Senate Commerce Plans July 25 Hearing on 5G, Thune/Schatz Small-Cell Bill

The Senate Commerce Committee plans a July 25 hearing on maintaining U.S. leadership in 5G and the technology's importance “to meet the growing consumer demand for reliable broadband services.” The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell. CTIA President Meredith Baker, Qualcomm Senior Vice President-Spectrum Strategy and Technology Dean Brenner and Charter Communications Senior Vice President-Wireless Technology Craig Cowden will testify, the committee said. Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us the hearing will also be an opportunity to examine the Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-Edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance (Streamline) Small Cell Deployment Act (S-3157), which he and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, filed in June. The bill aims to ease barriers to 5G and other broadband deployment by implementing a “reasonable process and timeframe guidelines” for state and local consideration of small-cell applications. Local and state governments' ongoing opposition to S-3157 remains a significant hurdle to advancing it beyond Senate Commerce (see 1710310057, 1712070075, 1804130057 and 1807050029).