Wireless (5G)

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The Internet of Things (IoT) offers tremendous opportunities for consumers. However, it also places capacity demands on traditional wireless carriers. A drawback of having a broad, widely-dispersed mobile network is that it is not necessarily conducive to the hyperlocal demands of each consumer. As policymakers devise a regulatory environment for the next generation, here are a few of the goals that policymakers should consider: 

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• Promoting competition: Each year, the FCC releases a "Mobile Competition Report" that assesses the state of competition in the wireless industry. What better way is there to enable competition than by ensuring the next generation wireless marketplace enables multiple types of wireless services? Like never before, new entrants are now capable of providing hyper-local, census-based access to indoor Wifi, where the vast majority of mobile usage takes place. We help our clients advocate for a wireless marketplace that is inclusive and competitive.

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• Flexible use: In the past, we used unlicensed spectrum almost exclusively for garage door openers and baby monitors. The notion of sharing spectrum was unimaginable. Today, unlicensed spectrum enables technology, like Bluetooth, upon which we have come to rely. We help stakeholders advocate for policies that maintain an open-minded approach to spectrum policy that envisions flexible uses for spectrum.

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• Process transparency: For 5G innovation to occur, inventors, manufacturers, creators, and others must know what type and how much spectrum they will have to work with. We help our clients advocate for policies that promote transparency in the FCC's rulemaking process.

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