CTIA, the wireless industry association, this week presented Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward with its 5G Wireless Champion Award, to honor Mayor Hayward’s leadership in encouraging 5G wireless investment and innovation, by removing outdated barriers to infrastructure deployment.
“Pensacola wants to lead in unlocking the new opportunities and benefits provided by the next-generation of wireless,” said Mayor Ashton Hayward. “I supported the FCC’s recent orders to remove cumbersome federal hurdles to broadband because it will open the door to increased investment and innovation in our community.”
“Mayor Hayward knows that common-sense infrastructure rules need to be in place in Pensacola for wireless investment to succeed,” said CTIA president/CEO Meredith Attwell Baker. “Thanks to Mayor Hayward’s smart infrastructure policies, Pensacola will be well positioned to benefit from 5G-related investment and jobs.”
Under Mayor Hayward’s leadership, Pensacola became one of the first cities in Florida to revise local permitting procedures in accordance with Florida House Bill 687. The bill establishes statewide guidelines on wireless infrastructure siting procedures including small cell attachment fees, and timelines for the review of small cell applications.
According to Accenture, reducing timelines to deploy 5G by 12 months will generate an additional $100 billion in economic growth. In Pensacola, Accenture estimates 5G will bring $43 million in new network investment, create more than $30 million in smart city benefits and add $80 million to the local economy.
August 31, 2018
