Donald Trump at the White House kicked off the race for the United States to take the lead in the global race for leadership in the next-generation, transformational 5G wireless technology.

“Secure 5G networks will absolutely be a vital link to America’s prosperity and national security in the 21st century,” Trump said. “5G will be as much as 100 times faster than the current 4G cellular networks. It will transform the way our citizens work, learn, communicate and travel. It will make American farms more productive, American manufacturing more competitive, and American healthcare better and more accessible. Basically it covers almost everything when you get right down to it — pretty amazing.

“And just as 4G networks paved the way for smart phones and all of the exciting breakthroughs that are made possible, so many things. This will be more secure and resilient,” Trump added.

5G technology is scheduled to be rolled out next year, and aside from simply providing increased network speed, the new networks will also be expected to meet the needs of such innovative applications as the so-called Internet of Things as well as broadcast-like services and enhanced disaster communications.

These new applications are expected to lead to advancements in everything from sensors for eldercare, to transportation.

“5G networks will also create astonishing and really thrilling new opportunities for our people. Opportunities that we’ve never even thought we had a possibility of looking at,” Trump said. “We cannot allow any other country to outcompete the United States in this powerful industry of the future. We are leading by so much in so many different industries of that type, that we just can’t let that happen.

“The race to 5G is a race that America must win and it’s a race, frankly, that our great companies are now involved in,” he added.

Trump was joined at his White House event by Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.

“Well, 5G means the fifth generation of wireless connectivity, just as 4G was the fourth generation. 5G means 100 times faster speed than 4G. It means incredibly high rates of data being sent over the wireless airwaves,” Pai said. “But ultimately, it’s going to transform industries and deliver applications and services to consumers, some of which we can’t even conceive today. And that’s why it’s so important for America to lead on this next generation of technology.”