FierceWireless

March 2, 2016

During a Senate committee hearing Wednesday, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler promised that the U.S. will lead in 5G and allocate spectrum "faster than any nation on the planet."

Appearing as part of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation's hearing chaired by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), Wheeler said he wants to make it sure that "everybody understands, there's a difference between the way we approach 5G spectrum and the way the rest of the world" approaches it.

Wheeler and Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon Clyburn were at last week's Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Spain, where 5G was a popular topic of discussion. The FCC already has a proceeding underway, known as the Spectrum Frontiers rulemaking, to make 5G spectrum available and that proceeding will close this summer, Wheeler said, adding: "We will then get out of the way and let innovation and competition reign."

Wheeler also said he's been approached by "various other governments saying, 'you need to wait until there are standards,' and it's not our philosophy to engage in such industrial policy. We are world leaders in 4G because of the fact that we made spectrum available and we let competition and innovation reign, and I believe that is the same strategy that will bring us to world leadership in 5G."

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