China and other countries are creating “a 5G tsunami” that the U.S. will not be able to match unless it steps up its national investments in 5G cellular communications, Deloitte Consulting warns in a new report.  

The firm notes that China has outspent the U.S. on wireless communications infrastructure by $57 billion since 2015, constructing 350,000 new sites, compared with less than 20,000 in the States.  

For sites per 10,000 people, Japan leads the world with 17.4, while China has 14.1, Germany boasts 8.7, and the U.S. figure is 4.7. South Korea is also going gung ho in 5G adoption.  

“Countries that were first to adopt prior generations of wireless technology, such as the United States in 4G/LTE, were also rewarded with broader macroeconomic benefits,” Deloitte states, adding, “But 5G offers the potential for an even larger advantage to countries that adopt 5G first.”