June 11 Safe Tech International News and Notes
Pittsfield Lawsuit Update, UK Cheltenham Ruling, Blue Light
FEATURED: This could change everything! Pittsfield-Verizon Court Case- June 17th
June 17th- Pittsfield Neighbors and Board of Health versus Verizon
On Monday, June 17th, the Pittsfield case will be heard, which may well change "business as usual" for telecom. We need your good thoughts for the very best outcome! This could be the most important court decision since the EHTrust/CHD lawsuit against the FCC in 2021. That was when the DC District Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC acted in an "arbitrary and capricious" manner when ignoring 11,000 pages of scientific evidence showing negative biological effects from wireless radiation. As we know, the FCC has yet to scientifically justify those arbitrary and capricious regulatory limits. Meanwhile, in 2020, a powerful 115-ft Verizon cell tower was activated close to homes in Pittsfield, MA. Some became ill immediately after the tower was activated, but most of the 17-plus nearby residents were sick within weeks. Some had to leave their homes to survive. A third death since the tower was activated occurred last month and has taken quite a toll on the neighborhood. The Pittsfield Board of Health got involved. In April 2022, the Board issued an emergency cease-and-desist order directing Verizon to come to the table within 10 days to discuss a solution or cease operations. After a thorough investigation it was determined the emissions from the tower were a “public nuisance” and “cause of sickness” that “renders dwellings unfit for human habitation.” The order was the first of its kind in the country by a Board of Health issued to a telecommunications provider. Verizon first ignored the order, then sued Pittsfield. Concerned about high legal costs, the City Council did not support their own Board of Health by failing to provide funding for legal fees to defend a legitimate Board of Health Emergency Order. The Board of Health had no choice but to rescind the cease and desist. McCollough Law Firm, headed by Scott McCollough and funded by Children’s Health Defense, intervened on behalf of the affected residents. The ultimate goal is to allow the legitimate Emergency Order, which became a cease-and-desist when Verizon failed to come to the table after 10 days, to be reinstated. The Boards of Health in Massachusetts have plenary powers. Never since Paul Revere wrote the bylaws for the Boston Board of Health in 1799 has a Massachusetts Board of Health failed in its efforts to shut down a legitimate nuisance – even at the highest court level.
The legal argument on June 17 is the heart of the case, and that is the only argument at issue on that day. The issue is one of “preemption.” For this case to stay alive, the judge will have to decide that the Board of Health is not preempted by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Verizon would have the Court believe that all matters related to health are “preempted” by the TCA. McCollough has argued in a brief already submitted and will argue before the court on the 17th that while health cannot be taken into consideration when it comes to the placement of a tower, once the tower is operational and once it causes harm that has been verified through an investigation by governing bodies such as the Board of Health, the courts must allow the Board of Health to do its job. There is a lot at stake here. A positive outcome will certainly set a precedent. Please send your positive thoughts to the residents, their legal team, and the judge.
Articles About Pittsfield:
https://www.propublica.org/article/fcc-5g-wireless-safety-cellphones-risk
I have inquired about whether or not the public can listen to or view the proceedings; if I have information to share, I will post it to the stack.
FEATURED: LEGAL VICTORY IN UK: A legal win for a mast objector in Cheltenham - Authorities must assess the impacts of radiation on metal implants and pacemakers (?)
