The tech industry is going to be seeing a lot of advancements in the next few years, the biggest one possibly being the loss of cell towers. With talk of a 5G mobile network approaching sometime in 2020, cellular carriers are delighted, but also concerned. This new advancement in technology could leave the cellular industry at a loss. However, these rumors are not stopping companies like Verizon and AT&T from being some of the top cell providers in the United States.
Out of the four major cell phone providers in the U.S., Verizon wireless is making sure to stay on top and starting to get slightly more serious about small cells in 2017. Additionally, with Verizon’s extensive effort to enter master lease agreements with municipalities will help pay dividends in 2017. This will also help Verizon experience quicker speed to market than other wireless carriers who haven’t negotiated the same agreements. So, what does this mean for the competition?
As it stands right now, the only carrier who is catching up to Verizon is AT&T, ensuring that Verizon will stay on their toes to maintain the top-dog spot. AT&T has definitely been on the small cell track this year, deploying thousands of small cells all around the U.S. Additionally, companies like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile will most likely be improving power backup systems at individual sites. This is due to the fact that the FCC is now requiring cell providers to disclose the percentage of their sites that are out of commission during emergencies. However, AT&T and Verizon are also ahead of the game on site hardening, leaving companies like Sprint and T-Mobile to play catch up.
All in all, although Verizon is still the top-dog, AT&T is making moves and is not too far behind. With the competition on the up-and-up, it’s anyone’s game.
