It has promised to transform technology as we know it. 5G, or fifth generation, will increase wireless data speed and decrease the time it takes for your devices to communicate with other devices and networks. The telecommunication industry says it will fully usher in the age of robots, self-driving cars, “smart” devices galore, among other things.
A 2018 ruling by the Federal Communications Commission means that 5G is soon to arrive in Jackson. But not everyone is happy about that. Public health officials across the globe have raised concerns because of unknowns when it comes to the safety of the new technology. They worry about people’s exposure to radio-frequency radiation—something that has increasingly concerned some public health officials. After all, two-thirds of the world’s population uses cell phones. Of particular concern, health officials say, is that 5G facilities transmit high levels of radio-frequency and must be located closer to the public and in greater density than cell towers.
Epidemiologist Dr. Devra Davis has been advocating for Jackson Town Council to take certain steps as it crafts a 5G ordinance. She tells us more. Later, Mayor Pete Muldoon offers his take.