Around 22 years ago, Mr Thomas sustained a serious head injury, fracturing his skull in a car accident. He now has a titanium implant in his skull, which until recently did not affect his health unduly. However in 2021 he moved into a flat in Cheltenham which had two 5G rooftop masts in its vicinity, each about 100 metres away. He began to experience severe migraines, insomnia, dizziness, tinnitus and even nosebleeds. This has since got progressively worse and he has to reside with friends and family, when his symptoms become unbearable. At the end of 2021, he asked the council to make various interventions on his behalf, but with no success. Having been left high and dry by the council, Mr Thomas began his own investigations. He found out that the UK Government follows the safety exposure guidelines suggested by the International Commission for Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and that almost all councils, when considering mobile telecommunications mast applications, assume that their obligation to protect public health has been fully met by the mere existence of the misleadingly named “ICNIRP certificates” provided by telecoms companies in support of their applications. These certificates, correctly described, are actually Declarations of Conformity, certifying that the mast, when operational, will conform to ICNIRP guidelines. The certificate is not issued by ICNIRP, but filled in by each telecoms company making an application and is accepted unquestioningly by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) as proof of compliance. Most significantly, Mr Thomas discovered during his scrutiny of the ICNIRP guidelines, that if you have any type of metallic implant, pacemaker or have had medical treatment utilising radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs), your health is not protected by the ICNIRP guidelines. ICNIRP has specifically said that these “exposure scenarios are…outside the scope of these guidelines.” Last month this vital point was admitted by Judge Jarman in a case brought by Mr. Thomas against Cheltenham Council, concerning a proposal for a mast, which was 17 metres from a block of flats at Harris Court in Lansdown Road and 100 metres from a care home in Cheltenham. Judge Jarman ruled, in relation to the care home, that the existence of a Declaration of Conformity was not sufficient with regard to those with metal implants, and that, “The failure on the part of the authority to grapple with potential impacts on medical implants was, in my judgment, an error and this ground succeeds” However, since the judge had “no medical evidence to show what a potential impact on a pacemaker at such a distance may be,” he found that it was not possible to quash the decision of the council with regards to the mast. [] The significance of Judge Jarman’s ruling on metal implants, is highlighted by the obvious consternation revealed by Cheltenham Council in their appeal against it. The ruling has the potential to radically change the process by which masts are permitted. A witness statement complained about the potential delay in mobile infrastructure rollout, that this would create and claimed that the decision “risks chaos for decision makers” complaining that “the learned Judge’s judgment also risks subverting the public health regime and placing greater responsibility on the LPAs to undertake assessments of the impacts on implants of EMFs emitted from masts. That is not their proper role and they do not have the expertise to perform it.” Thus, it would appear that the speed of planning decision is of much higher importance to local authorities, than any concern for public health. A legal win for a mast objector in Cheltenham (substack.com)
FEATURED: 33 New Papers on Electromagnetic Fields and Biology or Health
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety Joel Moskowitz has been circulating abstracts of newly-published scientific papers on radio frequency and other non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) monthly since 2016. The complete collection of these papers contains more than 2,000 abstracts with links to the papers. Several hundred EMF scientists around the world receive these updates. To see abstracts for the most recent papers or to download volumes 1 to 3 of this collection go to:
https://www.saferemr.com/2022/06/recent-research-on-wireless-radiation.html
FEATURED: CHD Files Lawsuit Against Radiation at Home, Paul Harding and Scott McCollough Esq.
