12 GHz and the Digital Divide

An internet connection represents so much in the modern world, it enables remote work, access to education, online shopping, communication with family, telehealth, access to government services, and much more. The Pew Research center has identified disparate internet access a driver of inequality, and one which is very likely to grow in impact.

Millions of Americans are currently on the wrong side of the digital divide, facing a lack of connectivity simply due to the zip code they reside in. The 12 GHz bands have unique properties which make it a potential solution to America’s digital divide. The upper and lower 12 GHz bands could enable quicker and easier network rollouts, requiring fewer base stations than MMWave powered networks.

Additionally, the 12 GHz network is available for immediate deployment, wasting no time connecting the millions of Americans still left behind. Identifying and maximizing more spectrum will supercharge American networks, making them faster and more efficient to deploy. This would provide benefits for government agencies, US providers, and American consumers in general, the 12 GHz bands are a rare true win-win for American providers and consumers.

The digital divide is a widespread and hard to tackle problem, which many government programs and organizations have tried to solve. The FCC can make history by scoring a win against the digital divide and for Americans by earmarking 12 GHz spectrum for immediate optimization.

-Chip Pickering, Co-Chair of the 5Gfor12GHz Coalition