•  If at first you don’t succeed...
• ...give it another go and get your government properly bought in
• The key to winning at 6G is to deploy deliberate, collaborative steps and ensure alignment between government and industry

The US v. China technology rift (see yesterday’s What’s up with... Huawei v. US Dept of Commerce, TSMC etc) may be  given another prod with a sharp stick by a ‘Call to Arms’ issued by the the US-based  Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)  which, in its own words, has shared its vision for collaboration across government, academia and industry to promote U.S. leadership on the path to 6G.  Yes, that’s 6G. 

For despite the bluster from various quarters it’s clear that US aspirations to 5G leadership have fallen well short of target - whatever the target was.  It’s now time to start a long and concerted run-up to the next ‘G’ to see if it can’t be given a US flavour with US companies and technologies ascendant 

According to ATIS, the key to that will be almost unprecedented US collective action which should bring to mind the 1960s space race which, like a mobile industry ‘G’, was assigned a 10 year development and testing period. 

So this time there will be no more fastidious observation of government non-interference in private enterprise. Far from it: “Although free market principles should guide the thinking,” say  Susan M. Miller, president and CEO, ATIS, and Mike Nawrocki, vice president, Technology and Solutions, ATIS, writing on Broadband Breakfast “the U.S. is competing with regions of the globe that greatly subsidize private sector development, violate intellectual property rights and sometimes introduce unfair trade barriers.”

So now it’s time to fight fire with fire: “There is no option but to move forward and take the necessary steps to position the US as the leader in telehealth, smart agriculture, distance learning, digitized commerce and artificial intelligence. This will require deliberate, collaborative steps and an aligned commitment from government and industry,” they assert. 

“COVID-19 has brought unprecedented economic and public health challenges, and it has also shone a spotlight on the critical role of communications networks in our daily lives, as the connective fabric between people,” said  Miller.  “While innovation can be triggered in reaction to current market needs, technology leadership at a national level requires an early commitment and development that addresses U.S. needs as well as a common vision and set of objectives.”

ATIS says its Call to Action promotes a holistic approach, beginning with innovative research and development that addresses U.S. needs, a commitment to standardization, and full-scale commercialization.  

“While the realities of different geographies, populations, economies and government oversight will always influence global market demands, it is the leadership of ideas coupled with the commitment of the public, private and academic sectors that will deliver the power and benefits of U.S. technological leadership,” said Nawrocki, Vice President, Technology and Solutions, ATIS. “Industry and government have started collaboration to create the 6G future, but this work must be amplified now to position the US as leader."