In the global race for technological leadership, America has consistently prevailed when we embrace innovation and free-market principles. Five years ago, the Federal Communications Commission under President Trump made a decision that exemplifies this winning approach—unanimously opening the 6 GHz spectrum band for unlicensed use, which effectively quadrupled the airwaves available for Wi-Fi and similar technologies.
During my time as Speaker of the House, I witnessed firsthand how this decision has transformed our state's digital landscape, from precision agriculture operations in the Delta to telehealth services reaching our most rural communities. It's a policy success that has delivered for Americans across the political spectrum and across every region of our nation.
The economic impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. Studies show the 6 GHz decision generated an estimated $870 billion in incremental economic value in just 2023 and 2024 alone. By 2027, that figure is projected to reach $1.2 trillion. It’s creating American jobs, too - over seven million in 2023, fueling economic growth especially in rural areas like much of Mississippi, where reliable broadband has begun to help communities reach their full economic potential.
While Washington debates often focus on short-term gains, we must remember that America's technological leadership requires long-term vision. This is especially true considering our strategic competition with China, where the Chinese Communist Party has taken the opposite approach with the 6 GHz band - rather than unleashing innovation through market forces, China has restricted the band to licensed use, benefiting state-affiliated companies like Huawei, which the Pentagon has identified as being controlled by the Chinese military. This top-down approach stifles the kind of grassroots innovation that has made America the world's technology leader.
In stark contrast, America's decision to open the 6 GHz band has sparked a global trend, with nearly 70 countries following our lead. When America goes first, the world takes notice. As FCC Chairman Brendan Carr noted in October 2023, consumers here are now benefiting from better, faster Wi-Fi and 5G services in their homes because of America's leadership.
Looking at the global landscape, the contrast is striking. While China's centrally-planned economy restricts innovation to benefit state-favored corporations, America's open approach has created a thriving ecosystem of inventors, entrepreneurs, and job creators. This fundamental difference in philosophy explains why the U.S. leads in software, cloud computing, and wireless innovation—sectors that thrive on openness and competition.
For Mississippi's growing technology sector, access to sufficient unlicensed spectrum isn't just a technical consideration—it's essential infrastructure. When I speak with entrepreneurs and business leaders across our state, they consistently highlight how critical reliable, high-capacity wireless connectivity is for everything from manufacturing to logistics to customer service.
The data reinforces what we're seeing on the ground. Annual 6 GHz-enabled consumer device shipments to North America are projected to surge from 95 million in 2024 to 367 million by 2029. This explosive growth represents American technological leadership translated into tangible products that improve lives and create jobs.
As we develop our country’s national spectrum strategy, we must prioritize sustained economic growth, innovation, and national security advantages. The evidence clearly shows that allocating portions of the 7 GHz band for unlicensed use would continue the tremendous success we've already seen with the 6 GHz band.
In Mississippi, we pride ourselves on common-sense solutions that deliver real results. The successful approach to spectrum policy that has already generated trillions in economic value and millions of American jobs represents precisely the kind of practical, forward-looking policy our nation needs. Let's build on this success by protecting what works and expanding the opportunities for American innovation to flourish.
Philip Gunn is a former Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
