Ok, that’s no quite the dialogue from George Romero’s movie but it makes my point. From the people that brought you the war against “smart meters” comes the sequel, the war against 5G wireless or as the X Files called it, Fight the Future.
However, before my take on the fight to kill 5G, I wish to briefly give some background on it and the implications of such technology.
5G technology has been in the planning stages from about ten years. Except for a few compatibility tweaks, the standard was finalized early in 2018. Various cellular providers are deploying proof of concept or test networks in various parts of the world. In the United States if you are in a top-twenty media market, you probably live in an area deploying 5G in limited regions.
5G has a theoretical limit of 20 gigabytes per second of data transfer. That is basically the same as transmitting the extended cut of one Lord of the Rings movie on Blu-ray disk with all additional features in one second! In comparison, that’s 28 compact disks or 13,888 3.5” floppy disks per second. This is wireless networking at speeds once only achievable by fiber optic cable.
Knowing that this was soon to happen, back in 2017, the telecommunication companies went to the California Legislature to get the blessing from State leadership to deploy 5G without having to deal with NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) folks and their complaints. The legislation sailed through the labyrinth of California’s infamous “bill mill” but surprisingly, Governor Brown euthanized it with his rarely used veto pen on 09/19/2017.
Here are the specifics for SB-649 Wireless Telecommunications Facilities
Samsung and other cell phone manufacturers will begin marketing 5G phones in 2019. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will be their first flagship 5G device.
AT&T announced via its online newsroom on Wednesday that it is working with Samsung to bring another 5G-ready device to the United States in the second half of 2019. The announcement comes a day after the carrier confirmed that it’s launching a 5G-capable smartphone with Samsung in the first half of next year.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10: 5G-Ready Flagship’s Rumored Specs, Features
Qualcomm has made several announcements this week about their next generation 5G chips including this:
Qualcomm today announced the Snapdragon 8cx, the world’s first 7-nm based processor for Always Connected PCs. The new 8cx compute platform is specifically designed for PCs and it will offer great performance, multi-day battery life and giga-bit LTE connectivity. Qualcomm mentioned that this new 8cx processor will not replace the existing Snapdragon 850 processor, instead it will be a premium tier processor for PCs.
The 8cx comes with Adreno 680 GPU that will offer 2x the graphics power and 60% more power efficient when compared to Snapdragon 850. And it will support dual 4K HDR external monitors natively. And the new Kryo 495 CPU will offer 2X the performance when compared to similar Intel Core processor. With respect to LTE, 8cx will support up to 2gbps speeds. Qualcomm is also bringing support for Quick Charge 4 and Aqstic audio technology to 8cx.
Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 8cx processor targeting Always Connected PCs
Apple is the only cell phone manufacturer in the world, yes I do mean anywhere on this planet, not planning to deploy a 5G device until 2020, but they always copy everyone else and then charge premium prices for lagging technology.
If 5G was only about cell phones that would be one thing but it’s not. Every technology company that uses or could use a network is spending money on research and development of 5G devices.
Microsoft’s XBOX Unit is planning a diskless gaming device in 2019. They are also working towards games that will be streamed to your home via Microsoft’s Azure cloud servers. In the next few years, all the heavy lifting will be done on a server and your gaming console will be a simple networked device. Connecting to the game severs will be via a monthly subscription.
Cortana, Siri, Alexa, and other Artificial Intelligence offering are like the modern-day version of Pong compared to what can be done with 5G.
Virtual reality will be mainstream technology. Do you remember the movie Paycheck where the guy created a computer display with no screen, just a 3D display? It’s possible now in some applications.
Self-driving cars and trucks will be possible in 5G coverage areas.
Have you heard about Smart Homes and Smart Appliances? 5G allows that to be the norm in the next decade.
5G plus another technology IPv6 will create new opportunities for a connected world that boggles the mind. IPv6 was first established in 1998. It has been part of your computer’s network settings since Windows XP. Typically it’s not used by many but that will change once 5G becomes commonplace. This Internet Protocol was designed to replace IPv4.
