The following statement can be attributed to Engine’ s Executive Director, Evan Engstrom:
"Engine joins Chairman Greg Walden, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and the other members of the FCC in warning against the Trump administration’s reported discussions of nationalizing the developing 5G wireless networks.
It’s undeniable that the U.S. needs increased capacity and a robust 5G network to meet the constantly increasing demand for mobile Internet access. While the federal government should take an active role in encouraging the deployment of the nation’s 5G network with smart spectrum policy, it is the private sector that has the expertise and experience to actually build and maintain expansive, reliable, open, and secure next-generation networks.
The vitality of the U.S. startup ecosystem depends on access to advanced communications networks, and mobile connectivity looks to be even more critical to the next generation of startups. Rather than jeopardizing the development of next-generation mobile networks by nationalizing them to accomplish an ill-defined national security objective, government should focus on promoting robust competition in 5G and other communications platforms."
