FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Opposes Federal Government Building 5G Wireless Network

Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, came out Monday against the idea that the federal government should build a nationwide 5G wireless network as part of an effort to fend off spying by China.

"The market, not government, is best positioned to drive innovation and investment," Pai said in a statement he tweeted Monday.

Pai was responding to a report Sunday from a senior administration official that President Donald Trump’s national security team was looking at options to counteract the threat of China spying on U.S. phone calls, including building a super-fast 5G network.

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