Unlocking the full potential of 5G in the United States rests on a key assumption: the extension of fiber deep into the network. Despite the demand and potential economic benefits of fiber deployment, the United States lacks the fiber density in access networks to make the bandwidth advancements necessary to improve the pace of innovation and economic growth. Increased speed and capacity from 5G will rely on higher frequencies and network densification. Carriers will deploy many more small cells, homespots, and hotspots in higher bands, with a coverage radius measured in meters versus kilometers. Without more deep fiber, carriers will be unable to support the projected four-fold increase in mobile data traffic between 2016 and 2021.
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