FCC Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel, in Charge of 5G Rollout, Confronts a Long To-Do List

The Federal Communications Commission has been in overdrive in recent months as billions of dollars in 5G investments put new demands on its staff. The coronavirus pandemic has complicated matters even more by highlighting the millions of Americans who lack broadband access for work and school. The FCC’s earliest 5G-focused auctions sold off millimeter-wave licenses, which support extremely fast internet connections but suffer over long distances. FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel says US authorities were slow to recognize the economic importance of more middle-of-the-road frequencies, though the government is now making up for lost time. More broadly, the new FCC chief says, the government must make reaching all citizens “a national priority.” She says 5G technologies can help fill that need by competing with cable and fiber-optic service to the home, though wireless service alone won’t bridge the digital divide. Universal service “might sound like a big, audacious task, but remember, a century ago we did it with electrification,” she says.