This contract strengthens Verizon's position in the federal sector, particularly in providing essential 5G services for military applications, which typically yield higher profit margins than commercial services.

It remains uncertain whether the new installations will replace existing telecom equipment from Chinese manufacturers, as the U.S. aims to eliminate such technology from its networks.

The selected Air Force bases are spread across various states, including Alabama, California, Florida, and New York, among others.

Verizon has secured a significant contract to upgrade cellular networks at 35 U.S. Air Force bases, marking its seventh success in eight attempts under the Air Force's Opportunity to Lease (OTL) program.

Maggie Hallbach, Verizon's senior vice president for Public Sector, emphasized that this win reflects the trust the U.S. Air Force places in Verizon's network and services.

The enhancements will include new macro builds, small cells, and C-band carrier additions, aimed at improving speeds, bandwidth, and reducing latency for personnel.

These upgrades will support critical functions such as flight line test equipment, high-definition telemedicine, and advanced AI for biometric identification.

This contract expands Verizon's 5G offerings for the federal government and the U.S. Department of Defense, building on previous OTL wins from 2019, 2021, and 2023.

The bases benefiting from this enhancement are located in multiple states, including Alabama, California, Texas, and Florida.

The announcement comes shortly after a significant security breach involving foreign hackers, specifically the Salt Typhoon group, which affected nine major firms.

Following the breach, Verizon stated it has removed Salt Typhoon's access from its networks, alongside other affected companies.

The initiative is part of the 'DAF Long Term Evolution 5G Initiative,' which aims to implement 5G across 84 Air Force and Space Force installations by 2028.