Hinsdale Magazine | Feature Story
Christine Trainer of Hinsdale, right, a leader of the grassroots organization Stop 5G Hinsdale & Neighbors organized a rally outside of the Verizon store in downtown Hinsdale on Nov. 1.
On the frontlines How Hinsdale became one of the primary battlegrounds for a nationwide tussle over wireless technology and local controls BY MIKE ELLIS
T
echnological enhancements are proceeding rapidly, but the latest wave of wireless technology is not being embraced with open arms by all.
Mobile fifth-generation (5G) technology is the newest advancement in wireless connectivity, which will require the construction of “small cell” wireless facilities in order to be deployed. On Dec. 6, T-Mobile unveiled the first nationwide 5G network, which, according to its website, is available in a number of places across the United States, including in some of its foremost metropolitan areas such as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix and Dallas. T-Mobile claims that this network will allow “200 million Americans” to access 5G technology. In addition to large telecom carriers, 5G technology also has the strong backing of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
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FCC chairman Ajit Pai, who was
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appointed by President Barack Obama in May 2012, and continued in his position when President Donald Trump assumed office in January 2017, is a proponent of the new technology, and has developed a plan to ensure that the United States is at the forefront of its outgrowth. An attorney by trade, Pai has previous experience in the telecommunications industry, serving as associate general counsel for Verizon from 2001 to 2003. He also has extensive experience in Washington, functioning as counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Senate judiciary committee and the FCC. “One of the FCC’s top priorities is to ensure that the United States leads the world in wireless innovation,” Pai said in an FCC online video. ... “5G will be much faster speeds and much lower latency—that is, less lag time for the network to respond when you click on the link. In short, 5G will help enable cutting-edge applications like high-definition ‘telehealth,’ virtual reality, the internet of things and other novel ideas we can’t conceive
today.” Under Pai’s leadership, the FCC is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to “facilitate America’s superiority in 5G technology (FAST)." His strategy is predicated on three components: “Pushing more spectrum into the marketplace; “Updating infrastructure policy;” and “Modernizing outdated regulations.” “The FCC is moving forward aggressively on all fronts,” Pai said in the video. According to Pai, 5G technology will push nearly 5GHz of spectrum into the commercial marketplace, which represents “more spectrum than is currently used by all mobile broadband providers combined.” He said 5G networks will rely on “much smaller, more densely-packed infrastructure operating at lower power,” or “small cells.” “We’ve seen wireless phones morph from voice-only devices to become connected
