Why the coronavirus pandemic may fast-forward 5G adoption in the US

The coronavirus outbreak and the rise in remote work has advanced the need for more robust 5G technologies in the US. Verizon stated March 18 that the demands on bandwidth increased 75% over the previous week. The Federal Communications Commission and federal government are trying to accelerate deployment in urban and rural areas. But, the global pandemic has forced a supply chain slowdown that may delay further expansion of 5G. Benton senior fellow and public advocate Gigi Sohn said she expects carriers to focus on making sure their existing customers are happy during this time than trying to sell them on a new service. Sohn also said 5G is an urban phenomenon and that 5G may never reach rural areas of the US.