It’s difficult to separate 5G fantasy from reality as reported in traditional news sources. Misunderstandings surrounding the demands and capabilities of 5G has snowballed, creating an incorrect assumption that the technology will solve America’s many connectivity problems. It’s true that 5G is an improvement, but it has limitations. In A Pocket Guide to 5G Hype, we address the most repeated errors surrounding 5G and explain why the technology should be considered another tool, not an exclusive remedy.
Download A Pocket Guide to 5G Hype [PDF] here.
Mistakes We Hear Over…and Over…and Over
Regardless of the source, several errors seem to be repeated and we address those in the fact sheet. We provide context to:
- The fact that 5G still needs fiber optic connections
- Why it won’t solve the problem of lack of competition
- Why 5G won’t eliminate the digital divide
- The myth of the 5G race
Orders, Complements, and More
The fact sheet also provides information about the FCC’s 2018 Order that interferes with local communities’ ability to control negotiations with 5G carriers. By choosing big telecom companies over local governments the FCC is preventing cities and counties from finding efficient paths to digital equity.
Our Pocket Guide to 5G Hype lays out a comparison between 5G and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). Rather than replacing fiber with 5G, the two technologies can have the most impact when they work together; on the fact sheet, we’ve laid out the reasons in a side-by-side chart.
We want you to delve deeper into the issue of 5G and find out the truth, rather than get lost in the hype and we’ve offered a few additional resources to get you started on your own research. Share the fact sheet with others who are interested in the truth about 5G and be sure to send it to your local elected officials. As they create local policies affecting 5G deployment in your community, they need to base their decisions on realities, not hype.
Download A Pocket Guide to 5G Hype [PDF] here.
This article was originally published on ILSR’s MuniNetworks.org. Read the original here.
