CTIA-Funded Report Warns of Looming Spectrum Crisis
The spectrum crisis for U.S. wireless carriers is almost here, Accenture said in a report released Thursday and commissioned by CTIA. Carriers face a shortfall as early as next year, and by 2027, “networks will be unable to meet nearly a quarter of traffic demand in high-traffic areas during peak hours,” It said. The report comes as Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, ratchets up pressure on DOD to make some of its spectrum available for 5G (see 2503260075).
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Without additional licensed spectrum, the U.S. risks losing $1.4 trillion in potential GDP from 2025-35, Accenture said. “The U.S. lags global peers in mid-band spectrum available for commercial use, with leading nations expected to have more than double the mid-band that mobile operators have access to in America by 2027,” the study said: “Insufficient spectrum will degrade network performance, causing widespread consumer and enterprise disruptions, from failed video streams to compromised emergency communications.” It said “limited spectrum increases reliance on foreign technologies, posing risks to U.S. critical infrastructure and security.”