5G: Through a Social and Environmental Lens

5G, formally known as the 5th Generation of mobile communications and cellular network technology, is the current buzzword of the technology world. Earlier generations such as 1G can be dated back to the 1980s, and the advancement from 1G to 5G is nothing short of extraordinary. From voice only mobile communications, to messages, and now wireless technology that promises significantly faster data rates, and higher connection density, among other features. However, due to the increased use and nature of 5G, there are negative environmental (waste, resources, and ecosystem impacts) and social impacts (urban design, health, and security impacts) that are of extreme importance to society. So, can 5G be shaped to address these negative impacts, or does a cleaner alternative need to be considered?

5G shaped by society, technology, and other actors

On one hand, society has shaped the way 5G is, especially during COVID-19, where being online was central to our lives, and we demanded a faster, more productive way to use our mobile devices. However, major technological advancements also impacted the development of 5G, which seemed inevitable sooner rather than later with the rate of technological advancements we are witnessing.

Overall, both society and technology advancements created 5G, as well as other actors, such as tech companies, universities, and governments, that have played a pivotal role in how 5G is shaped today. These actors were all involved in an informal and highly fluid environment together, where research collaboration and information sharing was fundamental to the production and introduction of 5G. For example, universities such as the University of Surrey and it’s 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC) welcomed a £5m investment from the government to support future 5G growth. This had resulted in major advancements in the technology (e.g. 5G is up to 100 times faster than 4G), and is how 5G is what it is today, and a reason why diffusion and adoption has skyrocketed since its introduction.

Is the 5th Generation Affecting Our Next Generation?

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It is evident that there are positives to 5G from a technological standpoint. But is this technological improvement really worth it if it’s detrimental to our future?

5G and its negative environmental impacts and can be divided into waste, resources, and ecosystem impacts. The introduction of 5G has led to major electronic waste, and 80% of mobile phones are not compatible with 5G, and will need to be replaced in the near future. The introduction of 5G will also require more resources for the research, the development, the deployment, and the usage of it. This will have a direct impact on the need for electrical consumption. In addition to that, the whole 5G infrastructure will guzzle down three times more energy than the present 4G network, and will generate more greenhouse gas emissions where energy is produced with fossil fuels. There is also a negative effect from the exposure of 5G to natural ecosystems, and specifically the ecosystem of birds, where an exposure to radiation from a cell tower for just 5-30 minutes, can disfigure the eggs of sparrows, and this is just one case of the plethora of negative impacts of 5G on the ecosystem.

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There are also many negative social impacts of 5G, regarding its urban design, the health impacts, and security concerns. One of the major impacts of 5G is the changing urban design that comes with it. Such as the multiplication of antennas, which have the potential to cause the destruction of green spaces and will change the way we see our towns and cities for the worse, from countless visual pollutions. Moving on to the health impacts, which is where there is a lack of definite information and studies, which should be very alarming. We have put so much faith in 5G without defining the potential health effects, especially as we are being exposed to more types of radiation that we know little about. Regarding the security concerns of 5G, even though it offers several significant security enhancements compared to its predecessors such as 4G, there are still concerns. Due to the increasing number of connected devices, one downfall is that 5G makes it possible for more dangerous and larger cyber-attacks, from more sophisticated botnets, that can violate privacy and extract our data faster.

All in all, regardless of the benefits 5G provides, these negative impacts are serious, are happening as you are reading this, and changes are needed.

Is 5G a ‘Locked-In’ Technology?

Mobile phone users have become increasingly dependent on cellular network technology over the years. And 5G technology has benefitted from a network effect, that allows users to benefit from increasing numbers of users. Meaning more people can connect with one another as the user base grows. Therefore, 5G has become ‘locked-in’ as a leading cellular network technology. Research also supports this and suggests that it has no sign of slowing down, as investments in 5G networks will reach $1 trillion worldwide by 2025.

Once a technology is ‘locked-in’, there is little wiggle room to escape it, and a reshaping of 5G may be the only possible solution to mitigate the negative impacts. As there are many uncertainties of the negative impact 5G can have on the environment and society (health specifically), a way to reshape it could be through putting it on hold until the implications of the deployment are clear, and then precautions can be introduced. But the impact of this would be way too costly, specifically for technological innovations, which would suffer, unless more is done.

Is there any way this ‘locked-in’ technology can be escaped? There are few alternatives to 5G that could mitigate the negative impacts. Firstly, previous generations of cellular network technology could be in use for longer periods of time, for example the introduction of 5G could have been stalled to mitigate electronic waste for example, but this isn’t enough, and due to the performance factors and the rate of innovation, this is rather unrealistic.

However, a realistic alternative to 5G could be Li-Fi, which is a wireless communication technology which utilizes light to transmit data and position between devices, and better yet, light is the best distributed and readily available infrastructure in the world. It also shares many of the benefits of 5G such as its high speed, while also addressing the privacy concerns, by making
data solely yours. But for a technology so ‘locked-in’ to be escaped, more needs to be done.

Intervene Before It’s Too Late

Therefore, for alternatives to be considered, or a reshape to occur, intervention is required, and this starts with government intervention and institutions. As part of America’s Climate Change Goals, 5G is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 330.8 million metric tons by 2025, which shows intervention is in place, but more measures need to be taken for 5G to be reshaped for the better, and it starts with the government and the pressure they apply to the world of 5G. There have also been many petitions which call for moratorium and blockage on 5G rollout, as well as protests to stop the
construction of 5G antennas, and these all play a part in escaping this ‘locked-in’ technology, so that alternatives can be considered that aren’t as detrimental to society or the environment.

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Overall, technological innovation isn’t slowing down, so the government must be made accountable. But we all have a role to play in disrupting this status quo, so that 5G can be reshaped to address the negative social and environmental impacts, or so that alternatives can be considered, and it starts with us and the choices we make, and will end with a better future for everyone.