Chicago-based U.S. Cellular announced today that customers in Wisconsin and Iowa will be the first to have access to its 5G network, providing them with faster wireless service.
“Iowa and Wisconsin are two of our largest markets and we’re excited to introduce 5G technology to customers in both urban and rural communities where other carriers have not,” said Michael S. Irizarry, executive vice president and chief technology officer of U.S. Cellular. “Broader 5G coverage will provide our customers with even faster data connection speeds for a better experience when they do the things they love on their devices.”
Earlier this year, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill intended to help speed the introduction of 5G to the state.
In Wisconsin, parts of the Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Racine areas will have access to the network. The service will be available during the first quarter of 2020. Customers will be notified when 5G is available to them through local advertising and targeted marketing, the company said.
The company said its initial 5G deployment will be on its 600 MHz spectrum and “will provide customers with faster data speeds, a more responsive mobile experience and the ability to connect more devices to the network at the same time.”
Customers with 4G devices in Wisconsin and Iowa will begin to see increased network quality as cell towers are updated with new technology, which also supports 5G, the company said.
The company said this is the first phase of its planned multi-year network expansion for 5G.
U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States.
“We are rapidly moving across our footprint to bring 5G to as many of our customers as possible over the coming years. We expect to augment the network with mid- and high-band spectrum over time as the technology and use cases continue to evolve,” Irizarry said.
