Verizon announced 18 more markets where it will offer its fixed wireless 5G Business Internet service. Today’s press release about the expansion makes it clear which competitor Verizon hopes to displace.
“5G Business Internet is an alternative to cable Internet,” the company said.
Cable companies have taken considerable market share among small and medium size businesses in recent years, in large part because the cable companies often are willing to bring service to buildings that may not be lit with fiber from the incumbent local telecom provider. Fixed wireless enables Verizon to also serve those buildings without having to run cabling.
Importantly, the announced markets are outside Verizon’s traditional local service footprint in the northeastern U.S. Instead, the markets are in the Midwest, as well as in the southeastern and western U.S.
New customers switching to Verizon may be eligible for a credit of up to $1.500 to offset early termination fees from their current provider, Verizon said.
The company also said it would honor a previously announced 10 year price lock offer for eligible new customers.
Verizon 5G Business Internet “complements” Verizon Business services such as 5G mobility, 5G Edge mobile edge computing, BlueJeans by Verizon video collaboration, IoT, managed network-as-a-service and more, today’s release notes.
Seven of the new Verizon 5G Business markets also recently received Verizon 5G Home service, a residential version of the company’s fixed wireless offering. Those seven markets are Ann Arbor, MI; Akron, OH; Fresno, CA; Spokane, WA; Columbia, S.C., St. Petersburg, FL; and Durham, N.C.
The other 11 markets announced today are Milwaukee; Tampa, FL; Memphis; San Antonio; Columbus, OH; Raleigh, NC; Greensboro, NC; Seattle; Tucson; Des Moines, IA and New Orleans. The company previously announced 24 other markets, making its current total 42.
Verizon 5G Business Internet uses the company’s ultra-wideband network, which currently relies on millimeter wave spectrum. That spectrum provides fast speeds but over relatively short distances. Accordingly, the company said the new offering is available in “parts of” the new markets.
Today’s release doesn’t detail price and speeds, but previously the company said prices range from $69/month for 100 Mbps service to $199 month for 400 Mbps service.
Verizon is one of the more aggressive companies on the fixed wireless front. While some companies are focusing on fixed wireless for more rural areas, Verizon clearly sees it as suitable for metro markets – a strategy that may make sense, in large part, because the company is also a mobile service provider and can leverage that investment to also support fixed wireless.
More information about Verizon 5G Business Internet is available at this link.
