There is yet another amazing revolution about to occur on the World Wide Web. Here comes the Fifth Generation (5G) Wireless Network – and with it the Internet of Things:
“(T)he extension of Internet connectivity into physical devices and everyday objects. Embedded with electronics, Internet connectivity, and other forms of hardware (such as sensors), these devices can communicate and interact with others over the Internet, and they can be remotely monitored and controlled.”
Emphasis ours – because Yikes.
Given that just about every inanimate object on the planet is about to be subject to possible remote monitoring and control – anyone with any sense wants as little government involvement as it is possible to ensure.
Think of the possibility of any government being able to immediately bring our economy to a multi-million-moving-part halt.
Think of incalculable amounts of data about our lives – on the verge of being collected on-and-by every non-living thing – and any government getting its hands upon it.
A little Internet edification – to show just how incredibly crucial these next steps are.
We are talking about the wireless Internet. But you can not have a wireless connection – without a wired connection. Your cell phone calls, texts and videos – criss-cross multiple wired and wireless networks to get where you want them to go.
Building the Internet is an ongoing, rolling HUGE undertaking. Massive time, skill and money are all required to keep the ball rolling. The less government we impose upon this execution – the better.
So we absolutely do not want way-too-much-government stuff like this:
What Title II-Net Neutrality Regulation of the Internet Actually Means
We’re a year removed from undoing the Barack Obama Administration’s Title II imposition. And despite the mass, overwrought objections of our domestic Fellow Travelers…
Net Neutrality Is Dead – The Internet Is Still Here
Net Neutrality: The Left Is Always Wrong – So Stop Listening to Them
…the Internet has since only gotten better.
And as best we can – government should treat wired and wireless uniformly. Over-regulate one – and their intrinsic interconnection means the whole Net lags behind. They need each other – so they should be LIGHTLY regulated as close to equally as we can.
And 5G isn’t just an economic issue – it’s also a national security one.
So things like these are a very good idea:
Trump Bans Huawei in U.S. Markets, Saying Chinese Firm Poses Security Threat
Trump Signs Bill Banning Government Use of Huawei and ZTE Tech:
“This caps off months of will-they-won’t-they from Republicans, many of whom view the two major Chinese telecoms as national security threats.”
And on this one – we were right the first time:
U.S. Lifts Ban That Kept ZTE from Doing Business with American Suppliers
We are really trying to play desperate catch up:
Huawei’s 5G Dominance in the Post-American World
And we need global buy in on things like this:
In 5G Race with China, U.S. Pushes Allies to Fight Huawei
It is really difficult to understand any objections – what with things like this happening:
For Two Hours, a Large Chunk of European Mobile Traffic Was Rerouted through China:
“It was China Telecom, again. The same ISP accused last year of ‘hijacking the vital internet backbone of western countries.’”
Because Communist China – is Communist. Ronald Reagan – dealing with the Communist Russian Soviet Union – understood what that meant:
“Reagan calmly explained that the Soviet leadership had ‘openly and publicly declared that the only morality they recognize is what will further their cause, meaning they reserve unto themselves the right to commit any crime, to lie, to cheat.’
“Reagan continued, explaining that the Soviets considered their relativistic behavior ‘moral, not immoral.’ This was something that the United States needed to ‘keep in mind’ when doing ‘business’ with Moscow.”
Communist vanguard Vladimir Lenin observed:
“The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.”
We were never stupid enough to do much actual business with the Communist Russians.
Most unfortunately, we and much of the rest of the planet have very long been exactly that stupid with the Communist Chinese.
Which means we helped make this possible:
China Will Likely Corner the 5G Market
And if China gets to 5G first – they get to set the global standards.
Does It Matter If China Beats the US to Build a 5G Network?:
“Technical standards for the next generation of wireless services aren’t even finalized, yet the US and China are already locked in a crucial race to be the first country to deploy a so-called 5G network.
“Or at least that’s what both the US government and the wireless industry say….(T)he wireless industry group CTIA…released a report concluding that the US trails China and South Korea in preparing for 5G (fifth generation) networks. If that doesn’t change, the report warns, the US economy will suffer.
“The report echoed a leaked National Security Council document….If China dominates the telecommunications network industry, the document said, it ‘will win politically, economically, and militarily.’”
Well that’s a problem.
The absolute least we can do – is cut Communist China off when it comes to national security items. We can withhold that much rope, can we not?
So we want NO Chinese government involvement. As little US government involvement as possible.
And when the opportunities present themselves – our government should act to improve our private Internet providers’ ability to provide. And thus get US to the finish line ahead of the Communist Chinese.
To wit:
Bill Aims to Streamline Approval for Critical 5G Infrastructure:
“Lawmakers hope to facilitate the rapid rollout of 5G networks by accelerating the build-out of new infrastructure through the Streamline Small Cell Deployment Act, introduced by Sens. John Thune, R-S.D. and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, this week.”
Oh look – bipartisanship. In DC. In 2019. Will wonders never cease.
Except we had this exact same bipartisanship – in 2017:
“Sens. Thune and Schatz previously introduced this bill in the last session of Congress.”
Then, our government failed to act with the due speed and diligence this vital item and issue require.
Let us hope they do so now.
It is a crucial step – in the catch-up-to-Communist-China we now unfortunately have to play.
This first appeared in Red State.