Washington: US President Donald Trump challenged US telecommunications companies on Thursday to boost their efforts to build advanced networks and said leadership should come from competition, not by blocking competitors.

US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP

"American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind," Trump tweeted. "There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on something that is so obviously the future."

The worldwide mobile industry is racing to deploy advanced 5G networks that promise faster connections, allowing uses such as autonomous vehicles and remote surgery. China has a narrow lead over the US and South Korea, according to research commissioned by CTIA, a Washington-based trade group for mobile carriers.