It’s all anyone can talk about - 5G is coming!
Some people are saying it’s the ticket to the next great technology evolution, making
it easier for us to stay connected at all times.
Others are saying it’s a mysterious, shadowy, even dangerous technology that is being pushed
on us without knowing what it can really do.
Some even claim it could be making us sick.
But what is 5G?
And what does it have to do with your cell phone?
Every time you pick up your mobile phone, whether you’re using a powerful smartphone
that can do almost anything, or a clunky old flip-phone, you’re using a cellular network.
These allow you to reach anyone in the world without anything actually connecting the phones.
Back in the day, the only way to use a phone was to use one connected to the wall, sending
the signals through physical cords.
You might have seen one of these landlines at your grandma’s house, but now almost
everyone has a cell phone.
These use radio waves to send the communications instantaneously through a local antenna in
the cell.
But how is 5G different from all cellphones that came before it?
Well, to get to 5G there needs to be four Gs before it.
The “G” stands for generation, and that means we’re on the cusp of the fifth massive
overhaul in cellular technology.
If you were around at the dawn of the cell phone, you might remember those clunky, huge
cellular phones that were the size of a landline headset or larger.
These were 1G phones, and they made their debut in 1979 in Japan.
These cellular phones used analog signals and were preceded by rudimentary mobile phones
that bypassed the need for a cord.
The big development of 1G was that they were the first cellular network to introduce international
roaming, which allowed it to connect to other cell phone networks around the world - usually,
at exorbitant data charges.
Many long-distance relationships found that out the hard way.
1G is long extinct now - except a single network in Russia offering limited service.
The next big jump in cellular technology was right around the corner.
It was Finland, 1991 when the first 2G network was launched.
The analog radio signals were now replaced with digital signals, giving the system much
more versatility and a greater ability to easily contact people anywhere.
Phone conversations were now encrypted, offering better security.
The radio frequency could be used much more efficiently, letting network providers sign
many more people up for the service.
This was also where cell phones first started getting screens, opening the door to other
services - including text messages, as teens everywhere started giving their thumbs a workout.
Cellphones started entering the mainstream, and the most common model was a bulky, durable
phone that was only half the size of the 1G models.
These models were so durable that many can still be turned on today, even if the service
is long disconnected.
A few networks still exist around the world, but the cell phone world is marching ahead.
Cell phones were getting closer to what we know today, but more than one quantum leap
was still to come.
It was almost the dawning of a new millennium, and cellular experts were hard at work developing
the next big advancement in mobile phones.
The first test of a 3G network came in 1998 in Japan, but by 2001 it was available for
purchase and soon spread around the world.
The cell phones using 3G were much more powerful, and they came with many more functions.
Not only could you talk or text with a much better connection, but you could now connect
to the internet.
Many phones in this era were still flip-phones with limited capacity, but this was the dawning
of the newest innovation in cell phones - the smartphone.
Whether you’re using an Iphone or an Android, it’s easy to forget that you’re even carrying
a cellphone - it does so much it’s like a portable little computer in your pocket.
People use it to surf the internet, make video calls or film videos, and even watch TV during
their commute.
3G services are still available around the world, but are becoming less and less common.
3G sounds great!
Why do we need more?
Just wait and see…
It wasn’t long into 3G’s life that the experts were already looking forward, and
by 2007 major telecom businesses were testing their 4G networks.
New cell towers went up around the world, and new cellphones were put out in 2008 with
4G capabilities.
What started as an expensive luxury item quickly became a mainstream choice, and people were
blown away by what their new cellphones could do.
Streaming content became easier than ever, and major studios started gearing original
content to be played on cell phones.
Applications like Skype and Zoom made it possible not just to talk to someone over video across
the world - but to talk to multiple people in a video meeting.
Maybe the biggest shift for 4G was just how fast the network was.
People using 3G networks for teleconferencing would frequently experience lags and dropped
calls - often right when you were explaining your big pitch to the boss!
With 4G that became less common, and the speed and reliability of the powerful network opened
the door to a whole new industry - video game streaming.
Gamers would play high-intensity co-op games live, often competing for money against players
from around the world.
The cellphone became more powerful and more reliable than most people’s desktop computers,
with cell phone service being a better bet than cable internet.
Now the vast majority of cellphone users around the world use a 4G network.
So what’s 5G and why is it needed?
What technology is still waiting for us when the next innovation comes?
Part of the reason 5G is so critical is capacity.
The cell phone has become a necessary part of everyday life, with people being constantly
connected to everyone around the world and using it to do their jobs, get directions,
order food and transportation, and play games.
There’s also the added element of the Internet of Things, where more household devices are
becoming connected to the internet for better functionality.
That lets people do things like look up recipes on their devices - but it also provides some
unique opportunities.
When a teenage girl was grounded in 2019, her mother took away all her electronics.
But she was determined to keep her Twitter account updated.
She tweeted on her phone and her video game systems, until they were all taken away - so
she talked to her parents’ smart fridge and sent a tweet from there!
The sheer number of connections out there puts an enormous strain on the current 4G
networks, and the only way to overcome that and keep everyone connected smoothly is to
create a bigger, better network.
To maximize the effectiveness of 5G networks in development around the world, they’re
going to use higher-frequency radio waves to increase speed.
But high-frequency radio waves have a shorter range, and as such their cell network range
will be smaller.
