LEE COUNTY, Fla. Oct. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the wake of the most destructive hurricane to batter Florida’s southwest coast in decades, Verizon engineers are rapidly responding to community needs by deploying additional 5G ultra-wideband technology to critical cell sites in the counties Lee and Charlotte to provide more capacity for first responders, public safety officials and local residents connecting with loved ones and critical resources.

“We know it’s important to connect with the people and resources you need after a storm like this,” said Kyle Malady, EVP and President, Global Networks and Technology. “5G Ultra Wideband offers much greater capacity and will be of great benefit in aiding recovery efforts in the hardest-hit parts of Southwest Florida.”

The provided 5G Ultra Wideband uses the C-band spectrum. Verizon acquired an average of approx 161MHz C-Band Spectrum in markets across the country, providing a vast wireless superhighway. Floridians beginning the long road to recovery, as well as countless rescuers and volunteers pouring into markets from across the US, will need that extra bandwidth and speed. 5G Ultra Wideband is ideally designed to provide additional wireless speed and capacity for situations like this.

Additional and ongoing recovery efforts

Verizon engineers were on site before the storm preparedness teams jumped into action to provide wireless connectivity in the state after the storm. Verizon liaises closely with federal, state and local emergency management teams and coordinates communications needs and efforts with them. Verizon engineers work directly with state and local emergency response centers on recovery priorities and community needs.

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