GSA preps 5G plan

The General Services Administration is preparing a white paper on 5G wireless services that will outline how the agency will move forward with the emerging technology, according to one of its top technology acquisition officials.

Bill Zielinski, assistant commissioner for the GSA's Office of Information Technology Category in the agency's Federal Acquisition Service said the wireless technology offers agencies a way to replace some infrastructure needs.

In a July 30 blog post, Zielinski didn't provide a date for the 5G white paper's release, but said services can already be procured through a number of GSA's big multiple award contracts, including Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions, IT Schedule 70, Alliant 2 and Connections II.

Zielinski urged agencies to think beyond the more obvious advantages the technology will provide, such as faster loading websites and videos, to how it can transform their operations. Agencies should think particularly about how 5G will facilitate data transfer between growing number of devices in the Internet of Things.

"Thanks to 5G's flexibility, every level of government will use 5G as IoT enters the public sector," he said. Agencies will also be able to replace old wireline telecommunications infrastructure in buildings, automate back office processes more easily and manage fleet operations more smoothly.