You're Being Lied To About 5G | Truth Complex | Business Insider

Summary

5G, initially hyped as a transformative technology on par with electricity, has largely underwhelmed after its rollout. Despite promises of groundbreaking applications like remote surgeries and autonomous vehicles, many of these rely on factors beyond mobile technology. While 5G offers faster speeds and lower latency, it hasn't lived up to its lofty expectations, with coverage still limited and infrastructure investments failing to yield significant returns. Concerns over health impacts persist, though research suggests radiation risks are minimal. The rush to deploy 5G, spurred by competition and global ambitions, may have led to compromises, leaving the true potential of 5G uncertain.

Takeaways

• 😀 5G was initially promised as a revolutionary technology, but its impact has been underwhelming, with many of the anticipated benefits not materializing.
• 😀 One of the main selling points of 5G was its potential for remote surgeries and autonomous vehicles, but these applications are either unrealistic or not reliant on 5G.
• 😀 While 5G offers faster speeds and lower latency, the most significant benefit of 5G is its improved network efficiency, which has yet to be widely felt by consumers.
• 😀 The introduction of higher frequency bands (above 24 GHz) allows for more bandwidth, but the range is limited, requiring more antennas and closer infrastructure, making mass deployment challenging.
• 😀 The concept of 'network densification' and the use of millimeter waves for 5G has proven to be impractical for most users, with 5G still not widely available.
• 😀 Coverage remains a more significant problem than speed, with rural and low-income areas experiencing patchy or no cell service, despite the hype surrounding 5G.
• 😀 5G coverage maps provided by major carriers are often inaccurate, and many consumers are misled into thinking they are connected to 5G when they are not.
• 😀 The health risks of 5G radiation are largely based on fear, with most studies showing no significant danger from mobile phone radiation, including 5G.
• 😀 Despite massive investments from telecom companies, the financial returns from 5G infrastructure have been disappointing, with many carriers struggling to profit.
• 😀 5G was rushed into development to align with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, leading to a shortened timeline that compromised the technology's readiness, possibly affecting its success.
• 😀 Some experts believe that 5G might not live up to its potential, but 6G could follow a similar path with its own set of challenges, unless new approaches like integrating mobile signals with Wi-Fi and satellites are explored.

Q & A

What was the initial promise of 5G technology?

The initial promise of 5G technology was to be a transformative force, much like the introduction of electricity, offering benefits such as remote surgeries, driverless cars, and traffic-free cities, along with new, life-changing applications.

Why are remote surgeries not fully reliant on 5G technology?

Remote surgeries require more than just a high-speed internet connection; they also need a sterile environment, anesthesia, and patients who can be transported to an operating room. Additionally, wired connections would generally offer faster and more stable service than mobile ones.

What challenges arise with using 5G for autonomous vehicles?

Autonomous vehicles require highly reliable systems that must function well even without a mobile connection. Relying on 5G for driverless cars could introduce accountability issues if something goes wrong, and a mobile connection is not critical for their safe operation.

What were some of the exaggerated uses of 5G technology by marketers?

Marketers associated 5G with futuristic technologies like smart cities, driverless cars, and the Internet of Things, many of which depend on innovations outside the telecommunications industry, which carriers have no control over.

What is 'non-standalone 5G,' and why does it deliver a limited experience?

'Non-standalone 5G' involves upgrading existing 4G infrastructure to support 5G, but this method doesn't provide the full 5G experience. It delivers speeds similar to 4G, meaning consumers don't notice significant improvements.

Why is millimeter-wave 5G not widely available?

Millimeter-wave 5G offers high-speed and low-latency benefits but has a short range and is easily blocked by obstacles, limiting its widespread use. It's mostly available in crowded areas like stadiums and airports.

Why do 5G coverage maps often mislead consumers?

5G coverage maps tend to show an overly optimistic view of 5G availability. In many cases, they represent expected service areas, but the actual coverage is much less, with only a small portion of land covered in some counties.

What are the health concerns related to 5G, and how real are they?

Health concerns about 5G mainly revolve around radiation exposure from new antennas. However, the radiation from 5G is similar to previous generations, and studies suggest that 5G will not present unique risks. The World Health Organization has classified radiofrequency radiation as a possible carcinogen, but the evidence is inconclusive.

How has the global rush to implement 5G affected its rollout?

The global rush to implement 5G, driven by competition among countries, led to a rushed rollout. This haste caused issues such as 5G not differentiating itself significantly from 4G, and the infrastructure wasn't fully optimized for the long term.

What do experts predict for the future of 6G technology?

Some experts believe that 6G will face similar issues as 5G, potentially leading to even more inefficiencies. However, a few experts suggest that the integration of mobile signals with Wi-Fi and satellite technology could lead to a more seamless and efficient network.