Whether due to potential health or environmental consequences, 5G is scary.
This new technology, which will begin to be deployed in France from next year, is nevertheless a major stake for national competitiveness.
It must allow new uses for industries and consumers.
The launch of the first 5G networks will begin from 2021. But this new technology is worrying.
On Sunday in a forum at the
JDD
, about sixty elected officials from different left-wing parties demand a moratorium on this new technology, of which they point out the ecological and health consequences but also the absence of democratic debate.
Fear of the airwaves, threat to national independence, hyperconnected society: should we fear this new technology, presented as the basis of a new industrial revolution and defended again this Monday by the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire ?
A major economic stake
The deployment of the 5G network should allow the development of new industrial and general public uses.
According to Nicolas Guérin, president of the French Telecom Federation, it is expected by consumers.
"It's a technology that will allow you to go 50 times faster than previous technologies. It brings the mobile into the world of almost instantaneity. But it would be reductive to reduce 5G to these two aspects. 5G is first of all a response to consumer expectations. This will make it possible to provide more speed in certain territories in which fixed networks cannot go, "he assures us.
>> Find Europe Soir with Julian Bugier in replay and podcast here
On the industry side, expectations are also high.
As Nicolas Guérin reminds us, "it is a competitive issue which should enable our country to acquire the technologies of tomorrow capable of competing with what is developing in Asia or America".
"The technological backbone of the economy of tomorrow will be 5G", adds Stéphane Dubreuil, telecoms specialist.
The health effects questioned
However, the health effects of 5G are worrying.
In France, groups have even mobilized to dismantle antennas, fearing the massive diffusion of waves.
"Today we do not have an independent report on the health impact," recalls Delphine Jamet, deputy mayor EELV of Bordeaux, Pierre Hurmic, signatory of the forum in the
JDD
.
"You have to look at the scientific studies. There are no studies. We are preparing to deploy a network that uses waves of a new kind and without having the slightest idea of the effects that this can have on the human health ", continues Nicolas Bérard, journalist and author of
5G mon amour, an investigation into the hidden face of mobile networks.
"Thirty one
countries launched 5G globally, 14 independent health agency studies concluded there were no health problems.
These agencies are those of Germany, Norway, Finland ", retorts Nicolas Guérin. He recalls that currently, 85,000 mobile sites emit waves and that 10,500 antennas will be deployed by 2025. An obligation for meet expectations at the end of the allocation of frequencies on September 29. These auctions should make it possible to allocate to operators 11 "blocks" of frequencies in the band ranging from 3.4 to 3.8 gigahertz (GHz) , and pave the way for the first commercial 5G services in certain French cities by the end of the year.
Environmental impact
In addition to the impact of waves on the human body, opponents of 5G also point to the environmental consequences of such technology.
Currently, Internet use already represents 4% of greenhouse gas emissions.
"There are also operators, senators who are asking for this moratorium," recalls Delphine Jamet.
"We are no longer in the same context as before. There is a global economic context, but also a context of climate change which is unanimous. We must study this impact."
“We have 77% of French people who have a smartphone, 94% use it every day, 51% of internet connections are made via a mobile phone and we change 20 million terminals every year. The real subject is sobriety”, assures Nicolas Guérin.
"It is educating the populations, talking with users and having more reasonable consumption."
Tomorrow, a hyper-connected society?
More broadly, for those involved in the debate, the generalization of 5G poses a philosophical question.
Do we want to live in a hyper-connected society?
"It is not linked to 5G, it is already the case", answers Stéphane Dubreuil, who accuses a fringe of the population and the political class of agitating "the red rags" at the approach of the presidential election of 2022.
As for threats of espionage or data looting, he recalls the very protective European rules in this area. “Safeguards”, while the Gafa (Google, Apple, Facebook or even Amazon) already use the personal data of consumers.