The subsequent generation of high-speed mobile data, which is referred to as 5G, exists in lots of nations including the UK, the US, as well as Australia. However, with the rolling out of the new network, a lot of confusion and misconceptions regarding the technology still remain. One remarkably alarming falsehood sprang up during the COVID-19 pandemic when back in May, conspiracy philosophers tried to link 5G with the spreading of the virus. This led to individuals intimidating broadband engineers plus burning cell towers. At that time, quite a few social media platforms comprising YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook scrambled to control the spreading of this misrepresentation.
This is not totally surprising – 5G will be impacting the lives of many people across the globe, and justifiably there are plenty of queries being asked. Apart from connecting us to a lighting fast mobile network, these 5G networks will likewise benefit the entire industries because of the faster connection too, including the self-driving vehicles, healthcare industry, the Internet of Things, as well as drones. With the continuation of the rollout of 5G throughout 2020, it’s foreseen that by 2023 there is going to be 1 billion 5G customers out there.
We’re going to reveal several 5G myths in the following paragraphs.
Is 5G benign?
One significant concern regarding 5G is that the radio frequency of the network is going to be unsafe, expose individuals to radiation that can result in cancer. The worries aren’t unfounded entirely – according to a 2011 report from the WHO cellphone radiation ought to be registered as “probably carcinogenic to individuals.” A study financed by the United States government in 2016 exhibited a link between malignancies in rats and radiofrequency radiation. Moreover, popular smartphones similar to the Galaxy and iPhone handsets might exceed the radiofrequency radiation level certified by the FCC.
However, a direct connection between cell phone radiation and cancer happens to be complicated and might be exaggerated. For one particular thing, a number of stuff encountered by us on a regular basis are considered to be carcinogenic threats to some extent, including aloe vera, diesel fuel, in addition to pickled food. The above-mentioned 2016 study likewise exposed male rats to radiation levels which exceeded the levels of radiation that humans would be coming across from their smartphones.
Although we should not be 100% confident right now, it is known to us that following more than 6 years of review and research in August 2019, Ajit Pai, the FCC Chairman, distributed a proposal to consider smartphones, including ones making use of 5G, as risk-free. More recently, a study conducted by the Oregon State University published on 9th July revealed that the 5G radiation effects on zebrafish (which respond similarly to human cells) had been benign.
Is there any link between 5G and Covid-19?
It is a fact that when the novel coronavirus broke out, a lot of conspiracy theorists were of the notion that 5G happens to be the actual cause of this virus. Apart from this, it was reported by one Facebook user that Bill Gates, who happens to be the Microsoft cofounder, was responsible for creating 5G with the purpose of decreasing the population of the world.
All these claims do not have any scientific merit. As per health experts, doctors, and scientists, this new coronavirus happens to be a virus resulting in the Covid-19 disease, and it is actually spread by means of person-to-person contact. Apart from this, there is likewise some evidence that it is possible for the disease to spread by means of compact-sized airborne particles. In both cases, Covid-19 will not be spreading through radio waves or 5G networks.
Will 4G be replaced by 5G? Will one require a new smartphone?
Although a 5G phone will be required for accessing a 5G network, it does not imply that you will require one for taking advantage of its speed benefits. With the rolling out of the new network, you might be experiencing faster download as well as upload speeds on 4G too. Furthermore, 5G is not going to replace 4G altogether. Instead, it happens to be its personal distinct technology which builds on top of the present 4G networks. Consequently, even though 5G might be available in your location, your smartphone has not become outdated just yet, and the good thing is that it will nevertheless work perfectly on 4G.
However, will the present phone be faster?
As per a report published in the year 2019, approximately 20% of all the international mobile connections are going to be on 5G in the near future. In fact, by 2025, the usage of 4G LTE will be approximately 60%, which happens to be an increment from 42% in 2018. Put simply, 5G is not going to replace 4G in the same manner as what was done by 4G with 3G when it was first launched. And although some industries and economies have been halted by Covid-19, 5G integration is nevertheless rolling out. Purchasers in China, the origin of the outbreak, consider 5G to be a must-have at present. In fact, there is an increment in subscriptions to this network right now.
When considering these, those individuals who are using 4G phones might experience an increment in speed with the rolling out of 5G networks. It is mainly because of a couple of reasons, namely, carrier aggregation and dynamic spectrum sharing. Dynamic spectrum sharing technology enables the carriers to use the identical spectrum band for 5G as well as 4G. While individuals are shifting towards 5G, the paths of 4G will be open for smart home gadgets as well as users who are not yet on 5G. As more individuals tend to leave 4G, its capacity is going to increase along with its speed. Dynamic spectrum sharing is assisting providers such as Verizon and AT&T to provide different 5G flavors out there.
Carriers are permitted by carrier aggregation to blend 4G signals with other signals which will lead to a significant performance enhancement, according to Heidi Hemmer who happens to be the vice president of Verizon. As mentioned previously, 5G is going to build on 4G technology, and therefore, you will be experiencing lower latency periods while carriers go on developing their 5G networks.