IPv4 is four groups of three numbers which make-up a network address. Perhaps you’ve seen 198.0.1.254 or something similar as your address on the home side of your Internet router at home. IPv6 allows for an incredible increase in the amount of network devices that can be connected. In fact every electronic device in the world could have a unique network address and still have plenty of room for more.
The main advantage of IPv6 over IPv4 is its larger address space. The length of an IPv6 address is 128 bits, compared with 32 bits in IPv4.[4] The address space therefore has 2128 or approximately 3.4×1038 addresses (340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456, which is approximately 340 undecillion addresses).
Folks there’s plenty of wonderful things that this technology can do but much mischief also. I will save that discussion for another day but I want you to understand that many things that were once science fiction will be science fact in the next few years.
There is a small group of people that have decided to oppose 5G on the basis that is will kill you. This being California, I’m not surprised that somebody has risen to the challenge of opposing 5G. What is astonishing is that the group making the most noise to oppose 5G locally is not associated with environmental causes but a group that claims to support free market economics, entrepreneurship, and liberty. Yep the Elk Grove Tea Party.
Due to the age of its members, this is the most technologically challenged demographic in the city and thus the least likely to benefit from 5G. Cynics would describe this group as the buggy whip or dialup coalition. Nevertheless, the city council cancelled their regularly scheduled meeting to dedicate one to a public forum on 5G deployment in Elk Grove. The city fathers had an hour presentation on November 28th followed by a period of public comment. Due to the failure of SB-649, this dog and pony show was a CYA performance and not indicative of how the council feels about 5G.
…the special public meeting that the City of Elk Grove is holding to discuss the proposal from AT&T to place 5G cell towers within the city. This technology affects the health and quality of life of some individuals so it is an important public policy discussion. The meeting is scheduled for December 28th at 6pm at the City Council Chamber. –Elk Grove Tea Party
Please note that the meeting was held November 28th not December 28th. The city calendar for 12/28/18 is blank.
If the EG Tea Party can’t get the meeting date correct in their own announcement, how can they be trusted to be in command of the facts about 5G?
There is also a Facebook group opposed to 5G in Elk Grove.
The Elk Grove Citizen published an article on the meeting.
Multiple public speakers described their own health issues pertaining to radio frequencies.
Teresa Hansen mentioned that she suffers from a sensitivity syndrome that restricts her from functioning well in many areas that have a lot of cell activity.
City Council reviews proposed 5G wireless tech for Elk Grove
Folks, I have some comments on this article and the junk science employed by opponents.
First, in addition to the radio frequency spectrum used by cellular broadcasting now, 5G will be relying mostly on spectrum that is not currently used by cell service. To claim that someone is sensitive to radio frequencies used by cell providers today is ridiculous unless they have a medical device subject to RF interference or a Cold War era implant in their teeth.
Every electronic device emits radio frequencies so unless Teresa Hansen is Amish, I have doubts about her claim that cellular signals are attacking her. I did find a website that does agree with her and heartily recommends tinfoil as a preventative.
If you are constructing a new home or renovating one and the walls are being rebuilt you can install radiant barrier, which is a tough type of aluminum foil that will also very effectively screen out the EMF. This is what I did for my own bedroom.
Be aware that cell phones and WI-FI are not the only EMF sources you need to be cautious of. Essentially, most all electronics will generate EMFs, including the wiring in your home, electric alarm clocks, electric blankets, computers and lamps, just to mention a few.
Turn off all the fuses at night that supply your bedroom. You can install a ‘demand switch’ at your bedside to make this very convenient.
Radiation from Cell Phones and WiFi Are Making People Sick — Are You at Risk?
Such claims about EMF are the stuff of X-File lore. These claims are fringe science at best or snake oil at worst. It’s more likely a person’s problem with EMF is between their ears and not a result of something that can’t be seen, heard, felt, or otherwise experiences by our five senses.
Oh, if exposure to EMFs is too much for you, can look-up a wearable Faraday Cage on your favorite Internet search engine. Said search does require accessing an EMF emitting device so buyer beware. However, such outerwear makes quite an impression and is impermeable to any Electro-Magnet Interference (EMF)
Faraday cage dress shows how to get fashionably struck by lightning
Even the people living on the isolated island where they killed the missionary a few weeks ago using bows and arrows are exposed to electromagnetic radiation. You probably know it better by the name of sunlight.
