Dear Gov. Rauner:
I am writng on behalf of Chamber630 and our 700+ business Members urging you to sign into law
Senate Bill 1451, the bill to provide better and faster wireless service, meet the ever increasing demand for wireless broadband capacity and help bring 5G mobile internet service through small cells.
Our Members want access to the latest mobile internet technologies – like 5G. Illinois citizens and
businesses are using mobile internet for virtually every aspect of their daily life, and mobile data usage on smartphones alone is expected to grow 5 times from what it is today over the next five years. The people of Illinois are demanding faster wireless networks, and to get them we need more capacity. That is what SB 1451 will do.
The benefits of SB 1451 are important.
SB 1451 creates jobs and network investment: The full deployment of 5G networks- with smart cities and the Internet of Things-will create jobs and investment in Illinois. A 2017 Accenture study for CTIA estimates that full 5G deployment, including utilization of smart cities and the Internet of Things, over a seven-year build-out, will:
- Create nearly 100,000 jobs in Illinois, and
- Attract nearly $8.9 billion in investment to Illinois.
SB 1451 promotes faster service and innovation. This legislation is important because it will keep
Illinois consumers and businesses connected with the fastest mobile internet networks. Wireless
network service will be improved, and Illinois will attract the latest technology networks, including 5G.
SB 1451 helps Illinois prepare for 5G: Small cells are the infrastructure required for SG – the next
innovation in wireless technology. 5G networks are designed to transform wireless experience. The next generation of wireless networks will be stronger and faster, and that innovation will help advance virtual reality, telemedicine, and autonomous cars. Small cells will help advance the Internet of Things where sensors talk to sensors to make life more seamless -and they will help advance Smart Cities where local governments can use technology to save taxpayer money by reducing the cost of energy costs, easing traffic congestion and lowering fuel costs. All of these benefits are coming, and small cells will help support them.
SB 1451 helps Illinois catch up to other states. A dozen states already passed a small cell law, including Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Texas and Florida. What happened? Indianapolis and MinneapolisSt. Paul already are enjoying the next steps in innovation with SG Evolution service.
Overall, SB 1451 is a balanced approach to making progress for this important infrastructure deployment in Illinois. It ensures local governments retain their role and authority in the permitting process of telecommunications equipment, and it creates a fair and predictable process to promote and facilitate deployment of next generation wireless broadband networks to benefit consumers in Illinois.
To help bring innovation. to create jobs. to attract investment – and to help bring SG mobile internet service to Illinois — we urge you to sign Senate Bill 1451 into law.