US Falling Behind China in 5G Race

The United States is being outspent by China in the race to build the next generation of wireless communication, known as 5G, and it risks losing out on the potential economic benefits, according to a report by consultants Deloitte published on Tuesday. China currently has ten times more sites to support 5G communications than the United States. In just three months of 2017, Chinese cellphone tower companies and carriers added more sites than the US had done in the previous three years, the Deloitte Consulting report found, Reuters reported. The first countries to adopt the next generation of wireless communications will experience “disproportionate gains,” as 5G brings an “era of untapped economic potential,” the report said. China has outspent the United States by $24 billion since 2015 and has built 350,000 new cellphone tower sites, while the US built less than 30,000. The report notes it may also be about 35% cheaper to install equipment necessary to add carriers to 5G in China as compared to the United States.