UScellular conducted a live demonstration of its advanced 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology at Washington Academy in Belvidere last week. The event was designed to highlight how wireless connectivity can help bridge the digital divide in Illinois.
Attendees, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, experienced a 5G FWA technical demonstration that showcased the power, reliability and speed of 5G mid-band technology and how it can connect homes and businesses across the state. Belvidere is one of the first cities to receive UScellular’s 5G mid-band network, which can deliver speeds up to 10x faster than 4G LTE and current low-band 5G networks.
Using specially designed antennas connected to a nearby cell tower, UScellular network experts conducted a call with more than 20 simultaneous video streams to simulate today’s digital lifestyle. Prior to the demonstration, attendees toured the cell tower, where they received a rare opportunity to see the inside of the base station and the equipment that makes this high-speed connectivity possible.
“Every Illinoisan needs access to reliable connectivity to participate in the 21st century economy,” said Pritzker. “Within our Rebuild Illinois capital plan, we have made the largest broadband investment in state history. We are committed to providing reliable and affordable high-speed internet to homes, businesses, and community institutions across the state, and I am thankful to UScellular for joining us in this endeavor.”
Illinois was just allocated more than $1 billion in funding from NTIA’s BEAD program to expand broadband internet to areas across the state.
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