Science and Tech Spotlight: 5G Wireless

Although 5G is mainly being deployed by industry, governments and other organizations will decide how to use public resources, such as spectrum, and what obligations network operators will have to their users. Among the questions they will face are the following:

• How can federal agencies manage spectrum to balance the needs of existing users with the needs of 5G users?
• What are the trade-offs between the speed of 5G deployment and ensuring sufficient time for local review of the location of numerous small cell antennas?
• What are the cybersecurity risks of 5G networks and applications, and what can policymakers do to address these?
• How can policymakers ensure equitable access and benefits from 5G?
• What role can policymakers take to ensure that user privacy is protected as 5G networks are deployed?