Is The U.S. Giving Away Leadership In 5G?

On the verge of new era – some call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution – the U.S. is ceding leadership to others, notably in China and Europe, by virtue of, among other problems, “failures on the 5G patent front.” That’s the view of Joff Wild, long-time analyst and editor of IAM Magazine. One example, he finds, is legal action currently being undertaken by the Federal Trade Commission against Qualcomm. “To many observers from outside the US, the FTC’s legal action against Qualcomm is bizarre, to say the least,” he says. “Why attack a trailblazing, world class business that ensures a US voice at 5G’s top table?” The U.S. is giving away the store and the prospects are for more of the same, he maintains, until policy makers develop a more coherent policy – and the Supreme Court settles some outstanding patent issues.