Why 5G Is Positive

5G Technology: Bridging the Digital Divide

5G stands for the fifth generation of mobile networks, the newest global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G were developed: 5G has been touted as a special historic step forward because of its capacity to connect all types of machines and devices in a seamless network, with higher data speeds, greater reliability, and greater network capacity and availability (Everything you need to know about 5G, 2023). As the world grows increasingly online, all of the time, the ability to engage in constant connectivity will be all the more important. 5G is significantly faster than 4G, offers more capacity, and operates on a more unified platform (Everything you need, 2023). Although concerns still remain about privacy and security of 5G networks, overall, the technology offers a great deal of promise of making it much easier for more people to enjoy the benefits of the Internet and the ease of using online capabilities in a seamless fashion.

Introduction to the Technology

The basis of 5G technology is orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), “a method of modulating a digital signal across several different channels to reduce interference,” and the use of “wider bandwidth technologies such as sub-6 GHz and mmWave” (Everything you need, 2023, par. 3). The greater flexibility offered by 5G and scalability opens it up to a much wider range of applications. One of the most important potential applications for 5G is the ability to enhance connectivity for rural communities underserved by broadband. It can effectively bridge the gap between the digital haves and have-nots which still exists in so many areas of America. It can close the gaps through its “roaming capabilities” between cellular and Wi-Fi connection, so that individuals on their mobile devices “can stay connected as they move between outdoor wireless connections and wireless networks inside buildings without user intervention or the need for users to reauthenticate” (What is 5G, 2023, par.3). This frees people up from the need to remain stationary to stay connected, or even to gravitate inside to businesses that tout their Wi-Fi access.

Ethical Dilemmas

In terms of ethical dilemmas, ideally 5G technology should remedy many of the difficult issues which the ideal of constant connectivity has generated. Today, people shop online, are educated online, and people can gain great benefits from using wireless technology to communicate with others. Individuals in underserved communities lack this easy access. 5G improves virtual accessibility, and makes it much easier to use a phone while on the go, versus staying on a laptop or standard computer with Wi-Fi access in a café. While roaming users on 5G can deploy many basic functions like Zoom, online banking, searching job advertisements, and downloading textbooks. All of this can significantly promote knowledge and enable multitasking with basic life functions while minimizing the need for remaining close to a stable Wi-Fi connection.

However, 5G still has raised some ethical concerns, particularly in regards to privacy and security. One of the arguments in favor of 5G is that it can enhance healthcare delivery. Again, this pertains critically to another area where rural and remote areas are often underserved. “In healthcare, 5G technology…will enable patients to be monitored via connected devices that constantly deliver data on key health indicators, such as heart rate and blood pressure” (What is 5G, 2023, par. 11). For example, if someone does not have easy access to a healthcare clinic, health monitoring data can still be transmitted to a remote physician for abnormalities and irregularities. This can be a relief for individuals suffering from chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.

But healthcare databases contain a trove of personal information spanning from credit cards, to social security numbers, to birthdates, email addresses, and other sensitive information that could be used to broach security in other arenas or could be easily sold on the dark web. The European Parliamentary Research Service has expressed concerns that China is one of the leading providers of 5G research, and vulnerabilities to hackers and intellectual property theft might be opened up if dependence on 5G becomes ingrained (Pataki, 2022).

There are also military and security concerns because of the ability of 5G to monitor physical locations. On one hand, there is great benefit through the ability of real-time physical monitoring. “In the auto industry, 5G…will provide information on traffic, accidents, and more; vehicles will be able to share information with other vehicles and entities on roadways, such as traffic lights” (What is 5G, 2023, par. 11). But this type of information could also be useful to those who wish to engage in disruptions of such critical functions that enable modern societies to proceed seamlessly. Finally, for the elderly or those who are more reluctant technology adapters, there will be an expense as 4G phones grow nonfunctional. The need to purchase new technology and the fact that as dependency on the Internet increases, there will be greater difficulty of opting out entirely muse be acknowledged.