Q&A: Jim Anetsberger, VP of Business Sales

How is U.S. Cellular preparing for the eventual rollout of 5G? 

At U.S. Cellular, we aim to be a trusted technology partner for our business and government customers, and help improve all of the communities we serve. With that in mind, we are very excited to be bringing 5G to several Iowa cities in early 2020. This initial 5G deployment will be on our 600 MHz spectrum and will provide customers with faster data speeds, a more responsive mobile experience and the ability to connect a vast amount of new IoT solutions to help businesses and government entities of all sizes to improve their operations. Most importantly, we are bringing our 5G network to customers in both urban and rural communities. 

Additionally, our Iowa customers with 4G devices will begin to see increased network quality as our network team updates cell towers with new technology that supports 5G. We are also building a portfolio of 5G smartphones, connected devices and IoT solutions that will be available throughout 2020.

This network enhancement is part of our multi-year network modernization project that will enable several new capabilities in addition to 5G, including advanced IoT offerings and increased network security and reliability.

Can you provide an example of 5G improving speed and efficiency in manufacturing or another industry?

5G Fixed Wireless and use of private networks could potentially transform how businesses and manufacturers operate. For example, a factory floor could be free of wires, allowing it to be reconfigured for efficiency and ease of moving people or inventory around. With 5G’s low latency and higher capacity, millions of devices could be connected, leading to increased productivity and AI capabilities. 

The important thing to remember is that this type of innovation takes time and close collaboration in solution design, and the technology is still evolving. The benefits and possibilities with 5G are endless, and what’s most exciting to me is that this new technology will open the door to solving a wide variety of problems across every industry.

What are some additional innovations U.S. Cellular is currently working on?

We are always looking to innovate on our customer experience. This means using all of our resources to provide our customers the latest technology and business solutions so they can be more successful, profitable and efficient. 

One example is with smart city technology and how deploying wireless solutions across existing infrastructure can provide advancements and efficiencies to transportation, utilities, manufacturing and other industries. By investing in these technologies – smart city, IoT and 5G – we can help the Iowa business community and local governments more efficiently support the needs of their residents.

What IoT solutions do you offer to increase productivity for local businesses?

As IoT and 5G technology evolves, U.S. Cellular can play a critical role in helping businesses navigate the wireless ecosystem. We have a depth of experience and can serve as trusted advisors for businesses of all sizes to provide the solutions and support that get them where they need to go.

We provide IoT solutions for fleet tracking, asset security and resource monitoring, among others. For example, our agricultural tank monitoring solution allows for reduced truck rolls from delivery companies, increased time utilization for both family farm operations and large co-ops, and better facility performance and uptime for livestock and machinery.

We will be talking about several of these capabilities at our Business Tech Tour event in Coralville in mid-November, so please be on the lookout for more information on that.

IoT doesn’t have to be difficult, and with our track record of high quality network service, we can ensure that businesses of all sizes and functions have access to the technology needed to be successful.