Off to the races…

Tremendous athletics this summer will mean incredible performance, speed, and international competition. The FCC kicked off the wireless equivalent today when it voted to open the gates to vast swaths of spectrum that will be essential for next-generation 5G technology to become a reality.

Verizon is already sprinting to develop and deploy 5G. But it wouldn’t be possible to reach the finish line if not for the work of FCC Chairman Wheeler, the Commissioners and the staff. Their efforts led to today’s important vote adopting the Spectrum Frontiers Order and rules that will govern the use of millimeter wave spectrum.

The FCC Order puts the U.S. on track to become the first country in the world to open up wide swaths of high-band spectrum, which is critical to ensure that the U.S. retains its global leadership in advanced wireless communications.

5G promises to have a transformative impact on communications, but it will also power the Internet of Things and revolutionize other industries. Being first to 5G means the U.S. will jumpstart the rest of the world in transforming a wide array of existing industries and creating new ones that will produce significant economic and societal benefits.

As the FCC does its part in making critical spectrum available, at Verizon we’re focused on doing ours. Earlier this week, we announced the completion of a 5Gradio specification. We are also continuing to conduct field testing and strengthen international partnerships to drive the 5G ecosystem toward rapid commercial deployment. We are committed to accelerate the pace of innovation, so that we can deliver the benefits of 5G sooner to American consumers.

There is a lot of work to do to ensure 5G reach its full potential. We are proud to be the leader of the team that’s going to deliver on that promise.