It was one of the last strongholds so far to oppose the entry into service of 5G. The town hall of Lille and four telephone operators signed a charter on the deployment of this technology on Thursday, May 20. The latter paves the way for its launch from July 15.
“We have regained a relationship of trust with operators”, thanks to “strong commitments (…), included in a joint declaration” from Orange, SFR, Free and Bouygues Telecom, with “additional commitments” from both first, welcomed the mayor, Martine Aubry, during a joint press conference.
Worried about the possible health and environmental consequences of 5G, the town hall voted last October for a moratorium until the publication of an ANSES report.
This report concluded in April that 5G presented “no new risks” to health, given the data currently available, however, recommending further studies.
>> To read also – 5G would not be as bad for the environment as it is said
Operators undertake to “reduce the level” of exposure to waves
“We are, along with Paris, the only cities to have negotiated with operators to have the conditions we want,” said Ms. Aubry, welcoming “substantial” progress.
The operators undertake in particular not to exceed a threshold of exposure to waves of 6 volts per meter and in the event of a problem, “reduce the level” emitted “subject to feasibility”, according to this charter. The threshold set by law “is 61 volts”, noted Ms. Aubry.
In addition, operators will have to “inform the city annually” of the recycling rates of telephones or “put forward commercial offers” to give them a second life.
Ms. Aubry however regretted the absence of the French telecoms federation (FFT), which she said disseminated “false information” in the press.
In an article from Echoes, a “source of the sector” assured Thursday morning May 20 that the town hall had “backed down on everything”, citing in particular the obligation to provide “additional specific information” to residents, the “co-financing of probes” measuring the level of waves, or even the absence of quantified objectives in terms of collection and recycling.
Regarding sensors, “it is already the operators who finance them, through the National Frequency Agency,” replied Ms. Aubry. If the residents must be informed, “the operators undertake to give us all the information and can participate in meetings” organized by the town hall.
Lille “pilot city” to “supply its 5G sites with renewable energy”
Orange “aims in Lille for 20% of mobile phone collections” and “5% of mobile sales made on refurbished equipment”, we can read in its list of additional commitments. The operator promises to set up digital workshops for “people far from digital” and a “reflection” on “the gradual release of 2G and 3G frequencies”.
For its part, SFR undertakes to “make Lille the pilot city” of a national project: “to supply its 5G sites with renewable energy”, to accommodate “spaces dedicated to the circular economy” in stores, to equip 2,000 precarious students or to perpetuate digital training for 300 Lille residents.
If the establishment of antennas is not a competence of the city, “it is important for us that things go well with a local authority”, commented Ludovic Guilcher, director Grand Nord-Est of Orange, explaining having “pushed a little” in Lille the national objectives to “make an interesting pilot”.
>> To read also – 5G: justice dismisses the 500 environmental activists who attacked Orange, Bouygues, SFR and Free
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