Headlines have already been made, 5G is coming to Bangladesh. Some consider this an evolution which will transform the networking system of Bangladesh. Of course, 5G speed will be much faster than that of 4G. It is considered to be the next iteration of mobile network connectivity for a reason.
Without a doubt, 5G will be way better at handling more users and lots of sensors and heavy traffic. But this technology is still in its premature stage and it will take quite some time before it becomes as good as companies are advertising. Many companies are hyping 5G up as if it is ready to change our life. Even though, facts say otherwise.
Most people already know that 5G is much faster but the key functions of the technology remain vague to most. 5G, also known as the fifth generation of cellular networks, is the successor to 4G LTE. This technology uses higher radio frequencies that are less cluttered, which enables it to carry more information at a much faster rate. These higher bands are called millimetre waves. This millimetre wave allows for lag free 4K streaming by increasing the internet speed dramatically. But in order to unleash the full potential of this technology, companies need sophisticated tools. But there are caveats to that.
These millimetre waves can easily be blocked by physical objects like trees, walls, and buildings. When these millimetre waves face obstacles on their way, the speed decreases dramatically, to a point where the speed is more like what we get from 4G LTE. Building more antennas can be a solution in order to boost signals. But costs and availability of these technologies can hurdle the process.
Since the rollout of 5G, some people have advocated against it. the reason behind their condemnation is that 5G uses extremely high frequency (millimetre-scale) waves which ranges between several hundred megahertz and tens of gigahertz depending on whether it is low, mid, or high-band 5G. Because these waves don’t travel longer, antennas need to be constructed more closer to each other than usual.
Even though these are non-ionizing radiation, they are still harmful to the human body. It causes atoms to vibrate, which can cause them to heat up resulting in damaged body tissue. Not to mention, there are numerous reports of birds dying due to millimetre waves. Many health specialists believe that there may be long-term ill-effects, such as hearing loss, blindness, skin cancers, male infertility, and thyroid issues after the 5G implementation.
Despite all the debates, 5G is undoubtedly the future. We are going to see blazing fast internet speeds on our mobile phones. This advanced but relatively untested technology is approaching everywhere in the world and Bangladesh is no different.
On December 12, state-owned mobile phone operator Teletalk officially launched 5G network service in some parts of the country on a trial basis. Other operators like Robi and Grameenphone have already taken initiatives to roll out their 5G services as soon as possible. So, it is very clear that we will have 5G speed on our phone in the not-too-distant future.
The improvement in connectivity is going to improve our lives, but possibly at the expense of our own health in the long run. We can do very little to stop its widespread implementation. However, we can limit our EMF exposure by reducing the usage of smart devices.
Tasrif Zawaad is a freelance contributor.
