Bridgeport and its neighbors could soon be on the receiving end of a technology being billed as game-changing for businesses: 5G wireless internet.
In the coming weeks, AT&T plans to launch a 5G network in the Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rochester and San Diego market areas. The company also plans to add 5G in Boston, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, New York City, San Francisco, Birmingham, Bridgeport, Buffalo, Louisville and San Jose next year.
“When we introduced the U.S. to 5G last year, we started with a business-first and experience-based strategy to lay the foundation for innovation to come,” AT&T Consumer CEO Thaddeus Arroyo said in a statement.
Gov. Ned Lamont applauded the announcement, saying that it is a significant step forward for efforts in the state to connect individuals and businesses to ultra-fast networks.
“Expanding ultra-fast, 5G service throughout Connecticut is critical if we want to be ahead of the curve on technology that will help businesses flourish and grow jobs in our state,” Lamont said in a statement. “There is a direct connection between the ability of nearly every sector of our economy to conduct business and their ability to connect to high-speed networks. I want Connecticut to be ahead of the curve, and that’s why we’re working with our state’s telecommunications companies to deploy 5G service here. I applaud AT&T on this announcement today – they’re helping us in our efforts to build a Connecticut that has a reputation for being at the forefront of modern, technological advancements.”
This summer, Lamont signed into law legislation he pushed that will accelerate the deployment of 5G service in Connecticut by setting up a process to set 5G infrastructure on state property. The new law also establishes a process for municipalities that are interested in taking advantage of the technology in cases where utility or light poles are not available.
The administration said it continues to have “active discussions” with several telecommunications companies, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, on expanding 5G coverage throughout the state.
