On Wednesday, lawmakers in the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a variety of measures that would require the Trump Administration to firm up a strategy on rolling out and securing 5G wireless networks, and ensuring that the U.S. plays a role in setting their international standards.  The package of legislation comes as the U.S. works to win the "race to 5G," which will enable a generation of Internet-connected devices and offer mobile data speeds up to 100 times what is currently possible.  

The pieces of legislation voted on include: The Secure 5G and Beyond Act (H.R. 2881); Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act (H.R. 4500); the Promoting United States International Leadership in 5G Act (H.R. 3763); and H. Res. 575, which supports the Prague 5G proposals.  While the Congress’ recent action is laudable, RCRC remains concerned that these efforts to promote 5G may not be workable in many rural areas of California.  As such, RCRC continues to advocate to federal policy makers that deployment of broadband is the most appropriate telecommunications upgrade that should be made for rural areas of the state and country.