Ericsson Federal Technologies Group has hired Nathan Simington as its director of policy and strategy. The exec joins the fledgling Ericsson venture after recently serving as commissioner of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The Vienna, Virginia-based offshoot, which specializes in 5G and 6G services for U.S. defense agencies, said Simington’s appointment would bolster its position in telecom and technology provisions for the U.S. Government and Department of War (DOW, officially known as the Department of Defense).

Simington served as FCC commissioner between 2020 and 2025, leaving the Commission last summer. A former senior advisor for the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Simington joined the FCC after a fast-tracked Senator approval process with endorsement from none other than U.S. President Donald Trump himself.

At the DOC, Simington led efforts at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on spectrum sharing, access, and broadband expansion.

His background includes senior counsel experience for wireless distributor Brightstar, and as an associate for Chapman and Cutler, Kirkland & Ellis, and Mayer Brown.

“I am honored to join Ericsson Federal as director of policy & strategy to help accelerate the integration of 5G and emerging 6G networks for the U.S. government and DOW. Our mission is to drive U.S. network superiority by ensuring government networks scale with the adoption of commercial technology. I look forward to shaping policies that advance our national security and build a resilient communications future,” said Simington on his new role.

“As we confront a dual imperative: scale our government 5G networks to seamlessly integrate cutting-edge commercial advancements, while simultaneously shaping policies that secure decisive network superiority, Ericsson Federal is at the forefront of telecom innovation,” added Christopher Ling, CEO of Ericsson Federal. “Only through this alignment can we effectively counter our adversaries, and Nathan Simington’s expertise strengthens our mission to build solutions that fortify the future of network security and national security.”

Ericsson Federal was founded in 2024, with Yossi Cohen, president and head of Ericsson North America, touting the venture would build on existing Ericsson 5G projects with the U.S. government, with a claim that more than 60% of U.S. 5G deployments rely on Ericsson equipment. The Ericsson offshoot also boasts of a $5 billion investment per annum in R&D.

The firm meets U.S. Government requirements for 5G networks, including support for open RAN-ready and AI technologies, as well as Made in the USA-branded equipment from its Texas-based USA 5G Smart Factory.

With slogans such as Send a Stronger Signal and Go Further/Forward/Fearless, Ericsson Federal, or EFTG as it’s also known, adds that the U.S. is “locked in a network arms race it cannot afford to lose,” with a warning that “adversaries aren’t just testing 5G” but also “operationalizing it and racing toward ‘Future G’, referring to 6G.

The venture’s earnings have yet to be broken down in Ericsson’s financial reports since its inception.

Its competitors include Nokia Federal Solutions (NFS) and, until recently, BT Federal, which was sold last week to 22nd Century Technologies as the British operator continues its U.K-centric consolidation.