LIVE FROM MWC LAS VEGAS 2023: The US risks losing its global leadership in 5G and ceding influence on future spectrum policy to countries such as China from a lack of regulatory action, CTIA president and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker warned.
During her keynote presentation Attwell Baker talked-up the country’s current position in the global 5G ecosystem, though bemoaned current issues with spectrum allocation and a perceived lack of action ahead of the upcoming ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023.
She added the country had “taken a step back from our global leadership,” adding: “In the coming months we have a major international conference without a clear vision to lead a discussion on key 5G bands for today or tomorrow.
“We’re allowing China and others to shape these decisions. This lack of action risks our leadership in 5G and the industries of the future, it risks the US being on a technological island, driving up costs and losing our influence.”
She added to meet the anticipated future requirement for data the mobile industry would need almost 1,500MHz of additional spectrum in the next decade, claiming other countries had recognised a similar need but were acting much faster.
“This summer China snapped its fingers and released 700MHz of new mid-band spectrum, that’s more than we have done in the last decade,” she added.
“For our economic security and national security it is critical that the administration in congress renew our commitment to leading the world in spectrum and 5G”.
Her call to action comes at a time when the country’s FCC is unable to allocate spectrum after politicians failed to renew its authority earlier this year, a situation Attwell Baker has previously been critical of.
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