Eric Schmidt was the CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011 and executive chairman of Google and its successor company, Alphabet, from 2011 to 2017.
America’s infrastructure, including digital infrastructure, is in need of a significant upgrade to support commerce, defense, transport, and public safety. It is crucial for sustaining innovation power, which is essential for competitiveness and national security in the 21st century.
The United States has been a leader in the digital era, with groundbreaking advancements in cellular technology. However, we are falling behind in technologies like 5G compared to other countries. Our current infrastructure lags behind in speed and number of base stations, posing a challenge to American technology leadership.
The release of the National Spectrum Strategy by the Biden administration indicates a serious approach to addressing America’s digital infrastructure. However, our approach to spectrum innovation needs improvement to keep pace with the evolving telecommunications technology landscape.
We can’t compete against our global peers with outdated digital infrastructure and policy.
Hyperscale companies play a significant role in processing global data traffic, and communication often occurs through internet connections enabled by Wi-Fi technology. Our spectrum policies need to evolve to reflect these changes and encourage innovation in digital infrastructure.
We should focus on our strengths in software development, competitive innovation, and market shaping to build world-class digital infrastructure. Promoting competitive access to spectrum and licensing innovation can accelerate progress in this area.
Creative spectrum allocation tools and policies that incentivize fast and widespread deployment of networks are necessary to ensure functional digital infrastructure. By playing to our strengths and adopting innovative strategies, we can reverse the deterioration of our digital infrastructure.
