(EDITOR’S NOTE: Vincent Orange, President and CEO of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, is currently (April 29 to May 2) heading a Trade Mission to The Bahamas, and more likely than not, the viewpoints expressed in this guest Op-Ed published in the Washington Business Journal on March 7, 2019 were shared during his meetings, given the fact they are as applicable to The Bahamas as they are to D.C.)
By VINCENT ORANGE
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The increasing mobile broadband capacity demands of D.C.’s residents and businesses require all of us to think differently and aggressively about how to keep our beloved city a vibrant place to do business in. Our chamber members, their employees and all of us are anxious for 5G wireless infrastructure upgrades.
In the past, perhaps the District could have waited to adopt something that other cities are leaping to embrace. But today the competition and challenges are too steep. We must move ahead in finalizing a public-private partnership that will allow all eight wards to experience improved wireless carrier service, called 5G, to meet the needs of everyone. The robust development of revolutionary 5G networks throughout the city is well overdue.
The way to secure this private investment in next-generation wireless infrastructure is for the District to allow for the deployment of a network of small wireless antennas, known simply as small cells, that work in concert with existing communications infrastructure to provide much-needed coverage and capacity upgrades to their networks.
Small-cell technology will provide our local and small businesses the wireless capacity and speed they need to stay competitive. Today, 95 percent of Americans own a mobile phone and 77 percent own a smartphone — up from 35 percent in 2010.
The boom in mobile phone adoption and innovation has changed the way modern businesses interact with customers, market their services and even accept payment. It never ceases to amaze me how many businesses have gone completely cashless and now accept only card or mobile payment.
CTIA, the D.C.-based wireless association, calculated the impact this technology will have on our city. It estimates that once we get the green light to move ahead with small cells and build a 5G network, the District will see 6,500 jobs created and $1 billion in estimated GDP growth.
We need small cells to stay competitive in economic development. We’re proud that our region landed Amazon HQ2. The company’s proposal called on bidders to offer “optimal fiber connectivity” and first-rate cellular service. Now is the time to authorize 5G wireless infrastructure upgrades.
The benefits of 5G promise to enable D.C. to consider smart-city innovations, including autonomous vehicles, citywide data sharing and advancements with telemedicine.
Small-cell solutions also will make our communities safer. Today, our emergency communications systems leverage wireless network to respond to emergencies — an overwhelming majority of 911 calls are made from mobile phones and mobile alerts are used to warn the public about dangerous weather, traffic-related issues, amber alerts, natural disasters and other critical situations.
Small cells complement existing wireless infrastructure, such as towers and rooftop antennas, to add much-needed capacity in highly populated areas. Also, because they’re often inconspicuously installed on right-of-way infrastructure such as utility poles and streetlights, small cells blend into their surroundings and preserve the aesthetics of their environment.
Working with city staff and neighborhoods, wireless carriers’ services will be improved by small cells while keeping our city’s character intact. The plan also calls for private industry to help install the city’s Wi-Fi equipment throughout the city, which will improve free internet access for all and further promote digital equity and inclusion.
The business community supports small-cell deployment, and it’s encouraging that the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer states that the city is “a strong advocate of broadband infrastructure deployment.” With a powerful 5G network, D.C. will become a “smarter” city that will enable our business and tech sectors to invest and innovate.
We urge the D.C. Department of Transportation to accelerate approval of guidelines that will enable deployment of small cells across the District. We must take a leadership role by prioritizing communications infrastructure to stimulate investments in 5G networks.
