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Comment by zw123456 | Hacker News Reader

Actually, because of the low propagation properties, mm-wave 5G network is mostly fiber. The signal can only travel a few hundred feet, the rest is fiber. Why ? The most expensive part of fiber is the last few hundred feet. Also, the antennas being so small, don't necessarily have to be on a large pole. Also they use phased array antennas that electronically steer the signal so they can be mounted on light poles that might sway a little but it can be compensated for. BTW, Huawei equipment is not being used by any of the major carriers in the US (or any that I am aware of). The mm-wave signal is safer than wifi. Remember, you microwave oven using 2.4Ghz to cook your food, same band as wifi.

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>Remember, you microwave oven using 2.4Ghz to cook your food, same band as wifi.

Which was chosen because of the size factor. Other frequencies would also be able to cook food.

So, what you're saying is that 5g is basically an improved wifi? (Shortish range so uses another transport, very good throughput)

Could someone explain why the sibling comment is flagged and dead? I don't have any background in this area, so it's not obvious to me what's wrong with the comment.

It looks like just a list of papers, almost definitely either irrelevant or bad science. This kind of thing is very common and it’s not worth the time to investigate it.

If someone wants to show that 5g is dangerous they need to first demonstrate they understand why those claims aren’t taken seriously.

>The mm-wave signal is safer than wifi.

This is completely not true, and the foregoing article ignores numerous aspects of the potential health concerns of millimeter wave radiation in the 95Ghz area of the spectrum.

1) 95Ghz millimeter wave provably and without question has the potential for adverse affects on human tissue. Active Denial Systems (https://jnlwp.defense.gov/About/Frequently-Asked-Questions/A... for example) use 95Mhz directed energy for so-called Non Lethal Weapons technology. This is not complex.

2) Based on poor signal propagation and inability to permeate through common materials used in most building construction, 95Ghz picocells are being deployed every couple hundred feet in areas with large buildings and superstructures. This is not something that can be opted out of, especially in densely populated urban areas.

3) The adverse effects of electromagnetic fields on biological tissue was extensively researched by Dr. Robert Becker and documented in his published scientific research as well as his book The Body Electric. All of this information was suppressed by academia and big pharma, he proved exponentially increased cellular mitosis rates, damage to DNA, and a host of other ill effects from EM fields at powers significantly less than today's mobile telephones and WiFi access points. There is a massive profit motive associated with mobile telephony, the Federal Communication Commission is one of the only, if not the only, self-funded government agencies in the U.S. and if you've ever consulted for them it shows. Armani suits, 7 Series in the parking lot, the FCC has loads of cash from spectrum allocation auctions where they receive billions of dollars for each chunk of the spectrum they auction off for use by mobile carriers.

Millimeter wave 5G should be completely stopped in its tracks until conclusive studies have been conducted. Hundreds if not thousands of scientists at this point have signed public letters to this effect, I am really surprised this is even a 5G positive topic of discussion on YC.

> 1) 95Ghz millimeter wave provably and without question has the potential for adverse affects on human tissue. Active Denial Systems (https://jnlwp.defense.gov/About/Frequently-Asked-Questions/A.... for example) use 95Mhz directed energy for so-called Non Lethal Weapons technology. This is not complex.

At what energy levels?

You can use a really bright light as a denial system, but that doesn't mean a flashlight can harm someone.

Any system that relies purely on heat to cause problems does not demonstrate that the frequencies are unsafe.

Again, as mentioned in my previous comment Becker's scientific work with The Body Electric documented numerous instances of cellular mitosis being accelerated and other ill effects from electromagnetic fields much less powerful than what we are holding up to our ears these days.

These 5G picocells are phased antenna arrays that can perform beamforming with pinpoint directed energy. And they are coupled with Software Defined Radios that can be remotely upgraded with firmware updates.

Hitler almost took over the world, and we have significantly more advanced technology available to us these days since World War II. Depending on the RF front end of these picocells, what's to stop some potential next world dictator from turning all of these picocells into a global active denial system to prevent riots and civil unrest - because provably 95Ghz is already being used for ADS - especially if the picocell output power can be controlled via firmware update?

So here's your question back to you: how much output power are these picocells actually capable of?

And with active beamforming capability, what's to stop a government from turning these picocells into highly directional ADS nodes to prevent riots and protests?

These things are popping up next to tunnels and public transit ingress/egress in NYC, and public officials are refusing to comment on what they are being used for other than "it's something to do with Homeland Security":

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/09/27/mysterious-metal-tow...

All of this SDR-enabled 5G picocell gear from all vendors need to go through extensive teardown analysis from the technical community, to determine what amplifier components are being used. China wouldn't think for two seconds about rolling out that type of capability in their country to prevent civil unrest, and having remotely-upgradable amplifiers on every light pole that provably can interact with human tissue doesn't sound like a fun future to me.

They'd have to be massively overbuilt to provide enough power for ADS. If there's any evidence of that, I'll be worried.

Just like I could be worried that street lights are going to be used like spotlights, but I'm not.

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