CTIA, the wireless industry association, today presented Gilbert, AZ Mayor Jenn Daniels with its 5G Wireless Champion Award, honoring her focus on infrastructure modernization that will bring new investment to the Gilbert community.

The 5G Wireless Champion Award recognizes Mayor Daniels’ leadership in making Gilbert the first community in Arizona to streamline the ability of wireless companies to deploy small cells – next-generation 5G wireless infrastructure – in accordance with Arizona House Bill 2365.

The reforms accelerate the ability of wireless providers to install small cells by standardizing fees, clarifying the use of public rights-of-way for deployments, and setting timelines for the review of applications. As a result, wireless providers can more quickly add capacity to wireless networks to meet growing demand for mobile broadband, while laying the groundwork for 5G networks.

 “We know that wireless industry investment in Gilbert will help spur new economic benefits and job opportunities,” said Mayor Jenn Daniels. “Streamlining infrastructure requirements for new wireless networks will further boost Gilbert’s growing reputation as a great place to live and do business.”

“Mayor Daniels has built a successful record bringing investment and opportunity to Gilbert,” said Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO of CTIA. “As one of the first communities in America to streamline rules for small cells, Gilbert will benefit from increased economic and job growth, as well as the innovations the 5G will deliver.”

Small cells are about the size of a backpack and are installed on utility poles, streetlights, and the sides of buildings. Small cells can be installed in about an hour, but in areas with rules designed for 200-foot cell towers, can take more than a year to get approval. The wireless industry will need to deploy hundreds of thousands of modern wireless antennas – small cells – in the next few years to keep up with increasing consumer demand for wireless data and to build out new 5G networks.