The Air Force Civil Engineer Center Installations Directorate, with the Office of the Chief Information Officer, has granted 25-year leases to private entities to install commercial broadband networks at Department of the Air Force installations in the United States.
DAF Long Term Evolution 5G Initiative
AFCEC said Wednesday the leases are part of the DAF Long Term Evolution 5G Initiative, which aims to enhance connectivity for airmen, guardians and the rest of the workforce through secure and reliable networks. The project intends to bring strong cellular coverage to housing areas, work centers, training areas and along flightlines.
The LTE initiative is expected to provide 5G service to 84 Air Force and Space Force installations by 2028. The project, started in 2017, was initially designed as a way to improve quality of life by addressing the lack of reliable cellular coverage as reported by wing commanders.
The project is planned to have a three-phase rollout. Phases one and two of the initiative are ongoing — phase two was awarded to Verizon Communications in December 2022. Phase three is expected to begin at the end of November 2024. The third phase is split into four groups, with the first three awarded to Verizon and the fourth group to Boldwyn Networks.
“One of the biggest challenges has been finding providers capable of installing the towers while also offering cell service,” said Judi Tepperman, AFCEC real property management division chief. “During Phase 2, we learned it was more effective to invest time in finding entities that could handle both tower construction and cell service provision.”
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