Faster and more reliable Internet connectivity is well on its way to becoming reality, thanks to a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order, which lays the groundwork for a national 5G infrastructure plan. Significant investment will be needed for the technology to reach its full potential. As such, the order proposes that the FCC place caps on attachment and application fees of $270 and $100, respectively, potentially saving telecom companies $2 billion in burdensome fees from local authorities and freeing up capital for investment and jobs. 

While the FCC maintains that these caps “will mean more broadband for more Americans, particularly in rural communities,” the plan has encountered some substantial criticism. Nonetheless, the order is an overall positive step in expanding Internet access to rural communities and should be welcomed by community leaders and advocates.

One point of contention among critics of the plan are the (very real) technical and financial limitations that render 5G expansion into rural America challenging. Current 5G systems require a network architecture of numerous small cells that, while possible in densely populated cities, is not feasible in more remote areas. Additionally, these wireless sites need to be connected to a fixed landline, meaning rural communities still face the hurdle of laying fiber throughout their communities to obtain the speeds touted by 5G’s proponents.