Wireless Telecommunications

I believe it is no longer enough to be first to 5G—the networks we deploy must also be secure. And to build 5G security effectively, we must build a market for more secure 5G equipment. That means making sure our companies can continue to innovate and encouraging other countries to invest in 5G security, too. This is a big task. As with all significant endeavors, the hard part is where to start. But I have some ideas—about where the Federal Communications Commission should begin.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said he sees fifth-generation wireless (5G) becoming a “fixed broadband replacement product” within the next three to five years, providing consumers with faster speeds than most existing cable and DSL connections. But experts say there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical about the hype surrounding 5G, especially given these same companies’ long history of unfulfilled broadband promises. And, the shift to 5G won’t address one of the biggest — but largely overlooked — reasons for high wireless prices in the United States.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai addressed the NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association membership, and discussed a 5G future that is very much about wires and not just wireless, and promising for rural markets. “I’ve consistently said that the 5G future isn’t necessarily a wireless one, it’s actually a wired one,” Chairman Pai said.

For America to win the race to 5G, we must invigorate the free market by empowering our tower crews. We need to put you, the builders of wireless infrastructure, in a winning position by freeing you from needless government regulation and red tape. I’m proud that the FCC is executing on just this strategy. In 2019, I am taking another look at the federal rules governing wireless infrastructure deployment. We will look to fully and faithfully implement the decisions Congress has made to streamline the deployment of next-generation technologies.

The Federal Communications Commission recently proposed a new rule that will allow unlicensed users to access the 6 GHz band — a frequency on the radio spectrum — for Wi-Fi connectivity, causing a disagreement between broadband companies that would benefit from the rule and utility companies that currently rely on the frequency to communicate. The FCC reserves portions of the 6 GHz band for communications between licensed electric, water and natural gas utilities companies.

Making 400 MHz of mid-band spectrum available for commercial 5G networks will add $274 billion to the U.S. economy and create 1.3 million new jobs, according to new research from Analysis Group. Key findings include:

The emergence of fifth generation (5G) mobile networks is elevating the need for stakeholders to assess infrastructure and cost inclusivity in order to address this digital divide. Communities of color, who often find themselves on the wrong side of the divide, are poised to benefit from 5G technologies that enable internet of things (IoT) applications in health care, education, transportation, and energy. However, this outcome is contingent on stakeholder buy-in, advocacy, and programming of intentional diversity initiatives.

Verizon and AT&T have waffled on their timelines and business strategies for fixed 5G vs. mobile 5G. In 2018, Verizon pushed hard to be the “first” operator to launch 5G and it was going to do so by offering a fixed wireless service. The company fulfilled that goal with its prestandardized fixed 5G service, called 5G Home, that it launched in four markets in Oct 2018. However, it appears Verizon will be moving more quickly to a mobile 5G offering, while the expansion of its fixed 5G Home service may be delayed to later in 2019. 

Fixed wireless has garnered a lot of attention lately because both Verizon and AT&T are deploying the technology as a first step in their 5G networks. Not only does fixed wireless provide a first step in the evolution to 5G, but the technology can also be used for urban densification. And carriers can use it to “overbuild” in their competitor’s territory as well. For instance, Verizon has a lot of fiber in New York City, but with fixed 5G and its higher speeds, AT&T could poach some of Verizon’s broadband customers.

The Federal Communications Commission, under Chairman Ajit Pai, recently limited the number of providers that can offer Lifeline service in tribal areas (though that decision was struck down in court on Feb 1).