Powered by 5G

In Lake Nona, we believe connectivity is a key driver that keeps our community active and connected to the present. Recognizing that value, we are actively working on the next phase of our community’s technological infrastructure – building out a 5G network powered by Verizon. 

5G technology, the fifth generation of wireless, provides unparalleled network reliability and incredibly fast downloads giving people access to more information faster than ever before. While most commercially available devices do not have the capacity to access 5G, we can expect this technology to arrive soon – and when it does, Lake Nona will be among the first communities in the nation with a 5G network in place.

Lake Nona laid the ground work for 5G with our fiber infrastructure that provides super high-speed wired connectivity directly to homes and businesses. Thanks to that fiber infrastructure, a complementary 5G network can be built to deliver those same high speeds with a wireless connection available anywhere in Lake Nona.

In early 2020, we announced an agreement with Verizon that would bring new technologies including 5G to Lake Nona. In coordination with the City of Orlando, Verizon has already installed numerous 5G wireless communication facilities, known as small cells, throughout Lake Nona across Medical City and the Town Center. More recently, the small cells have entered into our residential neighborhoods beginning in Laureate Park. You may notice the small cells on existing or new utility poles in the public right-of-way throughout the community.  

Beyond personal use, a robust 5G network will make Lake Nona a launching point for emerging new technology thanks in part to a new accelerator program that’s bringing entrepreneurs to our community. Start-ups in the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator can leverage 5G technology and Lake Nona’s existing wellbeing community creating a perfect ecosystem for the next great breakthrough that will transform how we live.

The super-fast speeds and increased bandwidth of 5G can also have a transformational impact on industries prevalent in Lake Nona including health care and telehealth, autonomous mobility, wellbeing, education, retail, and sports.

“Connectivity, both physical and digital is the main engine that powers Lake Nona’s innovation ecosystem,” said Juan Santos, senior vice president of innovation at Tavistock Development Company, Lake Nona’s developer. “Our relationship with Verizon adds both expertise and technology enabling a new era of innovative 5G-powered solutions. From personal use to research and technology, the effects may not be immediate, but the possibilities are endless.”