Telstra warns that a scare campaign about the ‘dangers’ of a 5G mobile network is gaining momentum as the telco urges people to ignore fake news
- Tesltra warns health scare campaign about 5G network gaining momentum
- Queensland’s Transport Department warns about cost and time frames
- Network would boost data speeds and provide smoother phone connections
Australia’s largest telecommunications provider has warned that a health scare campaign about the upcoming 5G mobile network is gaining momentum.
Telstra slammed rumours that the new network could pose health risks and even cause cancer – but there is no evidence to support those claims.
The telco has also asked the government in its submission to parliamentary inquiry to free up more radio bandwidth to make way for the 5G network.
Tesltra warns a health scare campaign about the upcoming 5G mobile network was gaining momentum (stock)
Telstra is set to kick off the first round of hearings for an inquiry into 5G in the Gold Coast on Tuesday, with the Queensland transport department and water utility also to appear.
The government needed to ‘quickly and respectfully’ address a small number of the community’s fears about the network, Telstra’s submission says.
‘Telstra would like to see a broad-based government communications campaign explaining 5G technology is safe,’ it says.
Queensland’s Transport Department has warned in its submission installing the new infrastructure required for the network would blow out time frames and costs for road works.
It also said while companies are spruiking 5G as a way to get self-driving cars on the road, regulations around autonomous vehicles needed to be carefully considered.
The new mobile network would boost mobile data speeds and provide smoother phone connections.
Chinese telecommunications company Huawei was banned from joining the 5G network over security concerns, which were mirrored in New Zealand and the United States.
The new mobile network would boost mobile data speeds and provide smoother phone connections (stock)
The new 5G network uses radio waves, as did older technologies, but at a higher frequency – meaning there needs to be more transmitter masts than ever before.
In 2011 the World Health Organisation said all radio frequency emissions could possibly be carcinogen, meaning they could cause cancer in living tissue.
However there is not enough evidence to suggest radio frequencies cause cancer, one of the men involved in the study told Hack, as there hasn’t been enough research dedicated to the issue.