There is already a 5G connection in big cities, that’s what my mayors think: they have a message for residents

Klaipeda has already “immersed itself” in new technologies

In May, the government gave the green light to the development plan for the 5G connection. Although a frequency auction has not yet been announced, telecommunications companies are not using it. Here, Telia’s connectivity, proven in major cities, provides 5G speeds and opportunities for residents and businesses to test out.

However, government-approved 5G implementation guidelines ensure that the connection will be available to all residents and businesses. How Delphi says the mayor of the city of Klaipda, Vytautas Grubliauskas, Klaipėda, the port of Klaipėda, as well as the Free Economic Zone are one of the main engines of the Lithuanian economy, therefore, in his opinion, the developed 5G communication network generation will contribute to the ambitious goals of the city of Klaipėda: to become a world-class blue economy by 2030 and to achieve rapid solutions in the city.

The mayor explains that so far the 5G connection in Klaipeda is just beginning to be implemented and has not been tested, so we have to trust the specialists, according to which the next generation 5G mobile communication technology is ten times faster than the current 4G communication network. “Many more devices will be able to connect to the same station at the same time. This allows us to hope that the new possibilities offered by 5G communication will not only improve the quality of the connection, but also allow the rapid provision of increasingly diverse services, they will open up more opportunities for the use of mobile communication, etc. And all this will strengthen Klaipeda’s competitiveness throughout the Baltic region, ”says Klaipeda Mayor.

After asking how he plans to use the 5G connection in Klaipėda, V. Grubliauskas replies that Klaipėda Passenger Transport already uses more than 500 mobile SIM cards in its daily activities.

“Mobile communication is used to manage ATMs, display bus schedules, keep in touch with bus drivers, provide WI-FI services to bus passengers, and so on. Great opportunities for the use of the 5G connection are also visible in the activities of AB Klaipėdos vanduo. This company has already implemented the automatic management and control of remote devices through mobile communication. The installed system allows dispatch personnel to remotely monitor fluctuations in power supply, water supply pumps, and sewage operation.

It is often not possible to connect electricity to the water equipment, so the solution here is battery-powered sensors. Sensors with 5G technology have a lower energy consumption, which will allow to expand the use of these sensors. In addition, 5G technology transmits video, audio and sensor data in real time, and its use in conjunction with augmented reality technology will facilitate the work of specialists in carrying out complex network repairs, ”says the mayor.

He mentions that mobile communication technologies are also used in the activities of AB Klaipėdos Energija. “There is no doubt that with the introduction of the 5G connection, the use of mobile communication in Klaipeda will only increase and Klaipeda residents and visitors to the city will take advantage of all the opportunities it offers,” says V. Grubliauskas.

Has an invitation to the skeptics

However, some Lithuanians are skeptical about the 5G connection and sometimes believe in unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. When asked what to say to skeptical or even fearful citizens about 5G, the mayor of the port city responds that some people’s concerns about the possible negative effects of 5G radiation on human health are understandable.

“Recently, various pseudoscientists and their selfish followers have become more active around the world, developing conspiracy theories and spreading fears about the alleged harm to human health caused by the 5G connection. There is a lack of trust in 5G technologies, as in the context of COVID-19 vaccination, and sometimes they are even interconnected ”, says V. Grubliauskas.

According to him, it would be desirable that the implementation and development of the 5G network were accompanied by an information campaign understandable to people. “We are waiting for a clearer and stronger statement from competent scientists and an explanation to the people that the waves transmitted by telephone are not radiation, they do not cause any change in the human body, therefore they cannot be dangerous.

My position and my calling is to believe and trust science, its discoveries, and not succumb to completely unfounded accusations and denials. On the other hand, the progress since ancient times has been the subject of controversy, from the inventions of the locomotive, the transporter, to the 5G connection and the vaccination of COVID-19 ”, the mayor shares in his message.

This is just the starting point

The mayor of the Provisional Capital Visvaldas Matijošaitis, for his part, says that the 5G connection is a welcome initiative. “This opens up new technological opportunities for both residents and businesses. Kaunas, like other Lithuanian cities (and not only) will be able to take advantage of gigabytes of data transfer speed,” says the mayor of Kaunas.

It reminds us that we are famous for being the country with the fastest Internet. “I have no doubt that with Kaunas University of Technology and the city’s strong academic community, the high-tech companies operating here, and the startups with great potential, we will use this innovation in future projects.

5G communication is already used for systems that require higher data rates: video camera networks, urban traffic measurement and the like. However, all this is only the starting point from which we will use the new communication technology for increasingly ambitious jobs, ”says V. Matijošaitis.

The mayor emphasizes that he respects everyone’s opinion, but personally supports the development of a new generation of technological possibilities.

Vilnius is already making plans

And what are the 5G connection plans in which Vilnius? According to Eglė Radvilė, IT advisor to the director of the Vilnius city municipal administration, the implementation of 5G communication is the beginning of new technological possibilities. “We congratulate the companies that are initiating a new generation connection in Vilnius and together with the Vilnius City Municipality. Also now, in the face of a pandemic, people are becoming more and more domesticated by technology, and this will be a great opportunity for the population to have access to services ”, says E. Radvilė.

According to her, 5G Vilnius will allow the emergence of new technologically newer solutions and new urban services. Without a doubt, the Internet of things, which will allow self-government to have more accurate data in real time (environment, buildings, human movements), process large amounts of information quickly and without interruptions (video transfers for security and surveillance), the use of augmented reality in business will increase. as one of the components of the service that becomes commonplace for everyone.

It must also contribute to the creation of new businesses, attraction of investments in the city, development of innovations. The most important thing is to understand that 5G can bring technological solutions closer to people, become more attractive due to more detailed data, more accurate due to speed and all this will help a person to give up inefficient solutions both at work and at home. everyday life (artificial intelligence) ”, says E. Radvilė.

When asked if Vilnius already has plans to use or even use a 5G connection, the specialist replies that the development of the Internet of Things is based on the developed Internet of Things policy, in which the critical Internet of Things 5G also plays an important role: e-health (for constant human monitoring such as pressure, blood pressure, emotional health), safety and traffic management, administration of electrical, heating and water resources, management and control of robots in industrial facilities, more understandable visualizations for the population (behavior analytics, infraction detection, detection and transmission of objects).

She also has a message for skeptics. “Critical thinking is very good. We must always take a critical look at the technologies that are sometimes offered to us. However, there must be objective evidence for critical thinking. At this time, there is no such scientifically substantiated evidence with 5G, ”says E. Radvilė.