Verizon taps Phoenix for 5G debut

If you own a smartphone, you have likely experienced slow internet speeds at one time or another. You drive through a mountainous area, your phone drops from 4G to 3G or lower, and you – disgruntled that your webpage/app won’t refresh – eagerly wait until your connection climbs back up.

With the introduction of 5G, Verizon is making a large leap in minimizing those slow-speed frustrations. Last week, the telecommunications giant announced that Phoenix would be one of the first 20 U.S. cities to receive the 5G Ultra Wideband network this year.

But how big of a difference will 5G make? The short answer is: a massive one. 5G’s use of higher radio frequencies allows it to support more and faster data. Also, because of the size of the wavelengths, 5G can support 1,000 more devices per meter than 4G, according to AdWeek. Plus, in addition to delivering faster mobile speeds to customers, 5G also lays out a framework for advanced autonomous transportation, telemedicine, and more.

“This is exciting news,” said Governor Ducey. “Verizon’s 5G launch will strengthen Arizona’s wireless infrastructure and help keep Arizona at the forefront of technological innovation. Arizona was proud to be the first state to pass legislation laying out the welcome mat for 5G and we are glad to see Verizon choose our state for this big advancement.”

In 2017, Representative Weninger introduced House Bill 2365, which Governor Ducey later signed into law. The bill eased regulations regarding the addition of capacity to wireless networks and infrastructure. These changes made Arizona the first state to streamline the development of advanced 5G technology infrastructure, which was instrumental in Verizon’s selection of Phoenix as one of its debut cities.

“It was kind of used as a national model; recently, the FCC duplicated some of the things we did in the bill for larger policy changes to speed it up nationally,” Rep. Weninger said. “I do think the legislation was instrumental, and I’m happy to see Verizon deploying it in Phoenix at a large scale. It was an amazing collaboration with cities and counties to get that through, and it’s great to see that paying dividends in our state.”

Last October, AT&T announced that it would be setting up its 5G Evolution – essentially the red carpet for 5G connectivity – in Phoenix as well. So no matter which network a resident has, they’ll be able to access the fastest mobile speeds. 5G will go a long way in increasing productivity as well as alleviating some of those slow-speed headaches.