Even the most techno-illiterate members of our population have heard the news: 5G is about to change everything. For better or for worse, companies like Huawei are racing to make the internet of things even more interconnected. These companies are in direct competition with each other as they strive to develop new 5G hardware, software, infrastructure, and applications related to this new network. Recently, Huawei has accelerated in this race after developing a completely new type of 5G antenna.
Also known as CableFree, Huawei’s new antenna brings a lot to the table. It’s lightweight, resulting in lower maintenance and installation costs, while it also boasts a more powerful output. The 80% boost in signal output is a major step forward, especially given the increased demands that our future 5G network will likely be faced with. In fact, Huawei predicts that global data usage will eclipse 180 ZB by 2025. Clearly, we’re going to need more horsepower.
Perhaps the most interesting new feature of CableFree has nothing to do with power or efficiency. The antenna creates much less radiation compared to other 5G antennas, which will likely create a sense of relief among the so-called “conspiracy theorists” who are concerned about 5G’s impact on our health. According to official statistics, CableFree “improves radiation efficiency by over 20%.” This also leads to a wider area of coverage.
In addition, CableFree’s design is seamless enough to negate the need for most nuts and bolts. This in turn reduces signal interference, making the antenna even more efficient. The design is much more than skin-deep, and the underlying technology features a unique take on phase-shifting that allows the antennae to easily integrate with the base station.
CableFree is much more than just a prototype, and the technology is already being used in various Huawei antennas.
This announcement comes during a time when 5G is going through a relatively complex and controversial period. Putting politics aside, people have been concerned about the potential health impacts of 5G from the very inception of this technology. While mainstream science seems (for the most part) to completely dismiss these claims, that hasn’t stopped various protests and political efforts aimed at halting the installation of 5G towers across the world. In some cases, concerned citizens have even burned down cell towers in Europe, apparently as part of an effort to mitigate the unproven effects of 5G on the immune system.
In any case, less radiation is probably a good thing – even if only to satiate the loud portion of the population who is opposed to 5G for health reasons. Because of this, Huawei’s new CableFree antennas will be revolutionary in more ways than one.
