5G cellular networks are already up and running in many regions around the world, including the US, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, etc. We expect 5G to roll out in India by late 2021, although widespread availability might take several years. The 5G technology will revolutionize internet data with high speeds and low latency. However, many are worried about increased radiation from 5G network infrastructure and how that might affect their health negatively. And we are going to discuss just that today. Is 5G bad for your health? Is 5G causing the COVID-19 case surge? We will answer all of these questions.
In this article, we will talk about the radiation risks from 5G networks and whether it is bad for people, animals, and the environment at large. We believe such an explainer is necessary because of the persistent rumors, misinformation campaigns, and various conspiracy theories against 5G networks.
- What is 5G Technology?
- Radiation Levels From 5G Networks
- Potential Health Risks From 5G Radiation
- Concerns Over 5G Networking Architecture
- Debunked: 5G Does Not Spread Coronavirus
- Existing Regulations About Cellular Radiation
- Concerns Over Millimeter Wave Radiation
- Scientific Evidence Regarding Effects of EMF Radiation
What is 5G Technology?
5G refers to the 5th-generation of wireless mobile networking technology and marks a big leap over 4G LTE. While the initial rollout of 5G networks started in 2019, it is still restricted to a handful of countries around the world.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the exposure from 5G network infrastructures at around 3.5 GHz is similar to that from 4G base stations. However, with the use of multiple beams from 5G antennas, exposure could increase based on the users’ location and their mobile usage.
According to the WHO, tissue heating is the primary mechanism of interaction of radio-frequency fields with the human body. Currently, the organization is conducting a health risk assessment from exposure to radio frequencies, covering the entire radio-frequency range, including 5G. WHO will publish its whitepaper by 2022, and it will likely include the scientific evidence related to potential health risks from 5G exposure as telcos worldwide deploy the network technology and as more public health-related data becomes available.
In the meantime, critics cite more than 500 studies that allegedly found harmful health effects from exposure to radio-frequencies even at low intensities that do not cause significant tissue heating. Citing this research, over 240 scientists, who have published peer-reviewed research on biological effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF), signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal, which calls for more stringent caps on 5G radiation exposure limits.
Most concerns regarding the potential health risks of 5G stem from its networking infrastructure, which is different than 3G/ 4G. The 5G base stations have a different architecture than those supporting 3G and 4G cellular networks. Unlike existing 3G/ 4G cell towers that are massive structures and located away from densely populated areas, 5G base stations can be smaller than a backpack. Hence, they can be mounted just about anywhere, including utility poles, trees, or rooftops in residential neighborhoods.
However, having several small 5G base stations instead of a few large 4G cell towers across the city also has its advantages. One of the benefits of small base stations is that they would not have to transmit as much power as current cell towers because the coverage areas would be smaller. A 5G radio replacing a 4G radio at 750 MHz will have the same coverage but will offer faster data speeds and quicker network response times.
While conspiracy theories about 5G networks being the cause of Coronavirus were rampant last year, they were debunked. But several misleading messages and rumors cropped up in India recently. Many claimed 5G network testing is the reason for the widespread second wave of Coronavirus in the country. These claims are, however, false and not correct.
Neither does 5G network spread #coronavirus. It spreads through respiratory droplets or by touching contaminated surfaces. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/r2AIQsCUKB
Multiple international organizations have established safe RF exposure limits for radiation from 5G networks. One of them is the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which recently updated its IEEE C95.1 guideline to reduce the limits for local exposure for frequencies above 6GHz. Various countries, including India, Belgium, Russia, and others, have announced even more stringent limits.
Radio-frequency exposure levels from current technologies result in negligible temperature rise in the human body. However, as the frequency increases, there is less penetration into the body tissues, and absorption of the energy becomes more confined to the surface of the body (skin and eye). With 5G antennas mounted at every 100 to 200 meters, millions of people will then be exposed to millimeter-wave radiation, albeit at very low intensity.
The WHO’s EMF Project, in collaboration with its global partners, has conducted extensive research into the possible adverse effects of exposure to many parts of the frequency spectrum. According to the agency, “All reviews conducted so far have indicated that exposures below the limits recommended in the ICNIRP (1998) EMF guidelines, covering the full frequency range from 0-300 GHz, do not produce any known adverse health effect. However, there are gaps in knowledge still needing to be filled before better health risk assessments can be made”.
Meanwhile, the WHO and the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) both assert time and again that guidelines regarding exposure are based on hard scientific evidence. Provided that the overall exposure remains below international guidelines, 5G infrastructure and the radiation from them won’t be a public health concern. That said, both the WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified all radio frequency radiation as possibly carcinogenic.
No peer-reviewed scientific research has definitively associated 5G with increased health risks in humans, animals, and plants. However, the lack of clarity suggests that we need more research before stating whether the 5G technology is entirely safe. One thing’s for certain, though. 5G networks will not help spread pandemics by facilitating electromagnetic communication between bacteria and viruses. That is merely a wild conspiracy theory. Meanwhile, since you are interested in wireless technologies, go ahead and check out our articles on wireless charging, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth mesh technologies as well.
