The next big thing in cellular technology, 5G, will bring lightning-fast wireless Internet - and thousands of antenna-topped poles to many neighborhoods where cell towers have long been banned. Wireless companies are asking Congress and state lawmakers to make it easier to install the poles by preempting local zoning laws that often restrict them, particularly near homes. The lobbying efforts have alarmed local officials across the country. They say they need to ensure that their communities do not end up with unsightly poles cluttering sidewalks, roadsides and the edges of front yards. They also are hearing from residents worried about possible long-term health risks. Until now, much of the cell equipment that emits radio-frequency energy has been housed on large towers typically kept hundreds of feet from homes. The new small cell" technology uses far more antennas and transmitters that are smaller and lower-powered, but clustered closer together and lower to the ground. Over the next several years, [industry leaders] expect to deploy as many as 300,000 small cell sites nationwide - about the same number of cell sites installed over the past 35 years. Under federal law, local governments may not reject a cell facility application for health reasons as long as the equipment meets FCC standards for radio-frequency radiation emissions. Some local officials say they are concerned those limits, which were set in 1996, could be outdated for wireless equipment closer to homes.