Smart Meters, Dity Electricity, and more. The focus of today’s show is on the everyday spaces that people occupy and the ever-increasingly pervasive nature of radiation within those areas — such as WiFi and 5G technologies in and around homes, schools, businesses and beyond. https://live.childrenshealthdefense.org/chd-tv/shows/good-morning-chd/chd-files-lawsuit-against-radiation-at-home/ 53 MINUTES
News and Notes
AI Scientists should use AI as a tool, not an oracle How AI hype leads to flawed research that fuels more hype Scientists should use AI as a tool, not an oracle (aisnakeoil.com)
AI: Generative AI is in the crosshairs at Meta and Alphabet annual meetings as shareholders vote for detailed reports Generative AI is on the ballot at Big Tech companies like Meta and Alphabet, as shareholders vote on proposals calling for detailed reports by the companies about how the technology is being used to create and spread misinformation. The shareholder proposals, which will be voted on at each company’s upcoming annual general meeting, reflect growing concerns about the power and prevalence of generative AI. [] The three proposals were led by ESG activist investor group Arjuna Capital and focus on concerns that generative AI threatens to amplify misinformation and disinformation around the world, particularly during a critical election year in countries like the US and India. A separate shareholder proposal brought to Apple focused on the risks of AI to workers, which was filed by the AFL-CIO Equity Index Funds, the largest labor union federation in the US. While the proposal was ultimately voted down by Apple shareholders at its annual meeting in February, proponents of AI transparency won a victory beforehand when the SEC ruled that companies like Apple could not bar shareholders from voting on such matters. [] The votes come as Google has faced massive blowback over the past week for its new search AI features, which has produced false and often bizarre responses, including telling users to put glue on pizza. Audio and video deepfakes created by AI technology are also proliferating online, raising concerns in an election year. [] The proposals for AI reports at Meta and Alphabet are unlikely to be approved, as both companies have dual class stock that concentrates the voting power in the hands of the founders. Still, the proposals carry symbolic power and have the potential to send a message to management if they earn widespread support from shareholders. At December’s Microsoft AGM, Novoselic served as the spokesperson for the shareholder initiative, describing himself as a long-time shareholder. He accused the company of racing forward, “releasing this nascent technology without the appropriate guardrails.” Generative AI, he continued, “is a game-changer, there’s no question, but the rush to market seemingly prioritizes short term profits over long-term success.” Generative AI is in the crosshairs at Meta and Alphabet annual meetings as shareholders vote for detailed reports (yahoo.com)
AI Tools Are Secretly Training on Real Images of Children A popular AI training dataset is “stealing and weaponizing” the faces of Brazilian children without their knowledge or consent, human rights activists claim. AI Tools Are Secretly Training on Real Images of Children | WIRED
AI Paris Marx: Apple hopes AI will make you buy a new iPhone The company’s mundane features confirm the generative AI hype is rapidly waning Monday, company executives ran through a series of features like proofreading and changing the tone of text, recording and transcribing phone calls, a more capable Siri voice assistant, and an emoji generator which all fell under the label of “Apple Intelligence” — its branding term for generative AI. But none of them were anything to get too excited about. The biggest takeaway from Apple’s keynote is that the air continues to flow out of the generative AI bubble. Apple hopes AI will make you buy a new iPhone (disconnect.blog)
AUTOMOBILES: Here's How Self-Driving Cars Stay In Their Lane, Know When To Brake, And More According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), that is only a level two autonomy level (levels range from zero to five). Here, we are talking about level four because no level five car has been sanctioned and produced. A level four car may still require input from the driver, but it can function fairly autonomously. There's no publicly available consumer level four car right now, but, several companies such as Waymo and Cruise, are actively testing and developing them in restricted areas. Self-driving cars "see" through a suite of components, typically comprising LiDAR, radar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors. They all work together and fuse their data to provide a comprehensive view of the vehicle's surroundings. Radar: Autonomous cars emit radio waves and analyze the echoes that return after the waves bounce off objects in their paths. Radar uses the time it takes for the waves to return to calculate the angle, distance, and velocity of obstacles around the car. What makes radar important, though, is its reliability in poor weather conditions such as fog, rain, or snow. LiDAR: Instead of radio waves, LiDAR emits light and uses it to measure distance. A LiDAR system works by emitting multiple laser pulses and measuring that reflection. It's a higher-resolution and more precise version of radar that uses light instead of sound. It allows the autonomous car to see small or narrow objects that radar might struggle with. They are typically located at the top of the car Ultrasonic sensors: In addition to radio and light, autonomous vehicles (AVs) also use sound to sense obstacles. An emitter releases sub-audible sounds and calculates the distance from an obstacle based on how quickly the sensor picks up the sound. Cameras: LiDAR and radar may be able to map objects in a 3D field, but they are unable to read signs and see lanes. That's where