5G is the next generation of mobile connectivity, capable of supporting multiple devices and users with blazing fast upload and download speeds. The “G” in 5G refers to generation. With every generation of mobile connectivity, we can do more, from texting (2G) to emails and text-based surfing (3G) to streaming video (4G) to connecting our entire homes to the internet (5G).

There are three major problems with broadband in rural America: many people do not have access, we do not know who has access, and it is expensive to roll out. In the first regard, the FCC estimates that 26.4% of rural America, or 16.9 million people, lack access to a broadband connection of 25/3. This has been proven to be a highly conservative estimate because of the way the FCC collects broadband data.

A high-speed home internet connection is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. This is particularly the case as more and more services—from government forms and documents, to homework, and commerce—gravitate to online only. For Americans living in rural communities and who might be separated from major cities by a lengthy drive, broadband can mean leveling the economic and academic playing fields. It allows people to telecommute/telework, allows for telemedicine, and for rural students to take college-prep and advanced placement (AP) courses if not offered at their local high school.