Verizon taps Indianapolis as 4th city to receive 5G service

Dive Brief:

Verizon announced that Indianapolis will be the fourth city to get its 5G residential broadband service before the end of 2018. It joins Houston, Los Angeles and Sacramento as the first group of cities to get Verizon's service.
Verizon also announced that it will include YouTube TV and Apple TV 4K with its initial 5G broadband offering in the four launch cities.
"Indianapolis is one of our nation's leading tech and business hubs, making our community a natural location to launch innovative new technology," said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett in a statement. "We expect to continue to build Indianapolis' global reputation as a center of innovation with the rollout of 5G."

Dive Insight:

The Indianapolis announcement rounds out Verizon's plans for its super-fast fixed internet, which it promises will run 100 times faster than its 4G/LTE network. The carrier plans to launch mobile 5G service in 2019. On an earnings call earlier this month, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said the company had "driven the 5G ecosystem by pushing the industry to adopt the next generation several years ahead of original expectations, and we are positioned to be the clear leader in the deployment of 5G services based on our technological expertise, asset base, engineering talent and spectrum portfolio."

Companies are pushing to be the market leaders in 5G deployment. AT&T has announced six cities that will get 5G before the end of the year (it has also tested high speed networks down the road in South Bend, IN). Sprint has announced nine cities — including New York City, Kansas City, MO and Phoenix — as part of an early 2019 launch, and other carriers are trying to develop city partnerships as well, like a deal between CNX and Knoxville, TN to release 5G by the end of March.

Verizon had previously tested 5G during the 2017 Indianapolis 500, and has promised to make investments to help Indianapolis and utility Indianapolis Power & Light get faster networks to consumers and businesses. The investments from Verizon will help Indianapolis take advantage of the added benefits of mobile 5G — including connected infrastructure and smart grid technology — quickly.