A bold article published by Axios two years ago that included leaked documents by a senior National Security Council official recommended a government-operated 5G network as a solution to win the 5G race. The idea of a government-built 5G network was met with loud resistance from industry experts. Back then, the idea did not go anywhere, as wireless providers had already spent billions to acquire spectrum and deploy 5G, with some of them already having 5G trials in operation.
Yet, the idea of nationalizing 5G seems to be resurfacing again, and this time with more thunder. The Department of Defense (DoD) recently published a Request for Information exploring ways in which it can own and operate a 5G network. The RFI comes as the DoD expands 5G testing and follows a recent spectrum sharing deal.
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