U.S. Cellular is working with Nokia to acquire the equipment needed for its 5G rollout.

U.S. Cellular is the fourth largest wireless carrier in the US. Unlike T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T, however, U.S. Cellular is a regional carrier. It currently operates in 23 states. Despite its regional status, the company is working to deploy mmWave 5G in its markets.

mmWave is the fastest variety of 5G available, with speeds measured in gigabits. As such, it promises to be a revolutionary upgrade, upending what is normally possible with a cellular connection.

U.S. Cellular is working with Nokia on its multi-year 5G deployment, with commercial availability beginning in 2021.

“U.S. Cellular and Nokia are taking bold steps forward together in the realm of 5G modernization and connectivity,” said Mike Irizarry, CTO, U.S. Cellular. “With 5G mmWave technology from Nokia, we can provide our customers with the leading-edge capabilities of high performance, ultra-low latency 5G. By readying our network with these key foundational network elements, we can offer an even wider range of communications services that enhance our customers’ wireless experience.”