cameras come in, they are positioned all around the car to provide a 360-degree view that can spot obstacles and provide visual data, like reading a stop sign by the side of the road. There are advanced computers in AVs powered by AI-oriented processors and neural networks that combine all the data, detect what objects are in the way, and sift through them. These AI models are trained on large datasets and improve upon each journey. They can then calculate angles for turns, choose optimal driving paths, and make predictions based on the information they have. Since machine learning and AI must be exposed to and trained on millions of scenarios to understand what to do in every instant, new and unpredictable situations might be problematic. It's almost impossible to replace human intuition, like when you know from body language and instinct — or even eye contact — what a pedestrian or nearby driver is about to do. Until we solve this problem, we cannot achieve level-five vehicle autonomy. https://www.slashgear.com/1519134/how-self-driving-cars-work-stay-lane-know-when-stop-brake/
AUTOMOBILES EVs: Complex Electromagnetic Issues Associated with the Use of Electric Vehicles in Urban Transportation The electromagnetic field (EMF) in electric vehicles (EVs) affects not only drivers, but also passengers (using EVs daily) and electronic devices inside. This article summarizes the measurement methods applicable in studies of complex EMF in EVs focused on the evaluation of characteristics of such exposure to EVs users and drivers, together with the results of investigations into the static magnetic field (SMF), the extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF) and radiofrequency (RF) EMF related to the use of the EVs in urban transportation. The investigated EMF components comply separately with limits provided by international labor law and guidelines regarding the evaluation of human short-term exposure; however other issues need attention—electromagnetic immunity of electronic devices and long-term human exposure. The strongest EMF was found in the vicinity of direct current (DC) charging installations—SMF up to 0.2 mT and ELF magnetic field up to 100 µT—and inside the EVs—up to 30 µT close to its internal electrical equipment. Exposure to RF EMF inside the EVs (up to a few V/m) was found and recognized to be emitted from outdoor radiocommunications systems, together with emissions from sources used inside vehicles, such as passenger mobile communication handsets and antennas of Wi-Fi routers. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8914635/
CELLPHONE SOBRIETY: How to Break Up With Your Phone And why you probably should (Oct 2023 Intro/Overview from author of best-selling book) How to Break Up With Your Phone (substack.com)
CENSORSHIP LEGAL “A First Victory Against Big Tech!” – Belgian Lawmaker Awarded €27k From Meta For Unfair Facebook ‘Shadowban’ Vandendriessche was awarded €27,279 in damages, equal to the amount he had been forced to spend to contest the decision in the courts. Meta refused to comment on the particulars of the case, but issued a statement reserving its “right to remove violating content and limit the organic reach of certain messages.” "A First Victory Against Big Tech!" - Belgian Lawmaker Awarded €27k From Meta For Unfair Facebook 'Shadowban' - Activist Post
CHILDREN: New York passes legislation to ban 'addictive' social media algorithms for kids The New York state legislation will ban social media platforms from algorithmically recommending content to children. New York passes legislation that would ban 'addictive' social media algorithms for kids (nbcnews.com)
CHILDREN YOUTH SWEDEN REPORT: Study: Internet addiction changes brain chemistry in young people A new study published in PLOS Mental Health has reviewed previous research that used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine how different parts of the brain interact in people with internet addiction. The study reviewed 12 previous studies involving 237 10- to 19-year-olds who were all diagnosed with internet addiction between 2013 and 2023. The Guardian writes that according to the study, it was possible to see increased activity in parts of the brain when the participants were resting. At the same time, there was a general decrease in the functional connectivity in parts of the brain involved in active thinking, which is what is responsible for memory and decision-making. According to the study, these changes result in addictive behaviors in young people as well as behavioral changes linked to mental health, development, intellectual ability, and physical coordination. https://computersweden.se/article/2138688/studie-internetberoende-forandrar-hjarnkemin-hos-unga.htm
CHILDREN JON HAIDT: The Great Deterioration of Local Community Was A Major Driver of The Loss of The Play-Based Childhood [] In April, Zach came across a LinkedIn post by Seth Kaplan, an author and expert on fragile states. Kaplan challenged us to think beyond play- and phone-based childhoods, urging us to examine how neighborhoods and local communities have changed over the last century. He suggested that many of the issues we are concerned about today can be traced back to the great deterioration of the local community. [] Zach realized that many of Kaplan's insights aligned with our own. Moreover, Kaplan’s personal decision to become religious and live in an Orthodox Jewish community helped to explain some of Zach’s recent findings: specifically, the teens that appear least impacted by the mental health crisis tend to be religious, conservative, and live in less individualistic cultures. Seth helped us see that those who are more rooted in real-world communities seem to be more immune to the harms of a phone-based childhood. Below is an important essay that Zach wrote for the Boston Globe, which was published as its cover story over the weekend. The post tells what we now call Act I of The Anxious Generation.
