Ready or not, 5G is coming soon to your phone—bringing lightning speed and a new world of applications, many of which are yet to be imagined. Yet along with that comes concerns about cybersecurity, data privacy, and consumer health.

Sorting out the hype and rumor from the facts about 5G is a challenge. Berkeley Haas Lecturer Jon Metzler recently spent two years studying the promises and concerns related to 5G. The result is a new report, “Security Implications of 5G Networks,” published through the UC Berkeley’s Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity.

Metzler’s report concludes that despite concerns, widespread adoption of 5G cellular has the potential to offer significant improvements in security. But it may also expose new security risks, especially as 5G adoption is underway, and operators are winding down older networks with their existing flaws. That process can take years.

In addition, building out 5G networks will require operators to add hundreds of thousands of cell sites in the U.S. alone. This means pushing small cells onto “street furniture,” like bus stops and lamp posts. All of these cells must be monitored and repaired, as needed. New 5G networks also require more distributed core infrastructure—the part of the network that handles authentication, switching, and interface with other networks. Core infrastructure will have to be placed in roadside cabinets or elsewhere, outside of secure operator facilities.

If you are a journalist writing about the 5G rollout, Metzler is available for interviews about the benefits, challenges and concerns associated with this next-generation network.

Metzler is an expert on:

  • Cybersecurity
  • 5G
  • Tech, Telecom and Media Strategy
  • Models for Corporate Innovation
  • Sharing Economies and Aging Economies

To arrange an interview, click Metzler’s profile below or contact Laura Counts, Berkeley Haas media relations at [email protected].