Pentagon offers military airwaves for 5G wireless networks

5G is a new technical standard for the fifth generation of wireless networks that promises faster speeds; less lag, or latency, when connecting to the network; and the ability to connect many devices to the internet without bogging it down. 5G networks will ideally be better able to handle more users, lots of sensors and heavy traffic.

But a June report by the Congressional Research Service said there arent as many frequencies available for 5G technology in the U.S. compared to other countries because the American military holds so much of the usable spectrum. That’s in contrast to China, which has been investing in building out networks using these less-expensive bands.

White House officials said that the Federal Communications Commission will be able to auction 100 megahertz of mid-band spectrum beginning in December 2021 for use as soon as mid-2022. It has previously been used for shipboard and airborne radar systems.

This band has the ideal characteristics for 5G deployment to travel long distances to ensure that all Americans have access to the network, while delivering ultra-fast and high performance that will power technologies in the future, said Michael Kratsios, the U.S. chief technology officer.