NCC allays fears over safety concerns on 5G Networks

* Says radiation from Networks 5G is non-ionizing

* Offers faster speed, high latency, capacity; can transform consumer experience

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In allaying the consumers’ fears in regard to safety concerns on the Fifth Generation (5G) networks, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that “radiation in 5G is going to be minimal and not harmful.”

It was learnt that rather, Nigeria will derive huge socio-economic benefits from commercial deployment of the 5G networks, which will come with great potential that will boost Nigeria’s socio-economic ecosystem for quantifiable growth.

Bako Wakil, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, NCC, was quoted to have said this during a discussion with a broad spectrum of participants at a special panel session hosted by the Commission as part of the Social Media Week in Lagos recently.

Wakil, at the NCC panel discussion which focused on, “5G Networks: Socio-Economic Benefits and Challenges”, said that 5G is the newest generation of technology which “will bring about transformation in the country in the area of smart city, smart transportation, efficiency in medicine, a lot of automation, and 5G will control a lot of appliances and devices with respect to Internet of Things (IoT).

“The difference between all other existing generations of technologies such as 2G, 3G and 4G lies in speed and data capacity,” he stated.

The 5G deployment, however, offers even faster speed, high latency and high capacity that will transform consumers and business experiences,” Wakil said.

The Director explained that all communication possibilities within the framework of ITU’s IMT-2020 that enhance extremely accurate and near-instantaneous transfer of large quantities of data are well within the contemplation of 5G.

Such technologies will also make for a better experience of virtual realities, driverless cars, drone operations and spectra of possibilities popularly called the Internet of Things (IoT).

“Generally, there is every reason for people to be apprehensive with respect to the radiation of a new technology such as 5G.

However, he maintains that the radiation from 5G is non-ionizing. Non-ionizing radiation cannot cause adverse health effects in humans.

“So, radiation in 5G is going to be minimal and not harmful,” he clarified.

He also identified the two major challenges to 5G network deployment as energy and infrastructure.

Nonetheless, Wakil noted that as the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is coordinating the NCC, the National Frequency Management Council, and the National Broadband Plan as well should address broadband infrastructure deficits in the telecom ecosystem.

The poor state of electricity supply in the country needs to be addressed by other sectors of the economy because that matter is outside the purview of the NCC, he stated.