The real 5G “race” is to serve all Americans

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Sept 28 will see a White House rally to promote US leadership in fifth generation (5G) wireless technology. There is no doubt that 5G is an important step forward for wireless technology that will benefit consumers and drive economic growth. However, it is time to take a deep breath and let logic temper emotional battle cries and political gamesmanship. We need to spend less time worrying about China and more time asking how we can we race to make 5G work for all Americans.

Let’s stop using the so-called “5G race” as a tool to ride roughshod over maintaining competitive markets, local self-determination, or as a get-rich-quick scheme for spectrum licensees. The US has the technical leadership. The US has the early 5G buildouts in major cities. What’s missing is a race to deliver 5G to all Americans. To accomplish universal 5G we must replace expedient political battle cries with creative thinking by both government and industry to maximize scarce capital, maintain competition, and deliver the promise of high-speed, low latency 5G service to every American.

[Tom Wheeler served as the 31st chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from 2013 to 2017.]


The real 5G “race” is to serve all Americans