Verizon to deliver 5G service to pilot customers in 11 markets across U.S. by Mid 2017

Company operating largest proving ground for 5G technology

NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2017 /CNW/ -- Verizon will deliver 5G pre-commercial services to select customers in 11 markets throughout the country on its newly built 5G network. Verizon's 5G build is the largest proving ground in the world and encompasses several hundred cell sites that cover several thousand customer locations. Verizon will begin offering 5G to pilot customers during the first half of 2017 in the following metropolitan areas: Ann Arbor, Atlanta, Bernardsville (NJ), Brockton (MA), Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, Sacramento, Seattle and Washington, D.C. This is another important step in commercializing gigabit broadband service to homes and offices via a wireless 5G connection. This implementation of 5G technology leverages the close collaboration with Verizon's 5G Technology Forum (5GTF) partners.

"Ericsson's partnership with Verizon in rolling out 5G customer trials is accelerating the global 5G ecosystem," said Rima Qureshi, Head of Region North America, Ericsson. "These end-to-end solutions are a key step for preparing Verizon's network for commercial deployment with different 5G scenarios and use cases."

"The tremendous progress we have made with Verizon in commercializing 5G represents our companies' mutual focus on delivering the highest level of innovation to our customers," said Woojune Kim, Vice President, Next Generation Business Team, Samsung Electronics. "The 5G systems we are deploying will soon provide wireless broadband service to homes, enabling customers to experience cost-competitive, gigabit speeds that were previously only deliverable via fiber."

Pioneering 5G technology and accelerating global commercialization

Verizon's network legacy is rooted in being the first to deliver to customers next-generation wireless technology, coast to coast, before any other carrier. With 5G, Verizon is once again poised to usher in a new era of network technology, setting the pace for both 5G technical development and its emerging eco-system. The Verizon 5GTF delivered an open specification for 5G fixed wireless that is immediately implementable. 

"5G technology innovation is rapidly evolving," said Adam Koeppe, Vice President, Network Planning at Verizon. "Network density is increasing to meet the demands of customers, and following the FCC's aggressive action on 5G spectrum, the time is right to deliver the next generation of broadband services with 5G."

The 5GTF ecosystem partners are well on their way to commercializing chipsets, infrastructure products, and consumer devices based on the 5GTF specification. Chipsets built for enabling 5G are now becoming available from Verizon 5G Technology Forum partners including, Ericsson, Intel, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Samsung. Verizon continues to strengthen partnerships within the 5G ecosystem globally. Deep technical work is occurring with long-standing partners in the industry. Collaborative 5G activities with international telecommunications giants in Japan, Korea, and Canada are geared towards further accelerating global commercialization of 5G.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York City, has a diverse workforce of 160,900 and generated nearly $126 billion in 2016 revenues. Verizon operates America's most reliable wireless network, with 114.2 million retail connections nationwide. The company also provides communications and entertainment services over mobile broadband and the nation's premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.

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Media contact:
Marc Tracey
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Christopher McCann
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SOURCE Verizon

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