Most EMFs cannot penetrate your skin.
Our society is built on EMF emitting devices; cars, electric mixers, televisions, dishwashers, dryers, traffic lights, most wrist watches, neon signs, and a host of other things. To suddenly decide to reject such things, not for yourself but for others, is contrary to the reality of our society.
In the article about the recent public meeting, I did have to comment on the quote from councilman, Steve Detrick.
Detrick added that he believes there is more to the story of cell antenna health issues than the Federal Communications Commission is willing to admit.
“They’re relying on some very conservative data that benefits their message and their mission,” he said. “We need to protect the businesses and residents here in Elk Grove.”
“I sure would hate to be the one to move this forward full speed ahead and then it comes back to haunt us.”
Detrick called for further study into the issue
Folks, talk about kissing-up to the audience; wow. Detrick works for PG&E, the epicenter of EMF emissions all across northern California. I would wager that any 12,000 volt transmission tower going thru your town emits a lot more EMF than any cell phone ever could.
As I was contemplating writing this post, I did get into an exchange on the stop 5G Facebook page. In response to other posts on their page, I chimed in with 5G being a necessity for competition in a global economy and that 5G would be necessary for jobs.
Given the content of one response to my post, it had to be from a Tea Party member.
Does that mean you’re all on favor of a “global” economy? A global government, global citizenship, no more boundaries, no more city, county, state elected representative government, private property rights, etc? I’m just curious.
My response was:
Samsung announced their first 5G phone today for Verizon. Other carriers are lining up their 5G devices also. (Except Apple and they are waiting until 2020) Microsoft is introducing a disk free X-box, Google’s self-driving car, I can keep going. 5G is coming whether you like it or not. I believe in private property but there are enough right of ways for utilities to allow 5G anywhere it’s needed. Fighting 5G is like opposing smart meters for utilities. If you really want to escape 5G then you need to live in a rural area not in the shadow of the State Capitol. Opposing 5G is like opposing electricity in the days of Thomas Edison. The city council will hear your complaints but vote for it anyways. The alternative is economic suicide. You can take comfort that in the future, the 5G technology will be able to broadcast at lower wattage. Cell phones were originally 3 or 5 watt transmitters but now they are a fraction of that power and much faster. Competition will make it more efficient not opposition. I believe in the power of the free market and competition.
Oh, today I did find the “California Way” to prohibit 5G in your area, tax the crap out of it.
San Jose, on the other hand, is far from number one in 5G investment. The city at the heart of the tech world ought to be among the 5G leaders, but its leadership chose to charge an annual fee of $3,500 per small cell.
As Carr, who is tasked with leading the FCC’s wireless effort, pointed out in a column in The Mercury News, San Jose saw the installation of exactly zero small cells prior to this year.
And to prove San Jose hasn’t learned its lesson, it’s suing the FCC for the order it passed last month establishing reasonable fees for 5G services.
Verizon was among the providers who are saying that city regulations over small cells are hindering its ability to deploy 5G.
San Jose is not attractive to any company that wants to support the buildout of the next generation of wireless and digital infrastructure. By trying to shake down providers, he is putting his constituents at the end of the line to receive the next generation of wireless innovation and access.
5G holds the key to smart cities, where the combination of lightning-fast wireless technology and sensors can be used to improve services for residents. But a city can only become smart if it stops being dumb with its regulatory policies first.
Lastly, this from the article on San Jose:
The implementation of 5G requires what are known as small cells that are about the size of a backpack. These small cells are installed on utility poles, buildings, and other structures, and relay signals over short distances across the network. The technology will require lots of them — perhaps thousands per major city — but it eliminates the need for massive cell towers required for 4G and older technology.
Conclusion, 5G is coming soon to your neighborhood. If you like that idea then embrace the future, if you don’t then find a fashionable way to wear tinfoil and/or get your local government to tax it out of existence.