Digitalization means that network capacities need to be constantly expanded. In Germany and Austria, the capital cities are already well covered by the 5G network. Nevertheless, Europe is not among the top 10 in the world when it comes to 5G expansion.
Which countries have the best 5G coverage?
The conurbations and capital cities in Europe are already well covered by the 5G network. In rural areas, however, expansion is progressing rather slowly. Nevertheless, the aim is to offer 5G nationwide by 2025. In this country, there are also 5G micro-cells, which are made available to companies, and the IoT (Internet of Things), which allows a wide variety of devices or things to be networked with each other on company premises. Other countries around the world are already better connected with 5G.
- The absolute leader is – how could it be otherwise – South Korea: Although less than 30% of the population is still connected to 5G, South Korea is still in first place.
- Saudi Arabia is in second place with 5G availability of 26.6%.
- Third place also goes to the Middle East with Kuwait. 26.3% of the inhabitants there are connected to the 5G network.
- Fourth place goes to Hong Kong.
- The USA is in fifth place with over 20%.
- Italy is the only European country in the top 10 in 8th place with 5G availability of around 15%.
Are there also potential risks associated with 5G?
The new generation of mobile telephony allows immense amounts of data to be transported in a short space of time. First of all: whether and to what extent electromagnetic radiation is really harmful is currently the subject of controversial debate. However, some scientists are also warning of the potential risks to humans, animals and the environment. High-frequency electromagnetic fields have been shown to be harmful to organisms on numerous occasions. Some critics assume that high-frequency electromagnetic radiation may be able to put cells under a kind of constant stress. Electrosensitive people are already complaining of symptoms. The WHO even claims that certain electromagnetic radiation can be “possibly carcinogenic”. However, scientific evidence for this is largely lacking, as long-term studies on the effects of mobile phone networks are still missing. The main reason for this is that the technology is still very young and is developing rapidly. Nevertheless, the electromagnetic radiation has been classified by the WHO as a cause for concern.
