Poll: 84 Percent of U.S. Believes America Should Win 5G Race over China

Eighty-four percent of Americans believe it is crucial for the United States to win the 5G race against China, according to a poll released Thursday.

5G Action Now, a newly created advocacy group established to fight for the rapid deployment of 5G technology, released a survey that found while 80 percent of American registered voters remain optimistic about how 5G can improve their lives, 84 percent contend the country must win the 5G race for the country.

Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the chairman of 5G Action Now, said rolling out new spectrum auctions through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will help America win the telecommunications battle with China.

Rogers said in a statement Wednesday:

Getting 5G right is critical for our country’s national and economic security. Successfully rolling out nationwide 5G will spur innovation and growth, and create new jobs and industries. This poll highlights that Americans understand what 5G means for them and just how critical it is that we, and not China, define the 5G future. Rolling out 5G with a public C-band auction this year, as proposed by FCC Chairman Aijit Pai, is a critical step to defining that future.

Federal Breau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray said in 2019 whoever controls the 5G networks could allow for foreign governments, such as China, to surveil Americans. Wray said Chinese control over America’s 5G infrastructure could allow the country “to maliciously modify or steal information [and] conduct undetected espionage.”

The 5G Action Now survey found 74 percent of Americans believe that Huawei should be removed from the U.S. after hearing they have technology installed across the country. Many Republican senators such as Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) have warned about Huawei technologies’ to spy on Americans. 

Public Opinion Strategies conducted the survey for 5G Action Now, polling 1,200 registered voters across the country.