State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

What's the Outlook for 5G in Rural States?

Government Technology: As the connectivity versus local control debate rages on, the prospect of 5G infrastructure blanketing the country remains a far-off concept in many areas. A growing number of cities are announcing partnerships with telecom providers, but many rural areas continue to struggle to connect their citizens at all.

Earlier this year at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Midyear Conference in Baltimore, Kentucky CIO Charles Grindle discussed the possibility of bypassing fiber and broadband in order to connect the remaining 20 percent of his state that lacks Internet access. 5G, he said, should be considered, especially if the infrastructure can be installed at a lower cost than other options.

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