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A comment on Stop global roll out of 5G networks until safety is confirmed, urges expert.

Re:Stop global roll out of 5G networks until safety is confi... by daemoon on Tuesday January 19, 2021 @11:18AM (#25834950)
> Its inherent fragility means that transmission boosting ‘cell’ antennae are generally required every 100–300 m—which is far more spatially dense than the transmission masts required for older 2G, 3G and 4G technology, using lower frequency waves

I can see that it's necessary to place 5G masts more densely in order to deliver the promised transmission rates and coverage but it seems like a bad solution to a greater problem. Assuming the trend continues one would need even more cells to deliver 6G, 7G etc. Are there no other ways of increasing the bandwidth without placing a mast at every city corner?

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Re:Stop global roll out of 5G networks until safety is confi... by 1241rtfasfasf on Tuesday January 19, 2021 @11:31AM (#25835121)
The high frequencies are one of the techniques in 5G that enable faster data transmission. Another is beamforming: instead of broadcasting data in all directions, it is only sent in the direction of your smartphone. The thing is, there's no change for the receiving smartphone (same RF transmission power), just reduction in interference for others.

[edit: thereby, you can have more devices talking on the same frequency without disturbing each other, since they are separated by the "beams"]

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