New Report: 5G Leadership Is Strategic Imperative For US

"Telecommunications regulatory governance is a powerful strategic security lever that the United States and its allies should wield with a clear vision for the future of free-market democracy."

Here are some key points from the from a report released by "Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Rosenworcel highlighted these accomplishments. In concert with the event, CSIS released a new report from Senior Fellow Clete Johnson."

• Continuing to make low-, mid-, and high-band, spectrum, particularly licensed spectrum, available to the commercial wireless market;
• Reducing barriers to deployment nationwide such as European style patchwork siting and licensing regulations.
• Maximizing the impact of broadband funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) by funding fixed wireless service where fiber-to-the-premise is not the best solution.

Second, the United States should pave the way for future innovation by:

• Clarifying and re-establishing the FCC’s authority as the federal government’s primary spectrum authority for commercial spectrum allocation so the US can solve intra-federal government spectrum disputes early and thoughtfully. 
• Advancing efficient use of spectrum through exclusive use licenses, flexible use rights, reliance on market forces to ensure spectrum is put to its highest and best use, globally harmonized spectrum, auctioning spectrum in the pipeline, and investment-friendly technical rules.
• Harmonizing best practices for cross-border data transfer to promote security, privacy, and optimal use of next generation network-generated data.
• Supporting the transition to next-generation network architectures and technologies through demonstration projects, R&D, testbeds, and pilots that support market diversity and innovation.
• Continuing federal spending in support of 5G deployment, including in the IIJA BEAD program and other broadband access programs such as RDOF.

Third, the United States should work with our allies to prove that competitive free-market democracies best foster trusted, innovative communications technologies by:

• Promoting trust in communications networks and supply chains, including by implementing trust principles through global 5G networks.
• Leveraging partnerships with like-minded nations to counter predatory practices and promote global economies of scale for network operators and vendors serving these markets.
• Safeguarding international standards processes for private sector technical innovation and protecting intellectual property rights.

5G is here but we have a ways to go on several fronts and the US is behind much of Asia in deployment. As the technology grows and continues to be leveraged, we can expect to see even more investment that is hopefully promoted and supported by the US government if we are to truly be a telecommunications leadership position.