AT&T and Verizon have reached an agreement with Connecticut’s five largest cities — Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, Bridgeport, and Stamford — to install 5G small cells. The Hartford Business Journal reported that mediations between the telecoms and the cities took over a year, with help from Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration.
The telecoms will install 5G transmitters on city-owned light poles and other municipal infrastructure to close the connectivity gap in the state’s urban areas. Gov. Lamont is focused on 5G expansion, making it a “key priority” and discussing its importance since at least 2019, according to The Hartford Business Journal.
“When compared to today’s wireless networks, 5G networks are up to five times more responsive, up to 100 times faster, and allow up to 100 times more devices to be connected, opening up multiple benefits for residents, businesses, public safety departments, and educational institutions,” Lamont said in 2019.
The Hartford Business Journal reported that Hartford is the first city to move to ratify the new agreement. Its Mayor, Luke Bronin, is seeking the City Council’s approval.
“The transformative capabilities of 5G technology — including ultra-high-speed data transmission and exceptional network reliability — can foster job creation, help bridge the digital divide, and solidify cities as dynamic hubs of technological progress and economic activity,” Bronin wrote in a September 11 memo to council members.
Hartford faced legal challenges with AT&T in 2021, when the carrier sued the city, accusing it of “slow-rolling its application for the placement of small cell wireless facilities on downtown, city-owned light poles.” A 2022 settlement allowed AT&T to place seven small cells around Hartford’s central business district.
According to John Emra, president of AT&T Northeast, the 5G signals across much of the state of Connecticut can be pushed from traditional cell towers — in a process controlled by the Connecticut Siting Council — and through small cell transmitters on utility-owned wooden poles — through a process governed by Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. He added that the new agreement will help carriers “fill the gaps” by setting up a standardized framework for using municipal light poles in core downtown areas that don’t have utility poles.
“People want connectivity everywhere they go,” Emra said. “They want good connectivity. And if you can’t provide that, it is a disadvantage to any place that doesn’t have it.”
New Haven Economic Development Officer Dean Mack said some logistics included in the new agreement are a “win” for the cities. One example comprises supplying municipalities with maps outlining the carriers’ 5G deployment plans and meeting with city representatives annually to explain those plans. Mack added that this oversight enables cities to have transparency and mitigate concerns. It also allows better coordination with road work or “dig once” efforts.
Reader Interactions