: EMF Explained Video Series