Grand Forks Herald
Chairman Pai talks rural broadband in Bismarck visit
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said North Dakota is "ahead of the curve" in making broadband accessible to its residents during a visit with communications companies in Bismarck (ND). Chairman Pai participated in a roundtable discussion led by Sen John Hoeven (R-SD) at Dakota Carrier Network's office. Participants in the discussion said ND has only some pockets left unserved by broadband, but they said more can be done.
Will some rural areas be left behind when 5G arrives in the Dakotas?
Experts say it could be up to five years before customers in smaller cities like Fargo (ND) and Bismarck (ND) can expect to see 5G wireless, and it likely will be available only in densely populated areas, such as the downtowns, the campus of North Dakota State University or state capitol complex. That’s because 5G uses very high-frequency radio waves that travel very short distances, requiring a dense — and very expensive — network of transmitters that are cost-effective only in very urban environments.