On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing to investigate federal policy reforms that would speed the deployment of broadband internet services to underserved communities.
The hearing focused on three main areas for reform: 1) the need to update the regulatory framework guiding deployment of small cell infrastructure, 2) requiring the Federal Communications Commission to update the National Broadband Map, and 3) the streamlining of federal zoning and permitting. Several Subcommittee Members also raised the issues of 5G buildout, with the arrival of 5G technology in the United States expected in 2020.