So 5G networks will have three different frequency bands - small, medium, and high.
It’ll be three different cell phone networks working as one, balancing the tradeoff of
download and streaming speed vs. greater distance and range.
Whatever is the highest-speed antenna available in your range, that’s what the cell phone
will connect to.
So what will you be able to do with your new 5G-equipped cellphone?
5G networks will offer the highest download speed ever available, commercially, up to
10 gigabits per second.
The network will be so powerful that it’s likely many telecom providers like Apple and
Microsoft will eventually look into converting their laptops and desktop computers to be
5G-capable, replacing traditional connections and wifi.
We’ll be living in a world of cellular technology, and it’ll be easier to control your entire
network of internet-capable devices wherever you are.
Worried you left the stove on when you left the house?
No more!
Log into your smart stove from your cell phone and check if it’s on, and turn it off remotely
if it is.
The rollout of 5G is still ongoing around the world, but lucky first customers are getting
to test out the new network on their mobile devices.
It hasn’t reached its full capability yet, but those who like to get their hands on the
newest technology first are happy to give it a try - and most are bowled over by the
speeds, despite the usual troubleshooting of new tech.
Despite the network’s power, many people are concerned about 5G.
So concerned, in fact, that it’s become one of the biggest controversies today.
So what makes this network different from the ones before it?
And why are people so angry?
The first complaint is simple - it’s going to be expensive to get on board.
4G devices, the vast majority of devices available today, aren’t going to be able to access
5G networks.
That means if you want the best network available, it’s time to pony up for a new cellphone
or tablet - or bug the parents until they buy it.
5G capable smartphones aren’t going to be cheap, and that makes a lot of people pretty
angry that their perfectly good 4G phone just became obsolete.
But this is nothing new - to access new networks, people have almost always needed a device
that can access them.
What’s changed is that technology is marching forward so fast that the gap between generations
is getting smaller.
But could 5G be a problem in other ways?
To the environment...or even to us?
Many environmentalists have expressed concern about these powerful electromagnetic networks
and their impact on the air and public safety.
One area of particular concern is weather tracking satellites.
The satellites will pick up the powerful radio waves, which could cause a reduction in accuracy,
especially for tracking water vapor concentration.
This is critical in helping cities plan for major storms, and many military and meteorological
groups have urged those building the networks to limit their capacity to prevent damage
to the existing data-gathering networks.
Another major concern centers around the low-intensity radiation emitted from cellular devices.
Many people have alleged in the past that the constant presence of the cell phone near
the head could cause an increase in brain cancer, but studies have not shown any increase
in frequency of cancers among cell phone users, and that any radiation emitted by cellphones
is below the limits recommended to ensure safety..
But is there something different about 5G networks that could tip the balance into being
harmful?
A lot of people think so.
Around the world, people spread rumors that 5G towers being built would endanger the health
of the people around them.
Allegations ranged from everything to increased radiation that would cause cancer, to the
radio frequencies making it harder to sleep or concentrate.
Parents attributed their children’s change in behavior to the towers.
Rumors even started that the coronavirus sweeping the globe was actually being caused by the
5G towers.
But that’s just some people talking on the internet, right?
Wrong!
The theories about 5G being harmful spread so far and fast that arson attacks against
the infrastructure occurred around Europe.
And it wasn’t just anonymous protesters - the brother of the former head of Britain’s
Labour party led one of the protests himself.
The concerns grew, and politicians heard from their constituents - and some took action.
The cities of Brussels and Geneva put a hold on 5G development due to concerns, and a group
of 180 scientists wrote the European Union asking for a pause on future 5G installations.
In the United States, a city in California blocked the installation, and Vermont and
New Hampshire had raucous town halls before installations were allowed.
So what’s the evidence driving these concerns?
While some evidence exists, including people showing varied symptoms of a condition called
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, the majority of evidence shows 5G frequencies are not the
cause of health conditions.
Most scientists say that 5G is safe, but that hasn’t stopped the theories that put it
as the cause of everything under the sun.
The conspiracy is largely spread by news outlets known for their conspiracy theories, and multiple
celebrities have spread it to their army of social media followers.
On the other side?
The vast majority of electronics experts and public health experts, news outlets like Reuters
and USA Today, and the executive director of the American Public Health Association.
They clarified that 5G mobile phone networks are not harmful to public health, and assured
people that there is definitely not any way for viruses to transmit themselves over radio
waves.
More people are starting to push back against the idea that 5G is harmful, with YouTube
removing content alleging the conspiracy.
The problem is, once something’s on the internet, it’s very hard to remove.
All it takes is one person to see the theory and share it to their followers, and it’s
spreading - like a virus.
Ironically, many of those spreading the idea that 5G is dangerous with no proof may be
using 5G devices!
But for most people, 5G networks are going to be the ticket to faster internet, greater
synchronicity with all their devices, and the ability to connect with people around
the world without any glitches.
It’ll be all around the world soon, albeit with more guards to make sure no one tears
down the poles.
But the odds are some scientist in a telecom lab somewhere is working on the research that
will be the first step to 6G.
And we all know that 6G without a doubt transmits the Super Coronavirus, at the Illuminati's
behest of course.
For more on the origins of the internet, check out “Who Really Owns the Internet”.
And if you’re interested in the dark side of the web, check out “Horrifying Unsolved
Internet Mysteries”.