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Guest commentary: History of 5G and what people should know

Tom Lankering and Kathleen Fors
Guest commentary

The 1996 Communication Act gave the telecom industry freedom to move forward in the development and installation of cell towers. The act also provided protection so that the industry could not be challenged on esthetics, placement, and health issues.

Since that time the telecom industry has aggressively moved forward by initiating House Bills to further restrict the constitutional land rights of cities and counties regarding 5G. In 2017 House Bill HB 17-1193 was passed in Colorado to come into compliance with the federal laws. Currently there are House Bills HR 1060, 1069 and 1074 along with numerous additional House bills initiated by the telecom industry to diminish our remaining rights to contest the deployment of small cell antennas facilities in our communities.

What exactly is 5G? 5G stands for fifth generation wireless communication. It would enable what’s known as “The Internet of Things.” The industry is making claims that the new technology will be faster. However, the actual speed, energy consumption, and safety is being challenged.



How is 5G different from what we have now? 5G networks include a combination of a range and variety of signals. 4G “small cell” networks will be the backbone of 5G, and the new 5G antennas will be mounted on poles with current 4G antennas. New cell phones and devices will have multiple antennas that can toggle back and forth between these technologies.

The differences between 5G technology compared to 2G, 3G, & 4G is that it employs millimetre wave technology, which are narrow wave lengths. These are the same frequencies used by the Department of Defense in crowd dispersal gun control weapons, called Active Denial Systems.




But is 5G really safe? For the past two decade there has been a growing concern and movement around the world regarding the effects of EMFs Cell towers, 5G, and satellites to humans, animals, insects and the environment. Many countries have said “no” after their citizens experienced immediate health issues upon installation of 5G.

There are thousands of studies that have proven EMF exposure is dangerous and that close proximity to cell towers has been linked to many health issues, including cancers.

There are no studies that 5G is safe. When representatives of the telecom companies were questioned in US senate hearings as to whether there were any safety studies performed, their answers were that there are none.

Based upon the inadequate safety standards, the FCC (Federal Communication Commission) appears to act in the interest of the telecom industry more so than the consumer. Currently the Children Health Defense and the Environment Health Trust, two well respected non-profit, are in lawsuits against the FCC for not updating EMF safety standards for the past 25 years. The same standards are being applied to 5G.

In 2019 a group in the state of New York called the Irregulators sued the telecom carriers for misappropriating billions of dollars in taxes which were collected over a 16-year time frame. A decision was made in favor of the Irregulators.

One of Telecom strategies has been to recruit lawyers to be experts in laws pertaining to the FCC. Unfortunately, many of these lawyers have a loyalty to the telecom industry. They often give advice that communities are powerless in stopping 5G. This is not accurate. There are many communities in the US and around the world who are in the process of either stopping or delaying 5G until long- and short-term safety studies are provided.

If 5G is allowed to be installed, there will be no choice of opting out. We will be bathed in these electromagnetic frequencies on a 24/7/365 basis. This level of EMF saturation has been shown to be harmful to all living things.

Another negative consequence of 5G is the probability of your property value being lowered if a cell tower is installed on your land or rooftop. Since 5G EMF waves are short, the cell towers need to be installed every 500 – 1000 feet.

 

Tom Lankering and Kathleen Fors are local health professionals and members of Colorado for Safe Technology. For more information go to http://www.Co4safetech.com. They are doing a monthly series on 5G networks for The Aspen Times, with the next installment on May 9.