Leading UK engineers and technologists have dismissed fears about the safety of 5G technology.
In a report by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), 5G has been labelled just as safe as 2G, 3G and 4G.
This comes after a number of protests and concerns expressed about the safety of 5G, with some people wrongly linking the technology to the coronavirus outbreak.
In its report, the IET found that 5G was similar to 4G in terms of radio wave exposure.
It added that the pulsed signals from the new technology are the same as those for GSM,
digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) phones and a version of 4G.
The report also examined the safety standards applied to 5G, finding them to be the same as the previous connectivity.
Addressing concerns about radio-wave frequencies used by 5G, the IET pointed out that higher-frequency mmWave-based commercial 5G mobile antennas have neither been deployed nor planned.
Will Stewart, chair of the IET’s Digital Communications Policy Panel, said the report sets out to “separate fact from fiction” with regard to the new technology.
“In recent months, 5G has been subject to an ‘infodemic’ of misinformation and conspiracy theories that has reached such a crescendo,” said Stewart.
“When this happens, it becomes a real challenge to get to the root of what started it all and separate fact from fiction.
“Having done that, we have found 5G to be just as safe as 4G, 3G and GSM, and hope to have cleared up substantial misunderstandings.”
