Former House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), Monday kicked off an advocacy group for U.S. 5G deployment. Called “5G Action Now,” Rogers hopes the group raises the alarm about the importance of winning the 5G race against China. Rogers chairs the advocacy organization which aims to educate Congress and the public. Funding for the group has not been disclosed.
“The Chinese understand how important 5G is to America’s economy, national security, and global leadership,” Rogers said. “That’s why Beijing poured massive subsidies into Huawei, worked to undercut international competition, and waged a campaign of unprecedented economic espionage to dominate 5G. It is crucial that we don’t allow China to outspend and outplay us on the 5G field.”
According to a recent IHS study, full deployment of 5G technology by 2035 will enable $13.2 trillion of global economic output, and support 22 million jobs. 5G Action Now supports the FCC’s goal of holding an auction, this year, for the allocation of the C-band, mid-band frequency spectrum necessary to deliver ubiquitous 5G services.
“Ensuring American leadership in 5G is not about that next killer app or faster download speeds. It is about securing and strengthening our country’s economic future,” Rogers said. “We, as a country, need to have a critical conversation about how to prioritize the race for 5G.”
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