Competitive Carriers Association seeks $11 billion from FCC for nationwide rural 5G

The Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) says more money needs to be allocated to ensure 5G makes its way into rural areas that likely wouldn’t get the new technology without support. Specifically, it has eyes on $11 billion more for the Federal Communications Commission’s 5G Fund. CCA released a new analysis that pegs the total initial cost of investment – from both private and federal funds – at $36 billion to reach ubiquitous nationwide 5G coverage in areas where carriers are unlikely to deploy without support. In October 2020, the FCC voted for $9 billion in Universal Service Fund dollars to establish a newly created 5G Fund to support 5G deployments in rural areas. However, CCA noted that the budget wasn’t based on data and was decided before updated mobile broadband coverage maps were created. The new analysis is based on real-world data, costs and 4G LTE coverage data submitted by the four largest carriers to the FCC in August 2021. CCA wants to avoid a 5G gap that mirrors the current digital divide from earlier technology generations, where there’s no incentive for carriers to deploy service in high-cost, low-density areas. The company is urging policy-makers to immediately “right-size” the 5G Fund upward to $20 billion.