Montgomery County, Maryland Council Member Hans Reimer says zoning codes prevent more antennas from being attached to utility poles in the county. Last week, the council’s Zoning Committee passed his amendment recommending changing the code, to enable 5G. The amendment still has to be approved by the full council; Reimer is hopeful it will pass.
The current situation, says Reimer, “it’s like saying, it’s okay to have WiFi but not a router.” He has high hopes the full council will adopt the change. “It’s hard to explain why this matters because I think we take it for granted our devices will work when we turn them on.” Barriers to 5G deployment exist in the area now because additional “antennas are not allowed to be placed in Montgomery County where they’re needed,” he explained during a Wireless Infrastructure Association webinar yesterday.
Noting that many low-income households rely on wireless connections to the internet, Reimer said for distance-learning last year, the county distributed 10,000 wireless routers that act as a mobile WiFi hotspot to enable those students to attend school virtually. “We needed wireless [connectivity] to get our kids through the pandemic,” he said.
Carmen Larsen, president of the county Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said individuals tell her they have a 5G phone, but ask why it doesn’t work faster. “It’s because you have a 5G-ready phone. If you don’t have the right network, you won’t see that difference. I think we need to clarify that.”
Dr. Mindi Cohen, a family practitioner in the county, said the pandemic has been a boon for telemedicine. “It’s significant for those who can’t leave a job to do telemedicine on their breaks or during lunch.” She cited the benefits of convenience and lower costs in terms of access. “5G will enhance those visits.” It also provides “a level of security for those patients with privacy,” because “they’re on their own device and not a server.”
WIA VP Workforce Development Brent Weil called 5G “critical” to building wireless network capacity. 5G deployment will also create jobs, for engineers, installers, preparers, and systems managers. Site planners, tower techs, and people to maintain those towers will be needed too, Weil added. 5G impacts the construction industry and telehealth. Manufacturing will become more advanced and connected. Self-driving vehicles will spur new jobs as well, he said.
The chamber sees 5G as a way to generate new jobs. Larsen said better connectivity will provide “opportunities for people to get technology certifications.” For those who struggle to work from home now, 5G will enable an improved experience, she noted. Re-training workers becomes more efficient as well with 5G, she said. “Right now, if [certain] skills are no longer needed, that person gets laid off. In the new environment, they can be re-trained.”
Panel moderator, Richard Rothrock, is the Manager of Government Affairs for Crown Castle in Maryland. Rothrock asked panelists the consequences of not getting 5G.
Reimer said when different jurisdictions in the Washington, D.C. area were competing for Amazon to locate in the market, the company wanted to know how localities planned to handle 5G. The risk of not getting to 5G, said Reimer, “is companies not wanting to locate in an area where the community is hostile to change.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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