º£½ÇÊÓÆµ

Oops.

Our website is temporarily unavailable in your location.

We are working hard to get it back online.

PRIVACY
Tech

Openreach engineers being abused by 5G conspiracy theorists

Staff had had bottles of water thrown at them, threats and been told masts will be damaged

Openreach engineer working in village

Telecommunications engineers have been abused by people who believe new 5G towers caused the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.

Staff working for Openreach, which runs much of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ telecoms network, say they have been shouted at and threatened - even when their work was nothing to do with 5G.

Across the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ dozens of engineers – all classed as key workers during the lockdown – have suffered abuse including having bottles of water thrown at them, threats, or being told the lines and masts they are working on will be damaged.

One worker said someone made a handgun gesture at them.

Online conspiracy theorists have been pedalling the false belief that electromagnetic waves from 5G towers somehow cause the disease.

Dozens of masts around the country have been vandalised or torched by people who believe it.

It has promoted the World Health Organisation to state: “Viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile networks."

Industry specialists say superfast 5G will play a crucial role in helping the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ economy recover post-virus.