The Verge: Why the hell is the ‘race to 5G’ even a race? – Notes from Silicon Valley
The Verge: Why the hell is the ‘race to 5G’ even a race?
Posted on May 23, 2019 by Dave Lee
Good point, well made by The Verge’s Nilay Patel. Why do people refer to the development and proliferation of 5G as a “race”?
[T]he stakes of this supposed race are wholly unclear. What happens if we win, besides telecom execs getting slightly richer? More importantly, what are the drawbacks to coming in second, or even third? Where is the list of specific negative outcomes of China building a 5G network a month, a year, or even five years before the United States? I’ve never seen it, and I keep asking about it.
Patel argues, convincingly, that the race is a construct – a way to create an atmosphere of urgency that means legislation is passed quicky, infrastructure is installed immediately, and consumers are charged as soon as possible:
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The Verge: Why the hell is the ‘race to 5G’ even a race? – Notes from Silicon Valley
The Verge: Why the hell is the ‘race to 5G’ even a race?
Posted on May 23, 2019 by Dave Lee
Good point, well made by The Verge’s Nilay Patel. Why do people refer to the development and proliferation of 5G as a “race”?
[T]he stakes of this supposed race are wholly unclear. What happens if we win, besides telecom execs getting slightly richer? More importantly, what are the drawbacks to coming in second, or even 
third? Where is the list of specific negative outcomes of China building a 5G network a month, a year, or even five years before the United States? I’ve never seen it, and I keep asking about it.
Patel argues, convincingly, that the race is a construct – a way to create an atmosphere of urgency that means legislation is passed quicky, infrastructure is installed immediately, and consumers are charged as soon as possible:
Previous Post Judith Kerr, 1923-2019
Next Post Craig Newmark on The MarkUp