U.S. Will Fall Behind Other Nations Without More Mid-Band for 5G: CTIA Chief

The U.S. wireless industry invested $39 billion in infrastructure, and “America leads the world in 5G availability,” but leadership is in doubt unless more spectrum is allocated for industry to keep up with demand, CTIA President Meredith Baker said Tuesday at the start of the Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas. The U.S. is falling behind many other countries on mid-band for 5G, she said. Baker urged special focus on reallocating the lower 3 GHz, 4 GHz and 7 GHz bands for 5G.

“We have benefited from a long-standing bipartisan commitment in Washington,” said Baker, a former FCC commissioner. “That commitment has lapsed and that [spectrum] pipeline has run dry,” she said. For the first time, Congress let the FCC’s auction authority lapse, she said: “We’ve also taken a step back from our global leadership.” This summer, “China snapped its fingers and released 700 MHz of new mid-band spectrum,” which is more than the U.S. has allocated in a decade, she said.

Baker noted the approaching start of the World Radiocommunication Conference, Nov. 20 in Dubai. The U.S. heads into the WRC “without a clear vision to lead the discussion on key 5G bands for today or tomorrow,” she said: “We’re allowing China, and others, to shape these decisions. This lack of action risks our leadership in 5G and the industries.” The U.S. could wind up on a “technological island” with higher costs for technology and weakened influence.

“For our economic security and our national security it is critical that the administration and Congress move … quickly to renew our commitment to leading the world on spectrum and 5G,” Baker said: “The first step is restoring auction authority.” Auction authority isn’t enough and the administration and Congress must identify a “pipeline of 1,500 mid-band spectrum for full-power, licensed commercial usage,” she said. “Unproven, experimental sharing solutions aren’t the answer and we are way past the time for study,” she said.

“Speeds are now as fast as home broadband connections” and “the number of 5G devices continues to soar,” with one in three devices already 5G, Baker said. “The demand for wireless data continues to skyrocket,” she said. “We saw record growth last year -- that’s more usage on smartphones, that’s more devices, that’s more sensors,” she said: “That’s Taylor Swift crashing Ticketmaster-level use. And this line is just going to keep going up and up.” Baker noted 90% of new home broadband connections are now 5G.

BEAD

Baker also noted the role wireless should play in projects supported by the broadband, equity, access and deployment program. “5G has arrived at the perfect time to help close the digital divide and to help states accomplish their BEAD infrastructure funding goals,” she said. The wireless industry can help ensure this is the last time kids will have to do their homework in a McDonald’s parking lot, she said.

Network investment, spectrum, and usage remain the big issues for the wireless industry, said GSMA Director General Mats Granryd. “For the past few years, carriers in North America have made huge steps in building 5G networks with capacity,” he said: “Those investments continue -- they have to.” Carriers will have to spend a combined $400 million by 2030 to keep up with growth in demand, he said.

“5G will drive digital transition across every single sector and as an industry we are ready,” Granryd said. GSMA is also focused on spectrum and, in particular, the WRC. “We need this year’s WRC to deliver low-band spectrum to decrease the usage gap, 3.5 GHz spectrum for harmonization to drive affordability” and the 6 GHz band “which is crucial for 5G expansion,” he said.

Granryd said the group is having its first open gateway development conference this week. “We are exploring ways of building the future of connectivity -- I cannot wait,” he said. GSMA unveiled an “Open Gateway” initiative designed to “provide universal access to operator networks for developers” in February at the MWC in Barcelona (see 2302270069).

The U.S. 5G rollout is happening faster than previous generations, with record investment, said Slayton Stewart, CEO of Carolina West Wireless and current CTIA chairman. Stewart said his company launched 5G 14 months faster than it did 4G. “We just had a situation where the ecosystem was clear and available with spectrum and devices and network equipment,” he said.

Carolina West launched 5G in its largest markets, including Hickory, North Carolina, but not in more rural communities, Stewart said: “That’s where my focus is now is to get to those people with 5G and to finish the job.” Carolina Wireless also needs additional spectrum, and federal funding to serve remote customers, he said.

Stewart said he welcomes the BEAD program but would like to see similar commitments to wireless. “We’ve been waiting for the 4G Fund and the 5G Fund for several years now, and it’s time to finish the job in rural America,” he said.