FCC CHAIRMAN PAI ANNOUNCES MAJOR INITIATIVES 
TO PROMOTE U.S. LEADERSHIP ON 5G AND CONNECT RURAL AMERICANS 
TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET AT WHITE HOUSE EVENT
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Today, Federal Communications Commission Ajit Pai participated in a White House event with 
President Trump and outlined two major announcements to ensure U.S. leadership in the next generation of wireless connectivity, or 5G, and continue the Commission’s efforts to close the digital divide.
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U.S. Leadership in 5G Connectivity: The Next 5G Spectrum Auction
The United States aims to win the race to 5G, the next generation of wireless connectivity.  5G networks promise faster speeds, lower lag times, and more capacity, all of which will enable new wireless broadband services and transform industries from agriculture to transportation.  
Under Chairman Pai, the FCC is actively pursuing a comprehensive strategy to Facilitate America's Superiority in 5G Technology (the 5G FAST Plan).  The FCC has moved swiftly to execute the Plan’s three key components: (1) pushing more spectrum—the airwaves that enable communications—into the marketplace, (2) promoting 5G wireless infrastructure, and (3) modernizing outdated regulations.  The FCC’s efforts are producing results.  Cisco recently projected that in three years, the share of 5G wireless connections in North America would be twice the projected rate for Asia.  And according to CTIA, the U.S. leads the world with the most commercial 5G deployments of any nation. 
To build on the success achieved thus far, Chairman Pai announced on April 12 that the FCC intends to start its third 5G spectrum auction on December 10, 2019.  Since November 2018, the FCC has auctioned 1,550 megahertz of spectrum to be used by commercial wireless providers for 5G connectivity.  The third 5G spectrum auction will be the largest in American history; the FCC will be selling 3,400 megahertz in three different spectrum bands at one time.
Today’s 5G spectrum auction date announcement is the latest action to ensure U.S. leadership in 5G.  For more information on the FCC’s 5G FAST plan, visit www.fcc.gov/5G. 
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$20 Billion Investment in Broadband in Rural Communities: The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
Chairman Pai also announced his intent to create the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, which will inject $20.4 billion into high-speed broadband networks in rural America over the next decade.  It will provide funding through a reverse auction to service providers that will deploy infrastructure that will provide up to gigabit-speed broadband in the parts of the country most in need of connectivity.  
The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund represents the FCC’s single biggest step yet to close the digital divide and will connect up to four million rural homes and small businesses to high-speed broadband networks.  These networks will bring economic opportunity to rural America and help support future 5G technologies.  
For more information on the FCC’s efforts to empower rural America with high-speed connectivity, visit https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/bridging-digital-divide-all-americans.
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