Americans For A Modern Economy Applauds The City of Orlando For Its Program To Expedite 5G Permitting

By Joe Rinzel, Executive Director, Americans for a Modern Economy

May 21, 2019

Keeping up with the modern economy - much less staying ahead of it - is proving to be a significant challenge to lawmakers at every level of government. Whether it’s the rules of the road with regard to Ecommerce, ride sharing platforms, drone delivery or autonomous vehicles, governments and the communities they serve are wrestling with the challenges - and opportunities - that the modern economy presents.

One area where our elected leaders are intent on being in front is the adoption and implementation of 5G wireless technology. From the President calling for 5G adoption as an imperative of national security to the mayors of cities responsible for deploying the technology, policy makers know that 5G adoption is both a necessity and an eventuality - it’s coming whether we like it or not because it has to.

Florida’s U.S. Senator Marco Rubio calls the race to 5G the closest thing we have in the 21st century to the U.S. space race with the Soviets in the 1950's. Last September, he tweeted: "The deployment of 5G is not just a matter of convenience. It's not just about being able to watch more streaming video. Much of the innovation that will drive the 21st century will depend on 5G. If America falls behind, we will pay a huge price."

The question is how do we make America’s 5G network a reality in a way that protects our national interests, our economic leadership but most importantly, the health and well-being of the communities in which we live.

One community that appears to have a clear vision of this process is Orlando, Florida. Mayor Buddy Dyer has been a consistent champion for innovation and the facilitation of technology. He rightly sees 5G implementation as the backbone of the Orlando region’s technology economy and has directed City staff to collaborate with partners from the private sector and civic community to make sure that Orlando is among America’s “first to 5G cities,” while also working to protect the interests of the city and its residents.

The result of this work is a new pilot program that will expedite and simplify the permitting process for 5G infrastructure. Mayor Dyer announced the program alongside Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey at a panel discussion moderated by Crown Castle at the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s annual Connect (X) Conference, taking place in Orlando.

This type of working partnership between our political and technology leadership will create a framework that other communities would be wise to follow. Americans for a Modern Economy applauds the work of the city of Orlando and their commitment to fostering America’s economic future.