EMF: Remote Amazon Tribe Gets Internet Access . . . You ALREADY KNOW What Happens Next! I could then remind you of my #SolutionsWatch episodes on Deleting Your Social Media and Unplugging From the Matrix and Taking Back Our Tech and Eye-bouncing and my conversation with Larry Rosen on How to Control Your Smartphone (So It Doesn't Control You). Remote Amazon Tribe Gets Internet Access . . . You ALREADY KNOW What Happens Next! (substack.com)
FACEBOOK: Supreme Court to Hear Case About Facebook Data-Harvesting Incident Investors claim the company misled them and this led to a drop in the value of its stock. Supreme Court to Hear Case About Facebook Data-Harvesting Incident | The Epoch Times
FCC: Portland, Ore: FCC Policy Denying Cities $3.75 Billion a Year Portland wants to apply their standard 5 percent right-of-way fee to cable broadband providers. WASHINGTON, June 7 – A federal communications policy is costing America’s cities about $3.75 billion a year – money that struggling communities could use to fund first responders, maintain parks, and prepare for disasters, according to the city of Portland, Ore. Portland pointed this out in a June 6 filing with the Federal Communications Commission and called on the agency to void a rule that shields cable broadband internet providers from having to pay fees on revenue collected from subscribers. Portland, Ore: FCC Policy Denying Cities $3.75 Billion a Year (broadbandbreakfast.com)
5G FRIEND OR FOE DOCUMENTARY: Christine Zipps and Olle Johannson, together with our esteemed experts [Cecelia Doucette, Sharon Goldberg, Paul Heroux, Camilla Rees, Eric Windheim & Jennifer Wood], and with the technical expertise of Oliver Ntol, are very honoured and proud to announce the launch of our 5G documentary, "5G: Friend or Foe?" after 2.5 years in production. Please, see the link to our website with embedded links, along with a "Teaser video", "Press Release", and "Comments" section: 5G: Friend or Foe – A Documentary (5gfriendorfoe.com) Also, please, note that, personally, I now want to make another similar documentary video about the functional impairment electrohypersensitivity. If that project shall be realized, then I need your support from start to finish, so - please - use our fundraiser https://research.radiation.dk
5G NEW YORK TIMES; Does New York City Really Need These Giant 5G Towers? A 32-foot “smartpole” is coming to a block near you. This is Street Wars, a weekly series on the battle for space on New York’s streets and sidewalks. “People don’t want, first of all, to have this monstrosity in their neighborhoods,” said Odette Wilkens, the executive director of NYC Alliance for Safe Technology. She is concerned about the plan to add what she calls “gargantuan” towers in Jamaica, Queens, near the historic neighborhood of Addisleigh Park. Does New York City Really Need These Giant 5G Towers? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
HAVANA SYNDROME PSYCHOLOGY TODAY: Havana Syndrome: Exploitation of Medicine for Political Gain Neurological phenomena in diplomats framed as byproduct of geopolitical warfare. Neurological disorders are the leading cause of morbidity worldwide (Steinmetz et al., 2024). As a resident physician in this field, I stress the necessity to invest our resources appropriately into tackling these neurological conditions and improving the lives of patients suffering from them. Undoubtedly, such AHIs deserve scrutiny and should be investigated, and patients suffering from them need to be managed accordingly. However, exploiting a medical phenomenon with unsubstantiated theories as part of a modern-day "Red Scare" conspiracy by the media and political elite and wasting resources in a Sisyphean search for an elusive weapon of geopolitical warfare are what rightfully outrage Bartholemew, Baloh, and others in the scientific community. Much of the public discourse on "Havana syndrome" has not involved a large enough contingent of the neurological community. We need to have greater participation by actual, objective medical specialists and scientists in the discourse and investigation of these AHIs and not allow them to be co-opted and exploited for political grandstanding. This is essential when mistrust in health care providers and institutions in favor of pseudoscience is all too prevalent. Havana Syndrome: Exploitation of Medicine for Political Gain | Psychology Today
HEALTH: How to fight skin cancer with UV light UV-A vs B: How we can build back our skin's detox pathway | Sunscreen's history of vanity (Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more All articles and podcasts are free.
