As we begin to enter the age of the 5G, I believe it is worthwhile to take a look at the risks that accompany the lightning-fast speeds and quicker download times that will accompany 5G. Last month, we briefly touched on the security risks that 5G technology from China would impose, but there are more risks to consider.
Security Risks
The United States led the way in the implementation of the 4G technology that we have today, but sadly we are falling behind in the development of its successor. With a five-year plan that literally dumps hundreds of billions of dollars into its 5G technology, China is leading the charge with this technology. China has also been able to develop much more of the infrastructure needed to support 5G technology than the US. As I mentioned in prior articles, this rapid pace of development and implementation in China and specifically, Beijing, has the US government worried. China has already demonstrated that they are able to use their technology to infiltrate U.S. assets. This is the main reason that the US government has banned Huawei 5G technologies from being used in the United States. Other countries have also followed suit in the ban.
Military Risks
5G technology has the ability to significantly benefit our military through improved connections, situational awareness, and providing the data needed to make on-the-fly tactical decisions. It should be no surprise, then, that China’s 5G technology has the ability to compromise our military operations. Moreover, if China is able to distribute this technology to other countries, the United States could very well be facing a technological brick wall in its military operations. The US could be facing military-integrity compromising technology.
Health Risks
Another, potentially lesser-known, risk that accompanies the new 5G technology is the heightened risk of radio frequency (RF) radiation that could come from 5G devices, including cell towers and the cell phones themselves. Keep in mind that effectively deployed 5G will require many more densely deployed cell towers Twenty-three years ago, a test was administered that determined how much heat a cell phone produced and subsequently heated a mannequins head. Sadly, this is the most recent study that is being used to discuss the safety of the new technology. Our current 4G technologies can reach as high as 6 GHz with 5G tech potentially reaching five times that. These extremely high frequencies are where the concern lies. There are also concerns that the FCC will not spend the time to understand the health risks associated with 5G technology as its focus will be on facilitating the deployment of the technology and not studying the health risks. Clearly as of now, the FCC is done no health studies as to the risk of fully deployed 5G technology
5G technology will be here sooner than later. The real question is whether the United States will be able to work around and through any risks that this new technology will present.