III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 242 

Expressing the sense of the Senate about a strategy to deploy fifth generation 

mobile networks (5G networks) and next-generation wireless and wired 

technologies to promote economic development and digital innovation 

throughout the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 2, 2017 

Mr. WICKER (for himself, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. GARDNER, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. 

MORAN, and Mr. PETERS) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate about a strategy to 

deploy fifth generation mobile networks (5G networks) 

and next-generation wireless and wired technologies to 

promote economic development and digital innovation 

throughout the United States. 

Whereas wireless and wired broadband networks are essential 

to economic growth, job creation, and the global competitiveness of the United States; 

Whereas wireless and wired broadband networks provide 

connectivity to billions of devices, applications, and services that are increasing productivity and efficiency across 

every industry and economic sector; 


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•SRES 242 IS 

Whereas wireless and wired broadband networks create and 

support millions of jobs; 

Whereas wireless and wired broadband networks are vital to 

providing communications services and access to internet 

connectivity to people in the United States living in rural 

and remote geographic areas; 

Whereas wireless and wired broadband networks are a platform for innovation and ingenuity, powering advancements in the Internet of Things and other revolutionary 

technologies; 

Whereas 5G networks will have the capacity to deliver enhanced mobile broadband with significantly faster data 

transmission speeds, low latency, more reliable connections, and greater data capacity, which will provide for 

seamless internet connectivity throughout all regions 

across the United States; 

Whereas 5G networks are expected to create more than 

3,000,000 new jobs in the United States, generate 

$275,000,000,000 in investment from the wireless industry, and add $500,000,000,000 to the economy of the 

United States over the next decade; 

Whereas next-generation, gigabit Wi-Fi solutions that rely on 

unlicensed spectrum bands are poised to unleash a new 

round of innovation and consumer benefit from an industry that generates an economic surplus of 

$547,000,000,000 and contributes $50,000,000,000 annually in gross domestic product to the economy of the 

United States; 

Whereas 5G networks will enable innovative consumer and industrial applications that will enhance and maximize the 

capability, uses, and quality of technological developVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:37 Aug 02, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR242.IS SR242

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•SRES 242 IS 

ments, including telemedicine, precision agriculture, selfdriving cars, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, 

smart communities, and advancements in public safety; 

Whereas the United States is a global leader in developing 

new technology and fostering digital innovation that has 

generated significant economic and social advancement 

and opportunity in the United States and around the 

world; 

Whereas many States and localities are streamlining policies 

to facilitate siting and small cell deployment in support 

of 5G networks; 

Whereas modernizing the infrastructure policies of the United 

States and securing adequate spectrum bands will be essential to the deployment of 5G networks and next-generation wireless technologies, and the realization of all its 

promised economic and social benefits; and 

Whereas wireless and wired broadband networks, in addition 

to other technologies, are essential to closing the digital 

divide, delivering broadband service to rural areas, creating jobs, and powering economic development and innovation across the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 

2 United States should— 

3 (1) promote the deployment of 5G networks in 

4 a manner that encourages robust investment, job 

5 creation, economic growth, and continued United 

6 States leadership in developing next-generation wire7 less technologies; 


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•SRES 242 IS 

1 (2) advance 5G networks as a way of closing 

2 the digital divide and reducing the disparity in qual3 ity communications services available in rural areas; 

4 (3) recognize that 5G networks will facilitate 

5 the development of a new generation of technologies 

6 that will open opportunities for increased efficiency, 

7 mobility, accessibility, economic development, and 

8 prosperity in communities throughout the country; 

9 (4) commit to modernizing the infrastructure 

10 policies of the United States and identifying addi11 tional spectrum in low, mid, and high bands for li12 censed and unlicensed uses and to support the de13 ployment of 5G networks and meet the increasing 

14 demands for wireless broadband service; 

15 (5) recognize that 5G networks will give con16 sumers access to more choices and enable them to 

17 derive greater value from mobile connections; 

18 (6) commit to deploying 5G networks that are 

19 resilient and secure; 

20 (7) continue to participate in global efforts to 

21 create standards for 5G networks that improve user 

22 experiences, maximize use-cases, enable interoper23 ability, sustain multiple, simultaneous connections, 

24 increase network capacity through virtualization or 


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•SRES 242 IS 

1 other software developments, and adapt to new tech2 nologies and future network applications; and 

3 (8) promote the deployment of broadband tech4 nologies to expand the availability, affordability, and 

5 quality of broadband service throughout the United 

6 States. 

Æ 


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