HEALTH: New study links mobile phone use to prostate cancer and skin cancer https://nejtil5g.dk/nyt-studie-forbinder-brug-af-mobiltelefonen-til-prostatakraeft-og-hudkraeft/
INDUSTRY, FIBER: Fiber’s expanding sensing opportunities While fiber optic sensor technologies have been around for decades, the growth of fiber deployments worldwide is opening up new applications in everything from monitoring cicadas to locating new energy sources. Fiber optic sensing measures changes in an optical fiber's naturally occurring light scattering. It can measure changes in the fiber's physical state through vibration, strain, and temperature, using the fiber as a sensor of its entire length. The fiber provides real-time information on its physical surroundings, and the information collected can pinpoint the precise location of events and conditions at or near the sensor cable. Enter Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), defined by the Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA), measures tiny fiber movements caused by acoustic vibrations, which cause changes in the light sent down an optical fiber. Effectively, the entire length of the fiber becomes a length of thousands of susceptible virtual microphones that can be used to monitor physical assets and geophysical event. [] Using one or more techniques with existing dark or in-use fiber already provides substantial information about the physical world around us at little additional cost without requiring installing and maintaining dedicated Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. Combining multiple techniques for different applications provides detailed data for protecting critical infrastructure such as bridges, pipelines, and power lines. [] While fiber will be the communications backbone for the future of autonomous vehicles and connected cars, it is being used today to monitor physical events along the highways and byways across the land. For example, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) uses over 3,250 miles of fiber buried alongside its roads to detect and monitor real-time events, including crashes, avalanches, vehicle speeds, and travel times. The derived information is transmitted to UDOT’s Traffic Operations Center, where it is used to assess traffic conditions, dispatch response vehicles, and warn motorists of hazardous conditions. DAS complements existing sensors, radar, and camera networks, providing affordable monitoring in lower population-density regions with lower populations and areas without straight-line roadways. A typical DAS-based road monitoring system based on fiber provides monitoring over a 50-mile stretch unaffected by weather conditions, can narrow down events to within 30 feet, and offers updates for conditions every second. For ground transportation, fiber is the technology that keeps giving. Roadside fiber provides 5G backhaul connectivity for consumer convenience and safety today and will power connected vehicle technologies when ready for general use in the future. However, fiber also protects railway monitoring and security. DAS-based systems can detect vehicle incursions and more extensive animal incursions and work to detect trespassing for theft and other criminal activity. Fiber sensing is playing an ever-increasing role in the power industry, both in terms of monitoring infrastructure and finding new resources through geological sensing technologies. Monitoring technology installed along electrical transmission lines can provide temperature, depth of burial, and monitoring for power cables. If a break or other damage occurs to power lines, fiber helps quickly pinpoint where the damage is so repair crews can be sent promptly to where needed. [] Today’s seismic monitoring projects with existing fiber are pilots providing valuable data for better models of subsurface geography that will save lives and reduce property damage, albeit at the relatively minimal cost of collecting petabytes of data annually for real-time analysis and storage. Collecting and leveraging this data is an unexpected scientific dividend from fiber optic networks deployed over the past thirty years and for the new networks built today through private and federal investments. A better understanding of our world, the ability to use and fix power lines more efficiently, and the ability to tap into new sources of geothermal energy will help reduce our carbon emissions.. Fiber’s expanding sensing opportunities | Lightwave (lightwaveonline.com)
