ITI Provides 5G Policy Roadmap

Tech trade group ITI has issued 5G principles for policymakers around the globe and they boil down to allowing tech companies to do what they do best, "manufacturing the components and equipment that will power 5G networks and developing the applications and services that will run on top of 5G networks."  

For policymakers, that means light-touch, and primarily self-, regulation, clearing away impediments to buildouts, freeing up more spectrum, and supporting consensus, voluntary, standards. 

The map dovetails with the current FCC's focus on clearing away impediments to 5G buildouts and the technology's potentially game-changing use for closing the rural digital divide, including telemedicine and remote learning, and powering the Internet of Things. 

ITI said sound government policy is essential in four key areas: innovation and investment, deployment, access to spectrum, and security/standards. 

“Informed by our member companies’ expertise, ITI’s 5G Policy Principles can serve as a road map for policymakers as they develop measures to advance this critical technology globally," said ITI president Jason Oxman.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.