Laura Loomis
5G technology is the modern-day moon race, with America and China competing to be the first to land.
Photo courtesy of ARS Technica
On Monday, March 12, President Trump issued an executive order for Singapore company Broadcom to terminate its attempted acquisition of San Diego-based telecommunications equipment company, Qualcomm.
Broadcom, a global supplier of wireless communications products, had been attempting a $117 billion purchase of Qualcomm when the President interfered on the grounds that the transaction “threatens to impair the national security of the United States.”
This order raised questions among employers and politicians alike, as the company that specializes in computer hardware and software engineering would presumably hold no connections with the security of the nation.
It was soon uncovered that Trump’s intentions were to ensure the U.S. stayed competitive in the world of technology. China has been on America’s heels as a leader in mobile technology, and allowing the Asian-based company, Broadcom, to acquire America’s leading computer chip technology company would be damaging to the nation’s known reputation as a front-runner in wireless technology.
last year, before the bidding war began | Photo
courtesy of The Telegraph
The world of communications runs on 4G (4th generation wireless systems), but new technology such as self-driving vehicles and virtual reality require high-speed access that can only be provided in a 5G world. Along with the necessity of the faster system comes further benefits, with internet speed reaching ten times that of 4G networks, ultra HD, and three dimensional video downloading in 30 seconds. This technology, the first step up in wireless networking since 2008, is projected to be a reality beginning in 2020.
With Qualcomm as America’s lead researcher in 5G technology, Trump’s order provided assurance that the U.S. would continue to hold a position of prestige in the high speed world.
