https://www.axios.com/trump-team-deb...b03d910ff.html
Apparently, Trump wants the federal goobermint to create a state-run 5G network. Apparently, he seems to think it's necessary to "guard against China". On the flipside, it would make the NSA's job easier.
Everyone's favorite internet boogeyman, Ajit Pai, is
opposed to the deal.
Quote:
“I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network. The main lesson to draw from the wireless sector’s development over the past three decades—including American leadership in 4G—is that the market, not government, is best positioned to drive innovation and investment. What government can and should do is to push spectrum into the commercial marketplace and set rules that encourage the private sector to develop and deploy next-generation infrastructure. Any federal effort to construct a nationalized 5G network would be a costly and counterproductive distraction from the policies we need to help the United States win the 5G future.”
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Frankly, I think Ajit was right on NN, and he's right now. Whatever some may believe his motivations to be, his response is correct.
If Trump manages to get this to move forward, the next question would be how to implement it.
Quote:
Two options laid out by the documents:
- The U.S. government pays for and builds the single network — which would be an unprecedented nationalization of a historically private infrastructure.
- An alternative plan where wireless providers build their own 5G networks that compete with one another — though the document says the downside is it could take longer and cost more. It argues that one of the “pros” of that plan is that it would cause “less commercial disruption” to the wireless industry than the government building a network.
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Why is Trump doing this?
Quote:
In the memo, the Trump administration likens it to "the 21st century equivalent of the Eisenhower National Highway System" and says it would create a “new paradigm” for the wireless industry by the end of Trump's current term.
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In other words, Trump is trying to use this to build his legacy as president. By nationalizing the cellular networks, that would give the government unprecedented control. They would own and control the very backbone of our communications system.
The phrase 'Meet the new boss, same as the old boss' springs to mind.