Brenda Marie Rivers
Verizon has made a millimeter-wave 5G network service available to three U.S. cities and started the deployment of the new cellular technology at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, Fierce Wireless reported Thursday.
The company deployed its 5G Ultra Wideband network to Seattle; Sacramento, California; and Pensacola, Florida.
Andres Irlando, president of Verizon’s public sector business, told the publication that seven of the 10 military bases in the southeastern region covered by a contract between the company and the U.S. Air Force now have access to the service.
The telecommunication firm also worked with Qualcomm to establish the 5G Living Lab at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.
Steve Lamb, director of network engineering for the Verizon 5G Living Lab at Miramar, said the team’s main focus is implementing ultra wideband but 4G must remain in place at the base to address the demands of existing customers.
Paul Guckian, vice president of engineering at Qualcomm, noted the Miramar team was “very interested in drones†and that Qualcomm partnered with the Federal Aviation Administration on low-altitude flight tests.