INDUSTRY: FWA in the USA: Getting ready for Phase 2 New research shows that 5G speeds from T-Mobile and Verizon are rising even as they add millions of fixed wireless customers. Further, some believe the days of FWA sub growth aren't over just yet. Already Verizon's CEO said that Verizon would deploy a mmWave FWA product targeted at multiple-dwelling units (MDUs, or apartments) later this year. There's plenty of speculation over exactly how T-Mobile, Verizon and potentially AT&T might expand their network capacity for additional FWA customers. One option might include installing external receivers on customers' houses, a move that could strengthen the connection between a broadcasting tower and a customer's home or office. Another option might involve the installation of mmWave equipment; already UScellular has boasted of 1 Gbit/s FWA services over mmWave connections at distances up to four miles (mmWave spectrum generally only supports short-range connections). But there might be other options, according to the TD Cowen analysts. "We learned OEMs such as Nokia (a FWA vendor for T-Mobile) and Samsung (a FWA vendor for Verizon) are launching meaningful FWA capacity upgrades at tower sites at very affordable levels," they wrote in a recent research note. "Essentially, if wireless carriers can affordably upgrade FWA tower capacity at the levels that OEMs are suggesting, the FWA performance and TAM [total addressable market] may grow far more than what the carriers are targeting today." For example, they wrote that Nokia and Samsung could increase the number of MU-MIMO "layers" in their radios from four to 16, or they could employ additional beamforming and site optimization technologies. They could also improve FWA customer premises equipment (CPE) to include eight receivers instead of four today. FWA in the USA: Getting ready for Phase 2 (lightreading.com)
LANDLINES: States push back on ISP copper retirement plans Operators like AT&T and Lumen want to end carrier of last resort obligations in states where they wish to retire copper networks, California and Utah have rejected requests from those carriers, New Street says BEAD deployments will likely enable easier copper retirement, but it’s still unclear when those deployments will kick off Plans for copper retirement appear to be at a standstill – for now. New Street thinks once subsidized broadband deployments get going (namely, via the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program), it’ll “largely resolve the issue.” States push back on ISP copper retirement plans (fierce-network.com)
LIGHT: Day and night light exposure are associated with psychiatric disorders: an objective light study in >85,000 people https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00135-8 courtesy Sean
LIGHT: Here's How Isolated Blue Light Destroys Your Body I have stood on my soapbox plenty of times and told you about the damaging impact of artificial light on human health due to its light spectrum which is primarily focused on blue light wavelengths in isolation, particularly with no red and infrared as the balancing force that nature uses in the sun’s light spectrum. Yet, I haven’t gone into the root cause mechanism involved. This is the mechanism that allows isolated blue light in society to wreak havoc. I must credit Dr. Jack Kruse for laying out this mechanism so clearly for people such as myself to simplify and spread to the world. We begin with a process known as ferroptosis.
