Pai Seeks $9B for 5G Over 10 Years; FCC Staff Notes 4G Broadband Mapping Problems

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai wants to spend some $9 billion from the USF over about 10 years for fifth-generation wireless services. At least $1 billion would be for precision agriculture, the agency announced this afternoon.

"We must ensure that 5G narrows rather than widens the digital divide and that rural Americans receive the benefits that come from wireless innovation," Pai said.

The so-called 5G Fund would replace the previously planned Mobility Fund Phase II that would have helped pay for 4G LTE in unserved areas, the agency said. "4G LTE coverage data submitted by providers is not sufficiently reliable for the purpose of moving forward with Mobility Fund Phase II."

Staff "analysis and speed tests suggest that the submitted MF-II coverage maps did not match actual coverage in many instances," said an accompanying report. "Broadband data accuracy should be made a top priority going forward and providers should be put on notice of the penalties that could arise from coverage filings that violate federal law."

The report recommended analyzing the most recent such filings of T-Mobile, Verizon and U.S. Cellular "to determine if they complied with the Form 477 requirements." Those carriers didn't comment right away.