5G towers and small cells serve soldiers, families and civilians on one of the largest U.S. military bases

November 15, 2024 | Fort Cavazos, Texas

Boldyn Networks, a leading neutral host telecommunications infrastructure provider in the United States and globally, has partnered with Verizon Wireless and the U.S. Army to install the first millimeter wave 5G small cells on an Army base at Fort Cavazos in Texas. Boldyn deployed nearly 60 small cells, with service provided by Verizon Wireless, to enhance coverage and speeds for the more than 60,000 soldiers and family members living on base.

"Today is another great day at Fort Cavazos as we celebrate the launch of more than 50 new 5G mmWave small cells powered by Verizon. This milestone is a significant step forward in enhancing quality of life for our Soldiers, DA civilians, and their families, providing faster, more reliable connectivity across our installation. I want to extend my gratitude to the dedicated teams from Fort Cavazos, AAFES, Verizon, and Boldyn Networks for making this advancement possible. Together, we're building a stronger, more connected community for those who serve," said Col. Lakicia Stokes, USAG Fort Cavazos commander.

“This project is about improving the quality of life for anyone who steps onto Fort Cavazos, but particularly service members and their families,” said Ret. Col. Lou Zeisman, Head of Military Relations at Boldyn Networks, US. “Soldiers and their family members living on base depend on connectivity for everything from work to homework, telehealth to entertainment and now they have better speeds in harder to reach places.”

Fort Cavazos is one of the largest geographical military bases in the country, stretching across approximately 215,000 acres. To meet the coverage needed, Boldyn also deployed 145,000 feet of fiber to the small cells, three macro cell towers and sites for additional cell towers.

“Fort Cavazos is another example of Verizon’s commitment to serving members of the military and their families,” said Martin Mallady, Associate Director for Verizon’s DoD business. “Whether it’s wide area coverage on cell towers, or more concentrated, high-capacity coverage with 5G millimeter wave small cells, we optimize the network to serve the mission and lives supported on base.”

Boldyn Networks and Verizon have partnered with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) to provide more robust coverage across numerous military installations.

Leadership from Fort Cavazos, Verizon, and Boldyn Networks celebrated the milestone with a ceremony yesterday, November 14.