Unfortunately, despite decades of research that say otherwise, misinformation surrounding the safety of 5G and radio frequency (RF) continues to live on.
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During the past year, the need for reliable and fast internet has become even more critical, especially as our use of smartphones, tablets, computers, and other smart devices skyrocketed.
Like most small businesses throughout the country, Connecticut’s small business community has had to rapidly integrate technologies and find new ways to connect with customers online.
A noteworthy example of this innovative mindset was an effort by Stamford’s Women’s Business Development Council to create new virtual marketplaces to connect consumers with local brands and small businesses.
As we emerge from the pandemic, challenges for small businesses will only continue to grow alongside the needs for fast and reliable internet. The availability of 5G, not just for entrepreneurs, but for school, work, health care and more is even more essential for revitalizing our economy.
Unfortunately, despite decades of research that say otherwise, misinformation surrounding the safety of 5G and radio frequency (RF) continues to live on.
In order to keep local commerce afloat and help to close the digital divide, the facts on the safety of 5G must be more widely known.
For years, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have ensured that the technologies we’ve come to rely on are safe and will not have any adverse effects on our health.
The FCC’s RF exposure limits should allow consumers to trust that any 5G-approved wireless networks, smart devices, or small cells are not only safe, but also well below the overly-cautious standards set to ensure everyone’s well-being.
In 2019, after years of additional review, the FCC reaffirmed that their current standards would not pose any danger to people’s health with the deployment of 5G. The report said:
“While research on the health effects of RF energy continues, no evidence has moved our sister health and safety agencies to issue substantive policy recommendations for strengthening RF exposure regulation.”
Indeed, the FDA maintains that “[t]he weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems” and that “the current safety limits for cell phones are acceptable for protecting the public health.”
The FDA later concluded, “there are no quantifiable adverse health effects in humans caused by exposures at or under the current cell phone exposure limits.”
Global governing bodies have also concurred on the issue, including the World Health Organization (WHO), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and now even more authorities from Australia who have reasserted the safety of 5G.
Specifically, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) review of the millimeter wave (MMW) band found there is no evidence that “low-level radio waves, like those used by the 5G network, are hazardous to human health.”
As the mountain of evidence grows, it is near impossible to deny the clear reality — that 5G and the RF exposure from 5G-enabled devices are safe.
Instead of continuing to spread false and misleading claims about 5G, skeptics should take time to understand the facts and hear about the ways 5G is already benefiting people and small businesses across Connecticut.
In Hartford, Stanley Black & Decker’s manufacturing plant is one of the first “smart factories” that has benefited from 5G providing connectivity throughout every aspect of its operation. Further adoption of 5G throughout Hartford and the rest of Connecticut will only open the door to more possibilities for nascent businesses and producers to grow and drive the local economy.
Thanks to the 5G economy, Connecticut stands to gain more than 40,000 new jobs and add over $15 billion to its GDP over the next 10 years, according to estimates from Boston Consulting Group and CTIA. Small businesses are poised to be a huge contributor in this regard, especially as they adopt 5G technologies that enable innovation and growth.
With the scientific community broadly and clearly confirming the safety of 5G, it is essential for consumers as well as state and local lawmakers to understand what is at stake for Connecticut if misinformation spreads any further.
Karen Kerrigan serves as president and CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, a national advocacy, research and education organization.
