[Barrin92]

>Winning the "race to 5G" means the US will be the first to innovate in systems that take advantage of faster wireless broadband networks. That's important. IMO.

I'm not really sure if being the first is important or even beneficial. If that were true the United Kingdom would still be the world's superpower and myspace would still reign supreme. Being first is mostly an unthankful job because you're the one who does the most work while everyone else can copy.

[baroffoos]

Everyone else also gets the benefit of watching, seeing what went wrong and doing it better.

[wyattpeak]

> If that were true the United Kingdom would still be the world's superpower

I don't know if that's a good example. The UK benefitted enormously from its empire. I don't think anyone's proposing that the winner of the 5G race will be the leader forever, just that they'll be in a position of advantage.

[thaumasiotes]

> I'm not really sure if being the first is important or even beneficial. If that were true the United Kingdom would still be the world's superpower

Or, you know, Persia, or Akkad. There have been many firsts.

[techer]

Industrial Revolution I imagine.

[thaumasiotes]

England may have been the first to start powering machines with large-scale coal mining, but was it the first to start making iron tools? :D