5G Legislation Hopes to Lay Groundwork for Commercial Networks

A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced a piece of legislation laying the ground work for the secure rollout of commercial 5G networks, along with funding to encourage U.S. providers to remove Chinese equipment from their networks. The United States 5G Leadership Act of 2019 was introduced by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) following concerns that the Chinese government was conducting espionage through foreign technology.

“Future U.S. security and economic prosperity will depend on 5G technology,” Senator Cotton said. “With so much at stake, our communications infrastructure must be protected from threats posed by foreign governments and companies like Huawei.”

Senator Warner further noted that “This bill ensures that on a going-forward basis we don’t make the same mistakes in allowing companies subject to extra-judicial directions of a foreign adversary to infiltrate our nation’s communications networks.”

Among its provisions, the bill prohibits U.S. communications networks from using any equipment produced by or in any way affiliated with Huawei and ZTE two of China’s largest telecom bodies. This also extends to a ban on any bodies that pose a risk to national security. The bill further mandates the creation of an interagency program headed by the Department of Homeland Security, to share security insights and vulnerabilities with U.S. communications providers.

To view the bill in full, click here: https://www.scribd.com/document/411240273/5G-Leadership-Act