There is quite a lot of misinformation circulating about 5G which seems to have become the new subject to alarm people. Is it dangerous, can it cause radiation damage or even viruses? In this article, we will explain what it is and what it isn’t; what effect does it have on humans and why do we need it. Firstly 5G is not a technology, it is a set of standards. When we talk about 5G standards, we mean a wide-ranging set of rules, attributes and collectively endorsed technologies that will define 5G networks around the world. Such a consensus is necessary in order to avoid a fragmented 5G environment.  These standards are published by the International Telecommunications Union and others.  Individual manufacturers will then build technology and applications that comply with those standards. The standards are about how different systems communicate using radio waves (electromagnetic waves).  All of the horror stories being spread are about radio waves.  So the first thing to be understood is that we are being bombarded by radio waves all of the time including billions from outer space.  Radio waves, which are sine waves, are measured in Hertz, a unit of one cycle per second.  The period between individual waves can be anywhere between 3 Kilohertz and 300Ghz (300 billion hertz).  Radio waves go from a transmitter to a receiver.  Your mobile operator sends radio waves to you and you send them back.  A signal can only travel for a distance determined by its wavelength.  This can be from a few millimetres to many kilometres. Mobile phone transmissions use very short waves and, to get wide coverage, radio masts are erected to pass the signals along.  The shorter the wave, the more masts are needed.  A problem arises when too many messages are being sent along one frequency.  The radio spectrum is very limited and, in many populated areas, there is not enough room for all of the signals that want to travel.  The 4G spectrum has now more or less run out in many areas.  The smaller the wavelength then the faster they travel and the less room they take but, the more masts they need.  This is why we need a wholly new approach to developing the management of radio waves for messaging and that is what the 5G standards are all about. It is important to distinguish between electromagnetic waves that ionize and those that don’t. Ionizing radiation is a type of energy released by atoms that travels in the form of electromagnetic waves (gamma or X-rays) or particles (neutrons, beta or alpha). The spontaneous disintegration of atoms is called radioactivity, and the excess energy emitted is a form of ionizing radiation.  Non-ionizing radiation refers to any type of electromagnetic radiation that does not carry enough energy per quantum (photon energy) to ionize atoms or molecules—that is, to completely remove an electron from an atom or molecule. Radio waves at all wavelengths are non-ionizing.  This is why we are able to say, with a high degree of certainty, that 5G based systems pose no threats at all to human health.  The only exception to this is in the case of what are called millimetre wave transmitters, if a human sat on the mast for a significant amount of time then their body would warm up.  Most 5g based systems are or will be operating below 6 Ghz which is not significantly higher than the more advanced 4G based systems which operate at around 4Ghz.   Millimetre wave systems (24 – 86 Ghz) will only be deployed in very high-density areas like large stadia, city centres and very big buildings with high occupancy.  The masts will be sited so that they cannot be accessed for people to sit on them. 5G systems are safe. So why do we need 5G.  Partly because we are running out of 4G spectrum but more importantly to enable emerging technologies.  These include factory automation, robot-enabled remote surgery, driverless cars, remote working, smart cities, pupil-centric education, mobile artificial and virtual reality, and many others of these.  All of these applications are data-intensive and need very fast response times. That is what 5G based technologies will provide.  The operational goals for 5G projects are:

• Up to 1000 times increased in bandwidth, per unit area
• Up to 100 times more connected devices
• Up to 10Gbps connection rates to mobile devices in the field
• A perceived network availability of 99.999%
• A perceived 100% network coverage
• Maximum of 1ms end-to-end round-trip delay (latency)
• Up to 90% reduction in network energy utilization

Frequently Asked Questions They are laying fibre optic cables in my road.  Are these 5G? Fibre optic are vital component for delivering the signal content to the wireless systems in 5G based networks. These they call backhaul systems.  They do not utilise radio waves but instead, typically, use something called packet switching.  However, what is being laid in your road will not be backhaul systems but are, basically, upgraded telephone systems but going millions of times faster than the old twisted-pair copper wire that they replace. Should I but a Geiger counter to check whether I am being affected by 5G masts? By all means if it would put your mind at rest.  You can get them on Amazon from around €30 right up to €2,000-3,000 from professional suppliers.  You get what you pay for. But bear in mind that radio waves are not ionizing, so they do not emit anything that a Geiger counter would detect.  On the other hand, you may have a radioactive strata below your garden, or a source of naturally occurring radon gas, either of which would be worth knowing about.  If you are getting emissions from a mast – which I say you won’t get – then you should immediately call the mobile provider, your local police or your local health and safety executive (HSE) office. How can you be so sure that 5G based systems are not harmful to human health? Firstly, the rules of physics.  However, that on its own is not enough to reassure people.  To provide certainty, a body called the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection reported to the WHO on a seven year long scientific study of all of the possible risks arising from the commercial use of radio waves in any form.  This body provides mandatory guidelines which all developers have to follow. In their final report on the resulting guidelines they said: “The new guidelines provide better and more detailed exposure guidance in particular for the higher frequency range above 6 Ghz which is of importance to 5G and future technologies using these higher frequencies. The most important thing for people to remember is that 5G technologies will not be able to cause harm when these new guidelines are adhered to.” I read the report and guidelines in full.  If you would like to do so you can find them here ICNIRP.org. Will I have a large 5G mast outside my house?