Top House Democrats are pushing back on a Defense Department request for information (RFI) on creating a government-owned 5G network.
At last week's FCC oversight hearing, none of the five commissioners supported the prospect of such a nationalized network, something House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) pointed out in issuing a statement in opposition to the RFI.
“The Department of Defense’s RFI on the creation of a government-owned and operated 5G network will do nothing but slow the deployment of this critical technology," they said. "The plan appears specifically crafted to enrich President Trump’s cronies and undermines the careful and complicated work done by the FCC and the NTIA to allocate this spectrum for commercial use. Just last week, every FCC Commissioner – including Chairman Pai – were united in opposing ‘a nationalized 5G network.’
“Worse still, our government appears to be backtracking on President Trump’s commitment last month that ‘the American wireless industry will be able to build and operate 5G networks.’ The confusion he and his Administration are creating will surely set us back in the race to 5G.”
