AT&T Creates Private 5G/Internet of Things (IoT) Network for Cancer Patients Despite 5G/IoT Health and Security Risks

By B.N. Frank

5G opposition is worldwide due to economic, environmental, health, and safety risks (see 1, 2, 3, 4). The majority of scientists worldwide oppose deployment. Cities AND entire countries have taken action to ban, delay, halt, and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums.

Since 2018 there have been reports of people and animals experiencing symptoms and illnesses after it was installed (see 1, 2, 3, 4). Consumer reports have also indicated that 5G has significant service problems (see 1, 2, 3).

In regard to Internet of Things (IoT) applications, privacy and security experts have been warning about its risks for many years as well –recently in healthcare settings. Nevertheless, AT&T wouldn’t have created a private 5G/IoT network for cancer patients if medical facilities weren’t interested in using them.

From Fierce Wireless:

AT&T builds private 5G network to help cancer patients

The image above shows a breast cancer pathology slide on the left, and the same slide on the right overlaid with an AI-generated heat map. Los Angeles’s Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine (named for Oracle founder Larry Ellison) uses this image to show how artificial intelligence can save lives and transform patient outcomes. Now, the Ellison Institute is investing in 5G to help scale AI to help more patients.

AT&T is building a millimeter wave (mmWave) private 5G network with multi-access edge computing (MEC) for the Ellison Institute. The carrier said the Ellison Institute is among the first medical facilities in the country using 5G to help advance cancer research. The doctors want to use the network to collect and transmit data from patients and connected devices.

“This collaboration is developing programs to use 5G to collect data from patients, healthcare providers and scientists, as well as using the Internet of Things to effectively manage our clinic and labs,” said Dr. David Agus, CEO of the Ellison Institute.

Agus and his team want to capture and analyze data in the clinics and labs instead of sending it to the cloud for analysis. The 5G private network with MEC is meant to provide a fast and more secure way to do this. One example is 3D tumor imaging. Doctors say that with the bandwidth of the private 5G network they will be able to accomplish this on site, which will increase privacy, security and efficiency.

“Data is at the core of everything we do at the Ellison Institute, and our work with AT&T enables us to capture and employ that data in meaningful ways that benefit science and our patients,” Agus said. Once the network is in place, healthcare providers will have wireless flat screen devices available, which they can use to send large files over the 5G network.

Each patient will receive a connected digital bracelet upon arrival, and all researchers and staff will wear connected sensors. These will be used to measure and monitor doctor/patient interaction levels.

The network will also be connected to other systems in the buildings, like sound and lighting systems. Patients will be able to request specific music and lighting during a procedure.

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