Axios reports that U.S. national security officials are considering a federal takeover of portions of the emerging 5G network. A PowerPoint deck and memo obtained by Axios compare “Secure 5G” with “The Eisenhower National Highway System for the Information Age”—implying that the government should have a role in building and securing the network.
Industry players respond that 5G deployment is well underway, with standards set, trials being conducted, and 5G services set to roll out this year.
The memo acquired by Axios identifies China as the chief competitor, having “…achieved a dominant position in the manufacture and operation of network infrastructure.” It also cites China as “…the dominant malicious actor in the information domain.”
The memo further states that the United States must take the opportunity to build 5G securely: “Otherwise, China will win politically, economically, and militarily.” The memo calls for “…a concerted effort by public and private entities [to] position the United States to leap ahead of global competitors and provide the American people with a secure and reliable infrastructure to build the 21st century equivalent of the Eisenhower National System….” The effort, it continues, “…will take strong and focused leadership from the USG along with the collaboration of public and private entities…to commit to building a secure 5G network within three years.”
The memo identifies Qualcomm, Cisco, Nokia, Samsung, Ericsson, Huawei, and ZTE as the handful of companies positioned to play a role in 5G deployment, noting that 5G in the U.S. could debut on equipment from Chinese suppliers. It emphasizes many technical hurdles—for example, that high-band 28 GHz will require far more cell sites and optical fiber, entailing approval issues as well.
It says that only three carriers currently have spectrum for 5G deployment: Verizon (high band, 28 GHz at 800-MHz spectrum block), Sprint (mid band, 2.5 GHz at 100-MHz spectrum block), and T-Mobile (low band, 600 MHz at about 20-MHz spectrum block). (However, last April, Digital Trends reported that AT&T had acquired spectrum-holding company Straight Path Communications, noting, “As part of the deal, AT&T will receive valuable licenses in the 39-GHz, 28-GHz, and 620-MHz bands—frequencies ideal for the next generation of high-speed wireless.”)
The memo proposes a government-secured network—“much like concertina wire on a beach facing assault…. Since we are afforded the benefit of two large oceans for our physical defense, why not build the equivalent situation in the information domain?”
The memo discusses standardization, rebuilding a telecommunications manufacturing base in the U.S., gaining help form allies, deploying to the developing world, financing, labor and training, and the AI arms race.
The memo concludes, “The best network from a technical, performance, and security perspective will be single-block, USG-secured, and have the highest probability for project success.”
Ina Fried, Kim Hart, and David McCabe at Axios write, “The proposal calls for aggressive government involvement in the private wireless market, representing a significant shift in U.S. industrial policy that would hugely disrupt the business plans of America’s largest telecom and technology companies.” They add, “While the security of the wireless network and competition with China are both real threats, experts doubt the feasibility of this approach and question whether it would actually lead to a faster, more secure path to 5G connectivity.”
Axios reports this response from AT&T:
“We can’t comment on something we haven’t seen. But, thanks to multibillion dollar investments made by American companies, the work to launch 5G service in the United States is already well down the road. Industry standards have been set, trials have been underway since 2016, and later this year AT&T is set to be the first to launch mobile 5G service in 12 U.S. locations. We have no doubt that America will lead the 5G revolution.”
John D. McKinnon and Ryan Knutson at The Wall Street Journal quote a senior telecom executive as saying of the government’s 5G plan, “It would fly in the face of basically the entire history of U.S. policy in terms of the private sector and government.” McKinnon and Knutson point out, “Even AT&T wasn’t government owned prior to its 1984 breakup; it was a government sanctioned monopoly.”
They note that President Trump stated in December in his National Security Strategy document, “We will improve America’s digital infrastructure by deploying a secure 5G Internet capability nationwide.” He may comment on the topic in his State of the Union address Tuesday.
In related news, Brian X. Chen at The New York Times reports that American carriers might be avoiding Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro handset, possibly because of political pressure. The American government has long suspected Huawei of committing espionage for China. He quotes Huawei chief executive Richard Yu as saying avoidance of the handset is a loss for Huawei, carriers, and consumers.
“Security issues aside, Mr. Yu may have a point,” Chen writes. “Based on a week of testing, the Mate 10 Pro is a solid all-around Android smartphone. It has an excellent camera that takes advantage of artificial intelligence to shoot clear, rich photos of pets, plants, food, and of course people. The device has a longer battery life than phones from Apple and Samsung, and, with durability in mind, it comes with a protective case and a screen protector.”
