5G Beyond Borders
A geostrategic approach to 5G technology transformation in North America.
Publications
Our insights and analysis explore how the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can work together to maximize the benefits of 5G and related technology through informed policy solutions.
The Grids We Build Today Must Enable the Networks of Tomorrow
The ability of our electricity grids to fully meet 5G energy demands in the future should not be taken for granted. As the United States navigates the clean energy transition, it would be prudent for stakeholders in nascent, grid-dependent technologies like 5G to collaborate with utilities and regulators to ensure that the grid of tomorrow can support the use-cases of the future.
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Seizing Opportunities: Four National Security Questions to Ask About the Use of Satellites in 5G Networks
In order to deliver on the full promise of 5G networks, satellites will need to play a far more central role within telecommunications networks going forward with both terrestrial and space-based components working in tandem for a wider diversity of functions. What steps should we prioritize today to ensure greater security and resilience of 5G networks now and in the future?
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The Potential Role of Open Source Hardware in 5G Networks: Capturing an Emerging Debate
Efforts are underway in the U.S. to shift the 5G network ecosystem from a limited number of proprietary, vertically integrated suppliers towards a more disaggregated and diverse set of 5G vendors. As that conversation evolves, a nascent conversation is emerging over the role that open source hardware (OSH) can or should play in that ecosystem. What are the potential benefits of integrating OSH into 5G networks? What are the limitations? And what role, if any, should stakeholders (including the U.S. government, private sector, and professional associations) play in encouraging the adoption of OSH in 5G networks?
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Separating Fact from Fiction: Debunking Four 5G Myths
5G networks will be essential to how industries compete, innovate, and generate value; how people communicate and interact locally and globally; and how states pursue security for their citizenry. Yet, due in large part to its significance, it can be challenging to sort through the deluge of information and separate fact from fiction. For interested policymakers, industry players, and the public, 5G can simultaneously feel overhyped and underhyped, already here and a long way off, a pressing national security concern and an economic fairytale.
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Workshop Summary | A North American Method to the 5G Madness: Conclusions from the 5G Beyond Borders Workshop
On October 15th, 2020, the Wilson Center, in partnership with The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and the Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), hosted a trilateral workshop to assess the state of play for 5G in North America as part of a larger project exploring how the US, Mexico, and Canada can work together—beyond geographic boundaries—to maximize the benefits of 5G and related technology through informed policy solutions. Throughout the workshop, three major policy action items were identified for effective North American cooperation to reduce risk, bolster economic gain, and ensure efficient 5G deployment across the continent.
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Everyone should know about 5G transition--and what it means to both North American and the world. To make core concepts more accessible, we've created a series of videos and dynamic interactives. Listen, play, and learn.
Virtualized RAN, Cloud RAN, and Open RAN: Making Sense of the 5G RAN Alphabet Soup
Why has the radio access network (RAN) found itself at the forefront of conversations around U.S. national security, innovation, and competitiveness? In this 5G STIP video we walk you through three related but distinct transformations occurring in the RAN: Virtualized RAN, Cloud RAN, and Open RAN.
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