Switzerland: 5G disaster for Swisscom and Co. "Complaints are going to rain down!"

5G disaster for Swisscom and Co.
"Complaints are going to rain down!"
by Danny Schlumpf, blick.ch, 6 October 2022 - translation

3000 objections to new 5G antennas have already been made in Switzerland. Now it's getting even worse for Swisscom and Co. The new network is on the brink of failure.

Switzerland was one of the first countries in the world to auction off frequencies for 5G at the beginning of 2019. Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt jumped at the chance - even though they were aware that the legal radiation limits for the new mobile technology were too low. They assumed that the problem could be solved later - and were surprised by a massive wave of protest.

(Photo) : The authorities are overwhelmed with objections to the construction of new 5G antennas.

The anger of 5G opponents is ignited by the so-called adaptive antennas. These enable the new technology to be used, transmit in a targeted manner and therefore - as Swisscom and Co. put it - generate less electromagnetic radiation overall than many feared.

But many residents living near the transmitters apparently didn't believe that: they filed more than 3,000 objections against the construction of new antennas within two years.

The potential for protest is much greater, however, because of the nearly 20,000 existing installations in Switzerland, 12,000 can be converted to adaptive antennas. And in many cantons, no objection was possible against such conversions: they were waved through in a minor procedure, on the recommendation of the federal government.

There is nothing more to be done about existing limits

Whether new or retrofitted, adaptive antennas provide their full performance only with more radiation intensity. In view of the massive protests, however, the existing limits can no longer be altered. That's why the mobile phone providers pushed through the so-called correction factor: It allows the transmitting power of 5G antennas to be increased beyond the limit value at certain points, as long as the maximum value is still complied with on average. In many places, there was no possibility to object to this either; the activation of the correction factor did not even require a minor procedure.

Residents of converted 5G antennas therefore only had the option of defending themselves by means of legal action once the conversion had been completed. Anita Schälin (45) from Sarnen OW knows how this works: Her association "5G-free Obwalden" has already taken action in this way against seven transmission towers in the canton. One of them is in Sarnen, right in the center of the village.

Swisscom upgraded the facility to a 5G module two years ago. Schälin fought back with a legal challenge, but the canton rejected it: The upgrade did not exceed the threshold for requiring a building permit. Now the case is before the cantonal administrative court. "We are not targeting the politicians," says Schälin. "Because they are often stuck between the chair and the bench. But we are steadfastly committed to a 5G-free Obwalden."

Legal opinion gives opponents new courage

Now, the Sarner woman has new courage, thanks to a legal opinion of the University of Fribourg for the attention of the Conference of Cantonal Construction Directors (BPUK). The paper contains statements with explosive power: For the conversion of conventional mobile radio systems to adaptive antennas, a building permit is indeed necessary, the experts write. The same applies to the activation of the correction factor. And this would also make objections possible.

"We adopt this interpretation," says Fribourg State Councilor Jean-François Steiert (60), vice president of the BPUK. The goal of the Conference of Building Directors is a uniform approach by the cantons responsible for building permits from 2022. The BPUK has already recommended that they suspend the small claims procedure.

The new regime is likely to quickly become the standard. Zurich, for example, has already put it into effect, as the canton confirmed on request: retrofits and the correction factor are subject to approval there with immediate effect.

A disaster is looming for the mobile phone providers. Rebekka Meier (30), president of the "Protection from Radiation" association, expects a massive wave of objections. The providers have only themselves to blame, says Meier: "They apparently thought, just like the federal government, that they could introduce 5G without asking the residents. But they did the math without the host."

Schälin, an opponent of 5G in Sarner, believes that many projects that have already been waved through will soon end up in front of the judge: "As soon as the conversion to 5G and the correction factor are subject to approval, there will be a rain of legal petitions and charges!"

5G on the brink of collapse

According to this assessment, 5G is on the verge of collapse. The modernization of the networks is already severely delayed, says the Swiss telecommunications association Asut, in this regard: "If the introduction of 5G is further delayed, there is a risk of a significant deterioration in mobile coverage."

Jean-François Steiert disagrees: "5G is still possible. But a new technology must not be introduced over the heads of the citizens. That's why procedures with a possibility to object to upgrades or the correction factor are important for cantons that want it."

Original article in German:
https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/5g-desaster-fuer-swisscom-und-co-es-wird-anzeigen-hageln-id16879884.html