INDUSTRY POLITICS AFFORDABLE BROADBAND: Ten Things About ACP that Ted Cruz Cares About We're sharing ten questions about the Affordable Connectivity Program that Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX) asked New Street Research Policy Advisor and Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Blair Levin testified after a hearing entitled The Future of Broadband Affordability. Ten Things About ACP that Ted Cruz Cares About: #4 ACP and GDP | Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
INDUSTRY CANADA: Canada demands 5% of revenue from Netflix, Spotify, and other streamers Canada says $200M in annual fees will support local news and other content. Canada demands 5% of revenue from Netflix, Spotify, and other streamers | Ars Technica
INDUSTRY: In Europe, fiber's the future, but HFC has a long life ahead Fiber has clearly become the dominant access technology for the access network in Europe, but operators and suppliers still see HFC and DOCSIS maintaining an important role for years to come. [] Much as it is in North America, Europe's wireline future is tied to fiber. However, widely deployed hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) networks will continue to live on and support customers for years to come.[] Fixed wireless access (FWA), an access technology that has taken the US by storm, is a niche option in Europe. Just 4% of all broadband subscriptions were tied to FWA in 2023, a number that's forecasted by Omdia to rise to 7% in 2028. [] Other speakers and panelists agreed that HFC and DOCSIS still have plenty of gas in the tank. Fiber will ultimately win out, but HFC will stick around for another ten to 20 years and coexist with fiber, John Chapman, a DOCSIS pioneer and former Cisco exec, noted in a keynote. He reiterated a stance that cable operators should take a "fiber first" approach on their network strategies. In Europe, fiber's the future, but HFC has a long life ahead (lightreading.com)
POLICY/INDUSTRY: A Techno-Economic Agenda for the Next Administration The next administration needs to place innovation, productivity, and competitiveness at the core of its economic policy. To that end, this report offers a comprehensive techno-economic agenda with 82 actionable policy recommendations. A Techno-Economic Agenda for the Next Administration | ITIF
REGULATORY FINTECH INDIA: Aadhaar, PAN, Paytm, KYC — how fintech regulation is hurting the consumer From credit card issuances to digital payments, OTPs and mutual funds – the perils of unintended consequences of over-regulation are there to see https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/aadhaar-pan-paytm-kyc-how-fintech-regulation-is-hurting-the-consumer-9362258/
SECURITY: Frontier hackers threaten to release 750,000 customers' private data - The Verge
SPACE INDUSTRY OPINION: Bridging the Digital Divide with LEO Satellites For consumers, the competition from LEOs will undoubtedly improve broadband connectivity and offerings to these rural areas. LEOs have been relying on the Ku- and Ka-bands (a portion of microwave spectrum), so far, but to thrive they will need more spectrum. The FCC has identified the 17 GHz band as a promising option for LEOs, and indeed, even advocated for the expansion of this band to accommodate LEO operations at the International Telecommunications Union’s WRC-23. Making this available in the near term will yield long-term benefits for competition, consumers, and innovation. In the same vein, the FCC is looking to clarify its rules surrounding spectrum sharing. Bridging the Digital Divide with LEO Satellites (broadbandbreakfast.com)
EVENTS
6/11 monthly meeting, Canadians for Safe Technology C4ST Open Meeting - All Welcome 7:30 pm Eastern–Featuring Cece Doucette https://gem.godaddy.com/p/ff23791?pact=215258-181155730-d84ade96-1ce0-11eb-8b1c-2db8d0328967-93fb71703886f5383f8a5ada78bf0929a4ea646d
6/12 Hospitals Oblivious to 5G Wireless Harm to Patients With Sheena Symington, Director, Electrosensitive Society, and Research Associate at The ROSE Lab Freedom Hub’s weekly “Health Biz & Politics" show Co-hosts Jim Grapek, documentarian & Pavilion Founder, AND Charles Frohman, cash-patient maker & health freedom lobbyist Wednesday, June 12th, 12pm Eastern | 9am Pacific Your Media Hub - The Marketplace For Health, Wealth, and Freedom (your-mp.com) MUST PRE-REGISTER
6/15,16 Global 5G Protest for Freedom will take place on the weekend leading up to the Summer Solstice, https://www.facebook.com/groups/548912049259423/
6/16 World Electro Hyper-sensitivity (EHS) Day http://coeursdehs.fr/june-16-world-ehs-day-world-day-of-intolerance-to-electromagnetic-pollution/