Cities across the country may be seeing more infrastructure upgrades needed for the deployment of 5G coverage in the wake of a new ruling issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
That ruling is designed to make easier the approval process for building such new infrastructure, particularly by limiting the say that municipalities have in objecting to towers that may be regarded as obtrusive or unattractive.
According to a statement released by the FCC, the new ruling will “expedite equipment upgrades to deploy these next-generation networks, which are critical to expanding economic opportunities and supporting public health and safety in American communities.”
Long in both the development phase, 5G technology is simply the fifth generation technology standard for cellular networks first deployed in early 2019.
The technology, twenty times faster than current wireless technology, can be used to power everything from city utilities, cellular communications, and even industrial robots.
In announcing the new ruling, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said it would allow for 5G infrastructure projects to jump over “unnecessary ambiguities and roadblocks in order to advance wireless broadband service for all Americans.”
While the FCC ruling has been hailed by mobile carriers, such groups as the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties have announced their opposition, arguing that the determination negatively impacts local government ability to manage basic facility request applications.
The Samsung Electronics Company last week put on sale its new 5G-enabled Galaxy 71 phone. Apple Incorporated has announced that it will introduce its first 5G iPhone later this year.
By Garry Boulard
