DHS looks to 5G campus

The Department of Homeland Security's CIO wants to see if the agency's new campus in Washington, D.C., could be a 5G facility in the future.

In an Oct. 1 panel discussion on cybersecurity at a Northern Virginia Technology Council event, DHS CIO John Zangardi listed 5G capabilities as one of the "coolest" emerging technologies that can scale up for his agency.

Law enforcement, airport and border security missions at DHS, said Zangardi, could see particular benefits from the mobile technology.

"The things that we could do with that are amazing," he said, citing security operations, from mobile database applications to customs and cargo applications. The technology, he said, could also come in handy closer to the agency's headquarters in Washington.

Zangardi said he is considering how to make the DHS' headquarters on the St. Elizabeth's compound in Southeast Washington, D.C., a "5G campus."

"I've talked to industry about this, and one of my goals is to take our campus at St. Elizabeth's and turn it into a 5G campus. That would reduce the number of devices" needed by employees, he said. Some DHS employees carry as many as four, or even five, wireless devices.

"There's a cost to that. As a CIO, I have to be practical. I want to get to one [device]. 5G can get me to that point."

In a short interview with FCW after his remarks, Zangardi said his idea is in the very early stages and aren't yet formalized, as 5G devices and networks are just emerging on the market.

"I wanted to get vendors thinking" about what would be possible on the campus, from practical concerns such as how many antennas would be needed, where those would be placed, to more advanced ideas such as what kinds of applications could be implemented, he said.

The DHS St. Elizabeth's site is also still emerging. The agency had a formal ribbon cutting ceremony for its headquarters building there last summer.