The Unintended Consequences of Technology

CHAPTER 85G: Is This a New “Cold War” You’ve Never Heard Of?

You may have never heard of 5G. You might have heard of it in bizarre conspiracy theories, such as 5G giving people headaches, causing erectile dysfunction, sickening cows, causing chickens to lay fewer eggs, or even causing the coronavirus. Every time you've heard such theories, before you even wrap your mind around them, you might wonder, “What the heck is this monster”?

This chapter explores the new wireless network technology known as 5G. Whether you've never heard of it, or have heard of it but don't really understand it, or have incomplete, out-of-context information that seems like a mess of conspiracy theories, this chapter offers some answers.

The 5G technology is the fifth-generation wireless network technology. It is faster and can handle more connected devices than the existing 4G LTE network. These improvements have enabled a wave of new kinds of technologies. 5G instantly connects and supports millions of devices at ultrafast speeds, and is 10 to 100 times faster than 4G. This is a big deal! Let's dive into the why.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF 5G

In the last 50 years, mobile phones, more than any other technology, have quietly changed our lives forever. Do you remember how much you loved your 2G Nokia 3310?

Here is how it has changed over the years. In 1979, 1G “the first generation” of telecom networks that enabled talk and mobile, came to market. Twelve years later, in 1991, 2G digital networks ...