Verizon 5G Business Internet: Now In 42 US Cities

The carrier’s 5G Business Internet service is now available in parts of 42 U.S. cities, giving SMBs and enterprises a platform to access SDN, security, and edge compute resources, according to Verizon.

Verizon is making its 5G Business Internet available to more users in additional markets, the carrier announced Thursday.

5G Business Internet is now available in parts of 42 U.S. cities as Verizon continues to bet on 5G as a way to boost its business segment, which has struggled in recent quarters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Verizon told CRN that 5G Business would be available through the carrier’s channel partners.

[Related: 10 5G Vendors Leading The Revolution In 2021]

The 5G Business connectivity offering, which is powered by 5G Ultra Wideband, will gives SMBs and enterprises a platform for advanced networking services, including software-defined networking, security, and multi-access edge compute, Verizon said.

The new areas that are now online include parts of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Akron and Columbus, Ohio; Fresno, Calif.; Seattle and Spokane, Wash; Columbia, S.C.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla; Memphis, Tenn; San Antonio, Texas; Raleigh, Durham, and Greensboro, N.C.; Tucson, Ariz; Des Moines, Iowa; and New Orleans, La.

The carrier said that eligible new customers that are making the switch to Verizon can receive a credit of up to $1,500 to offset early termination fees from their current provider. Offerings include 100, 200, and 400 Mbps plans for both enterprise and SMBs, with no data limits. Verizon is also offering a 10 year price lock for new customers with no long-term contract required, according to the carrier.

“5G Business Internet customers get more than just a new kind of superfast Internet connectivity for today -- they also get a 5G digital-transformation platform for tomorrow,” Sampath Sowmyanarayan, chief revenue officer for Verizon Business, said in a statement. “… as 5G technology evolves, customers will also have a scalable framework for leveraging technologies like edge computing and IoT.”

The extension of the 5G Business Internet footprint follows Verizon April announcement that it had brought 21 new cities, or 20 new 5G markets online, bringing the total to 24 U.S. cities that could access the business-focused network at the time.

Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon in June also unveiled what it referred to as the first commercially available private 5G network in the U.S. for enterprise businesses and the public sector — On Site 5G. This offering brings secure 5G networks to enterprise campuses, industrial and manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and other premises, even where public 5G Ultra Wideband coverage is not available, according to the carrier.