Trump lays out US 5G strategy

President Trump has revealed plans on how his administration is set to support the delivery of 5G networks in the US.

The President has signed an order outlining long-term plans for the development and delivery of 5G networks in the US in anticipation of the worldwide launch in 2020.

The order has a particular focus on promoting access to 5G spectrum, as well as the efficiency of new networks, as well as striking a balance between public sector and private needs.

It looks to ensure that there is sufficient spectrum available to cope with the large growth in internet and wireless traffic in coming years, as well as ensuring that 5G networks have adequate spectrum to provide faster speeds and high reliability.

“We will prioritize efforts to accelerate the private sector’s development of 5G, so that the American people can reap the rewards of this incredible technology,” White House adviser Michael Kratsios told reporters on Thursday.

US 5G future

"It is imperative that America be first in fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies -- wireless technologies capable of meeting the high-capacity, low-latency and high-speed requirements that can unleash innovation broadly across diverse sectors of the economy and the public sector," the memo says.

Going forward, government agencies will need to confirm their future spectrum requirements with the Secretary of Commerce, with the Office of Science and Technology Policy also told provide reports on emerging technologies and how they might impact spectrum demand.

A new Spectrum Strategy Task Force, co-chaired by the chief technology officer and the director of the National Economic Council, will also be established to implement all these improvements, and keep the President informed on progress.

Four US operators are currently looking to acquire spectrum in preparation for the launch of 5G, with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile all competing to have the new networks on offer for customers soon.

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.