This brings me to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial IoT (I-IoT), machine-to-machine communication. The industry frequently claims that 5G is necessary to the IoT. Yet, 5G might actually add confusion to an already vast and complex IoT market,[3] where infrastructures already compete with each other. In a factory, however, robots, cameras, cutting lasers, high-precision drills, etc. (which need low-latency connections on highly automated production chains), could benefit from an on-site private 5G network with increased security. This does not require a public 5G network.
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) (Click Here) use multiple sensors to perceive their immediate environment. Artificial Intelligence (AI) devices replace the human driver. Once "trained" to drive well, the AI (Click Here) can be loaded in the vehicle and drive without 5G. AVs also use vehicle-to-anything (V2X) communications to exchange data with other nearby (equipped) vehicles and road infrastructure (such as stoplights). Here again, 5G is not necessary. Wi-Fi, 4G and light can provide V2X communications.
Drones require connections in three dimensions. Today, drones mainly use ground antennas (Click Here) that point to the drone and existing satellite communications. Mobile networks are designed to serve users near the ground; not drones (Click Here), which fly at higher altitudes. Mobile networks can be an option for small, low-range, low-altitude drones but they pose many technical challenges (Click Here). Drone "highways" could be created with 4G or 5G antennas that point to the sky to direct drones, but they would not require a 5G public network.
Smart cities might become heavy users of the Internet of Things. But again, existing IoT technologies can provide these connections. They do not need 5G.
Smart grids (Click Here) aim to automate utilities with IoT sensors and remote operations. Smart meters measure a ratepayer's electricity, water and natural gas use. To avoid blackouts, critical smart grid automation needs highly reliable fibre optics and other wireline infrastructure. For non-critical applications and smart meters, existing IoT wireless technologies are already available. 5G provides no benefit to smart grids or smart meters.
In farming, manufacturers advocate for robots and drones that could use AI to monitor crops and cattle with ultra-high-definition images. Industry proposes that AI could replace the human farmer. While I've got issues with machines growing our food, I should report that if AI is embedded (Click Here) in farming machines, 5G is not needed. Without 5G, we could still see faster processing with the lowest possible response times and no exposure of crops, livestock or pollinators to 5G electromagnetic radiation.
Tele-surgery and tele-consultation, sometimes involving x-rays, echography, RMI or robotic operations, need extremely reliable networks. Typically, reliable networks are wired. Mobile networks like 5G are only suitable for demonstrations with a dummy. Tele-consultation's required speeds (Click Here) (2-6 Mbps) and latencies (below 300 milliseconds) can actually be achieved with 3G. Medical centers in remote areas without specialist-physicians can provide tele-consultations with wired networks. Very remote clinics can use existing satellite (Click Here) networks. 5G technology provides no benefits to telemedicine.
Virtual Reality (VR) is mostly used indoors with fast and low-latency, fixed networks like Wi-Fi or Wi-Gig. For travellers, immersive VR applications using 4G are already available and only require 4 Mbps (Click Here). Indoor and outdoor Augmented Reality (AR) is less data-consuming than VR and can use existing fixed (Wi-Fi) and mobile (4G) technologies. I should caution that studies on VR's health effects (including children's vision) are very limited.
In December, I described my dream to eliminate the need for 5G by reducing mobile traffic growth and/or using 4G to its fullest capacity. The mobile operators' worldwide association, GSMA, shows in a 5G paper (Click Here) that the increased pace of traffic growth is not driven by consumer demand, but by providers' pace of 5G deployment.[4] Unlimited mobile data plans lead consumers to stop evaluating the best network (cable, Wi-Fi) for their connection. This shows that a joint effort from legislators, providers and consumers could reduce mobile traffic, even lead to its degrowth. As you know, the European Union now aims to decrease its carbon emissions by 5% annually. The telecommunications industry has a unique opportunity to lead the way toward a sustainable future by building on existing networks and halting 5G.
Essentially, the 5G industry is in search of market opportunities. 5G is not a response to market demands.[5] Nothing can justify new, massive, energy-guzzling 5G infrastructures. Could legislators, providers and consumers who truly aim to reduce energy use, extraction and greenhouse-gas emissions prevent unlimited mobile data growth and commit to making use of existing infrastructures?
After months of intensive research and discussions with experts and industry players, I still have not found one convincing need for wide-scale, public 5G networks. At this historic moment, when human immunity needs to be stronger than ever, why would we risk emitting another layer of (untested) electromagnetic radiation on the general public and wildlife? If every Internet user, legislator and provider reviewed 5G's impacts with due diligence, could 5G private infrastructures be limited to industries that truly could benefit from it?
Yours,
Miguel
ENDNOTES
- Example 1 : French Senate, audition of a mobile operator CEO. Â « (") for customers, (5G will bring) the appearance of a 5 instead of 4, which the customer will judge more effective by reflex. On the other hand, it will not change anything in the consumer's daily life ("). The speed, in fact, will not be really noticeable. (5G) is an operator interest, which is absolutely not perceived by the end consumer. Â » (translation) Click Here
- Matt Hatton & William Webb, "The Internet of Things Myth", 2020
- Ibid.
- In Fig. 4, three 5G deployment pace strategies are proposed to mobile operators, each with a related data traffic growth rate (CAGR) Click Here
- William Webb, The 5G Myth, 3rd Edition, 2019
Example 2 : William Webb, The 5G Myth, 3rd Edition, 2019
Miguel Coma is an engineer in telecommunications and an Information Technology architect. After a decade in telecommunications (with two mobile operators and an equipment manufacturer), he now works as an enterprise architect in the bank-insurance sector. He believes in technology's potential to create sustainable progress.
Miguel Coma's letters are part of a series of letters to Greta Thunberg, written with Katie Singer. The series is available at www.DearGreta.com/letters.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
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